--- title: 'Business Development Representative, Government at Handshake' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/business-development-representative-government-handshake-united-states-gvy3y01t6jzc' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-09-16' --- # Business Development Representative, Government at Handshake - **Company:** [Handshake](https://feeny.ai/companies/handshake) - **Location:** United States - **Employment:** full-time - **Work type:** remote - **Posted:** 2026-09-09 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-16 - **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/handshake/71a4204a-d23e-476c-86e5-edb9e32a4e50 ## Job description ## About Handshake Handshake was founded on a simple belief that everyone deserves a path to a great career, regardless of where they went to school or who they know. Today, we power 25 million job seekers, 1 million+ employers, and 1,600 educational institutions. In 2025, we started Handshake AI and built the fastest-growing AI data business in history. We work directly with frontier AI lab researchers to create evaluations, publish benchmarks, and push the boundary of data. We’ve grown from $0 to ~$1B run rate and pay ~$60M to over 30K individuals every month. Why join Handshake now: - Shape how every career evolves in the AI economy, at global scale, with impact your friends, family and peers can see and feel - Partner hand-in-hand with world-class AI labs, Fortune 500 partners and the world’s top educational institutions - Work together with engineers, scientists, operators, and more from Palantir, Meta, Scale AI, and former YC founders - Build a massive, fast-growing business with billions in revenue ## About the Role At Handshake, we bridge the gap between top talent and opportunity by connecting students and recent grads with employers who value fresh perspectives. Our unique platform empowers organizations to elevate their recruitment strategies and thereby improve their hiring outcomes. As we continue to grow our government partnerships business, we’re seeking a Government BDR who can understand, navigate, and strategize in this sometimes complex, but always rewarding, space. You will be a key member of the Government team, helping inform our GTM strategy & finetune our tactical plan, while working closely with your account executive partners to develop early-stage pipeline for our business. As a Government Business Development Representative, you will play a crucial role in expanding our footprint within both federal and state & local government organizations, engaging potential clients and stakeholders, and building awareness of how we help these organizations improve their workforces. You’ll navigate complex organizational structures, map out internal influence dynamics, and learn the contracting processes within government organizations. Your goal is to identify opportunities, communicate Handshake value effectively, and drive engagement with influencers & decision-makers while respecting the government’s language, priorities, and procedural requirements. - Relationship Building: Build and influence relationships with key decision-makers across both federal and state & local departments and agencies. Also, develop strong internal relationships with key cross-functional partners. - Complex Account Navigation: Engage and raise awareness within the organizational structure of prospects, targeting both leadership roles such as Chief Human Capital Officers and operational roles such as HR managers. - Budget Strategy & Funding Cycles: Navigate government budgets and funding cycles, aligning solution positioning with these constraints. - Tailored Communication: Be able to communicate in “government language,” incorporating market familiarity and relevant language to build rapport with stakeholders. - Organization-Specific Outreach: Tailor messaging to align with each entity’s unique mission and structure. - Solution Advocacy: Promote our platform’s support for early-carer talent recruitment in line with federal and state & local hiring needs. - Stakeholder Alignment for Early Talent Initiatives: Communicate familiarity with challenges in early talent recruitment, advocating solutions aligned with federal priorities and regulations. Desired Capabilities You will have an opportunity to learn and grow at Handshake. We support our BDRs and seek to promote BDRs internally based on demonstrating success in the role, alignment with our values, and a passion for helping students and recent grads. ## Your experience - Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in business, government relations, or a related field. - 1+ years of experience in business development or account management, preferably within the federal or state & local government sector. - Experience navigating large, complex organizational structures. - Proficiency in managing long sales cycles and influencing multiple stakeholders over a long period of time. - Strong written and verbal communication skills, with an ability to adjust messaging for a range of audiences within the federal and state & local landscapes. - Strong attention to detail and the ability to work collaboratively across internal teams. Extra Credit - Familiarity with government terminology and government recruitment processes. - Experience with recruitment technologies, talent platforms, or related services. - Demonstrated proficiency with AI tools to increase your productivity and impact. - Familiarity with current trends in federal or state & local government workforce. - Previous work with or knowledge of government budgets and contracting processes. ## Perks Handshake delivers benefits that help you feel supported—and thrive at work and in life. The below benefits are for full-time US employees. 🎯 Ownership: Equity in a fast-growing company 💰 Financial Wellness: 401(k) match, competitive compensation, financial coaching 🍼 Family Support: Paid parental leave, fertility benefits, parental coaching 💝 Wellbeing: Medical, dental, and vision, mental health support, $500 wellness stipend 📚 Growth: $2,000 learning stipend, ongoing development 💻 Remote & Office: Internet, commuting, and free lunch/gym in our SF office 🏝 Time Off: Flexible PTO, 15 holidays + 2 flex days 🤝 Connection: Team outings & referral bonuses Explore our mission, values, and comprehensive US benefits at [joinhandshake.com/careers](http://joinhandshake.com/careers). ## About Handshake ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: Handshake is the career network for the AI economy, connecting job seekers with internships, full-time roles, freelance gigs, and AI training work through a three-sided marketplace. - **Entity Type**: Private (Series F; total funding $434M across 6 rounds) - **Headquarters**: San Francisco, California, USA - **Founded**: 2014 - **Founders**: Garrett Lord (CEO), Ben Christensen, Scott Ringwelski ## Core Business - **Primary industry**: Career platform / Job marketplace / AI workforce infrastructure - **Target customers**: B2C (job seekers, from students to experienced professionals) and B2B (employers including 100% of Fortune 500 and all foundational AI labs; also educational institutions) - **Mission**: Expand access and improve outcomes for job seekers, helping the workforce stay ahead in the AI economy. ## Products & Services - **Handshake Core Platform**: A three-sided marketplace connecting 25 million knowledge workers, 1,600+ schools, and 1 million employers. Features dynamic profiles, intelligent job matching, and interactive skill-building. - **Handshake AI Enterprise**: AI-powered tools for employers and job seekers, including AI-driven matching, safety features, and pay management. - **AI Trainer Gigs**: Paid, flexible, remote work for individuals to train and evaluate AI models (e.g., AI Evaluation Specialist, up to $40/hr) – no prior AI experience required. - **Handshake Network**: Community events, career advice, and networking for students, experts, and professionals in AI and other fields. ## Market Standing - **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly disclosed - **Key Metric**: Total funding $434M (6 rounds); annual revenue $56.5M (LinkedIn estimate) - **Notable Investors/Partners**: Board includes representatives from General Catalyst, Kleiner Perkins, EQT Ventures, True Ventures, and Niantic. Strategic partners include 100% of the Fortune 500 and foundational AI labs. - **Growth Signals**: Headcount at 5,272 employees (+708.8% YoY per LinkedIn); 1M+ companies on platform; 25M users; expansion into AI trainer gig economy; new roles in HAI (Handshake AI Enterprise) such as Applied AI Engineer, AI Platform Engineer, and Forward Deployed Engineer. ## Competitive Advantages - **Network effects**: The only three-sided marketplace linking students, employers, and educational institutions at scale. - **AI-first positioning**: Deep integration of AI into job matching, skill-building, and new freelance training roles – creating a unique ecosystem for the AI economy. - **Trusted by elite institutions**: 1,600+ partner schools and every Fortune 500 company provides unparalleled reach into early-career talent. ## Strategic Focus - **AI economy expansion**: Building the “career network for the AI economy” – expanding beyond college students to all knowledge workers, and adding AI training gigs as a new revenue and engagement stream. - **Product innovation**: Heavy investment in Handshake AI Enterprise (HAI), including AI matching, safety, and pay infrastructure. - **Global scaling**: Offices in San Francisco, New York, UK, and Bangalore; operating in 32 countries. ## Why Work Here - **Culture**: Values include “Students first,” “Leave nothing to chance,” “Own the outcome,” “Invent and reinvent,” and “Olympic pace.” Emphasis on ownership, urgency, and constant evolution. - **Remote/Hybrid policy**: Many roles are based in San Francisco or New York, but some positions (e.g., Trust & Safety Specialist, Support Specialist) are remote in the US. Recent openings show both office and remote options. - **Benefits**: Health & wellness support, financial support, time off, modern offices with meals, snacks, and social activities. Strong focus on career growth and learning. - **Career growth**: Rapid headcount growth suggests ample internal mobility; roles range from engineering (ML, AI, data) to customer success, partnerships, and product management. ## Sources 1. [joinhandshake.com/about](https://joinhandshake.com/about/) 2. [joinhandshake.com/careers](https://joinhandshake.com/careers/) 3. [linkedin.com/company/team-handshake](https://www.linkedin.com/company/team-handshake) 4. [joinhandshake.com](https://joinhandshake.com/) ## Other roles at Handshake - [AI Red Teamer (LLM Generalist) - Remote](https://feeny.ai/job/ai-red-teamer-llm-generalist-remote-handshake-united-states-nsv8rhpz17yq) — United States - [VP of Product, Handshake AI](https://feeny.ai/job/vp-of-product-handshake-ai-handshake-san-francisco-vcwzbdk0rb2x) — San Francisco, CA - [Director, Central Operations](https://feeny.ai/job/director-central-operations-handshake-san-francisco-06qyp36sb5ym) — San Francisco, CA - [Senior Forward Deployed Engineer (Bulgaria)](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-forward-deployed-engineer-bulgaria-handshake-sofia-e0j8p06aer33) — Sofia, Bulgaria - [Senior Recruiter](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-recruiter-handshake-seattle-rkb3p1en91hq) — Seattle, WA - [Lead Recruiter, India](https://feeny.ai/job/lead-recruiter-india-handshake-india-vsgct8sg58ng) — India - [Senior Director - AI Commercial Counsel](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-director-ai-commercial-counsel-handshake-san-francisco-rr3c2az2ts06) — San Francisco, CA - [AI Red Teamer (LLM Generalist)](https://feeny.ai/job/ai-red-teamer-llm-generalist-handshake-seattle-nd0pg32zvw43) — Seattle, WA - [Software Engineer I, Quality](https://feeny.ai/job/software-engineer-i-quality-handshake-san-francisco-a29rs3wtgxng) — San Francisco, CA - [Senior Software Engineer, Consumer Experience](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-software-engineer-consumer-experience-handshake-san-francisco-py2m3bwqpbg8) — San Francisco, CA