--- title: 'Targeting SME at Spear AI' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/targeting-sme-spear-ai-washington-hk0vz89khqfm' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-09-12' --- # Targeting SME at Spear AI - **Company:** Spear AI - **Location:** Washington, DC - **Employment:** full-time - **Work type:** onsite - **Posted:** 2026-08-10 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-12 - **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/spear-ai/5bbbc03a-af88-46bc-b6e2-8331710a8f63 ## Job description ## About Spear AI Spear AI is a growing defense contracting company dedicated to delivering cutting-edge solutions that support our nation’s security. As we expand, we’re building a culture where innovation meets mission-critical work. We operate with a flat organizational structure that empowers every team member to make an impact, collaborate directly with leadership, and contribute to projects that matter. Whether you’re joining our Hardware, Software, or Services division, you’ll work alongside talented professionals who are committed to excellence and advancing the capabilities that keep our nation safe and secure. Spear AI builds sonobuoy sensors that are deployed into the water and collect edge data. We also work with the U.S. Navy to collect and process their SONAR data. You’ll have an opportunity to work on real-world projects that directly impact warfighter capabilities and mission success. ## What you’ll do We’re a small team wearing many hats, and you’d have a wide variety of responsibilities that include: - Bring combatant command targeting expertise to bear across the Joint Targeting Cycle - Identify integration opportunities between operational workflows, data sources, and AI-enabled capabilities - Apply advanced, systems-level target development (target system analysis) to shape capability direction - Translate operational targeting processes into developer-consumable workflows, requirements, and user stories - Communicate architectural tradeoffs, technical risks, integration constraints, and recommendations clearly to technical and non-technical audiences - Coordinate across operational users, platform owners, and technical development teams - Maintain awareness of theater-level targeting coordination across joint and service organizations - Work with joint targeting tools, intelligence platforms, and data environments, and their governance and ownership structures Important Skills - Active TS/SCI required; must be able to obtain and maintain a Counterintelligence (CI) Polygraph. - Demonstrated operational experience supporting the Joint Targeting Cycle at a combatant command (required). - Deep understanding of intelligence support to targeting, including object-based intelligence and target development. - Experience in COCOM targeting support roles such as CCMD J2T/J2C/J23 or equivalent. - Advanced target development and target system analysis experience. - Ability to move fluidly between the operations floor and the development team and turn a targeting problem into something engineers can build. - US Citizenship required. - Ability to support periodic travel (approximately every 30 days) to CCMDs, service components, operational units, and industry/vendor locations. - Ability to operate in fast-paced, multi-vendor, government-led development environments with evolving priorities. - Strong written and verbal communication skills across technical developers, operational users, senior leaders, and external vendors. ## Nice to have - CENTCOM targeting experience (ideal). - Advanced target development or target system analysis experience at DIA or a CCMD J2 (highly preferred). - Familiarity with weaponeering workflows and target-to-effects integration. - Existing relationships with operational platform or data owners (highly desired). - Experience supporting DoD software, AI/ML, or operational capability development programs. - Experience in classified operational environments and cross-domain data constraints. - Familiarity with Agile development practices, rapid capability delivery, and iterative user-feedback cycles. - Military Intelligence or Intelligence Community experience. ## Why work with us - We ship — We don’t work on 18-month projects that are irrelevant before they’re even finished. - Our work has impact — We build products that are deployed to U.S. submarines and integrate with the sonobuoys we manufacture. - We’re growing responsibly — We have the resources to hire a lot more people, but we don’t want to build a massive team of people who don’t share our values. - We’re profitable — We aren’t burning through cash trying to make the business work. But we also have investors who believe in us and are committed to our success. - We care about doing great work — You don’t need permission to sweat the details here. - We don’t take ourselves too seriously — We’re building products that make the world safer. But we don’t let that get to our heads. ## What we offer - Unlimited PTO — Take the time you need to recharge and maintain work-life balance. - Dedicated Sick Time — Your health and well-being come first. - Comprehensive Health & Benefits – Medical, dental, and vision coverage to keep you and your family protected. - 11 Paid Holidays — Enjoy time off throughout the year to celebrate and spend time with loved ones. - Professional Development — Educational opportunities and resources to help you grow your skills and advance your career. - Collaborative Environment — Work directly with leadership in our flat organizational structure, where your ideas and contributions matter. - Mission-Driven Work — Contribute to projects that directly support national security and make a real-world impact. - Growth Opportunities — Join us during an exciting expansion phase where you can help shape our future. Additional benefit opportunities when you choose Spear AI - 401(k) with company match. - Onsite / Remote / Flexible work arrangements or hybrid options (position dependent). - Relocation assistance (position dependent). - Referral bonuses. - Performance bonuses. - Life insurance and disability coverage. - Technology home office setup stipend. - Professional certification reimbursement (position dependent). ## Compensation We offer competitive compensation tailored to your experience, location, and the impact you’ll make. We’re committed to equitable pay and will share a range aligned to your level and geography during the hiring process. In accordance with state law, candidates in jurisdictions such as CA, CO, WA, NY, and others, where applicable, will be provided a good-faith salary range upon request and throughout the hiring process. This is a full-time, exempt position under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and is not eligible for overtime pay. Compensation for this position is provided on a salaried basis and is not subject to reduction based on hours worked. At Spear AI, you’ll find more than just a job; you’ll join a mission-driven team where your work directly contributes to national security. Our flat organizational structure means your voice matters, your ideas reach leadership, and your impact is visible. As we grow, we’re committed to building robust processes and infrastructure that support both our mission and our people. We value collaboration, continuous improvement, and the expertise each team member brings to the table. If you’re looking for a place to grow professionally while working on projects that truly matter, we’d love to hear from you. ## Equal Opportunity Spear AI is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. ## About Spear AI ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: Spear AI develops advanced AI and machine learning solutions for maritime defense and national security, turning sensor data into actionable intelligence. - **Entity Type**: Private (Seed stage) - **Headquarters**: Washington, D.C., United States - **Founded**: 2020 - **Founders**: Michael Hunter (founder) ## Core Business - **Primary Industry**: Defense and Space Manufacturing; Maritime AI / Defense Technology - **Target Customers**: B2G (government) – U.S. Navy (COMSUBFOR, PEO UWS, PMS offices), Office of Naval Research (ONR), Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office (CDAO), Intelligence Community (IC), and allied partners (AUKUS) - **Mission / Purpose**: “Building AI solutions that help maritime operators decide faster and see farther” – transforming raw sensor data into decision advantage for mission-critical operations. ## Products & Services - **AI/ML Software Suite**: Edge AI and cloud-based analytics for acoustic intelligence, threat assessment, and situational awareness. Deploys to IL5, IL6, and TS/SCI environments. - **Expendable Maritime Sensors**: Affordable, real-time data collection hardware optimized for maritime environments. - **Services**: Custom AI/ML implementation, acoustic ML, reinforcement learning, cloud architecture, and strategic advisory for defense clients. ## Market Standing - **Valuation / Market Cap**: Not disclosed - **Key Metric**: Total Funding – Seed round led by Cortical Ventures and Scare the Bear Capital (amount undisclosed) - **Notable Investors / Partners**: Cortical Ventures, Scare the Bear Capital; customers include ONR, CDAO, PEO UWS, COMSUBFOR, and intelligence agencies. - **Growth Signals**: Headcount of 69 employees (rapidly growing, with 13 active job postings); 42% of employees are military veterans; software deployed to high-security clearance environments; 15,000+ hours of maritime data produced and labeled; 94+ collective years of acoustic intelligence experience. ## Competitive Advantages - Deep domain expertise in maritime acoustic intelligence and defense-specific AI. - Strong government relationships and clearances (IL5, IL6, TS/SCI) creating high barriers to entry. - Vertically integrated from custom sensor hardware to edge/cloud AI software. - High percentage of veteran employees signals mission alignment and operational credibility. ## Strategic Focus - Scaling AI capabilities for the U.S. Navy and allied (AUKUS) undersea warfare programs. - Expanding affordable, expendable sensor deployments to gather more real-world maritime data. - Growing the engineering and mission integration teams to support increasing government contracts. ## Why Work Here - **Culture**: Mission-driven environment with a strong emphasis on national security impact. Rated 5.0/5.0 on LinkedIn (based on 1 review). - **Work Policy**: Flexible / hybrid / onsite depending on the role; relocation assistance available for onsite positions. - **Perks**: Unlimited PTO, comprehensive health/dental/vision, 401(k) match, performance bonuses, and professional growth opportunities. - **Engineering Culture**: “Move quickly. Test rigorously. Release often.” Modern tech stack (Python, React, Angular, Docker, Kubernetes, Azure, AWS, PostgreSQL, etc.); practical coding assessments reflect real work. - **Hiring Process**: Recruiter screen, practical exercise (coding or hardware), team interviews, and founder conversation. - **Open Roles**: Data engineers, full-stack engineers, machine learning engineers, mission engineers, infrastructure engineers – many requiring active security clearance (Secret or TS/SCI). ## Sources 1. [spear.ai](https://www.spear.ai/) – Company overview, products, customers, key stats 2. [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/spear-ai) – Company details, employee count, funding, recent departures, tech stack, locations 3. [spear.ai/careers](https://www.spear.ai/careers) – Culture, benefits, hiring process, values 4. [jobs.lever.co/spear-ai](https://jobs.lever.co/spear-ai) – Open positions list ## Other roles at Spear AI - [Sr. Signal Processing Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/sr-signal-processing-engineer-spear-ai-falmouth-g5x0bb5x3v3e) — Falmouth, MA - [Design Engineer (Senior)](https://feeny.ai/job/design-engineer-senior-spear-ai-united-states-bp6nzp732xh4) — United States - [Technician - Falmouth](https://feeny.ai/job/technician-falmouth-spear-ai-falmouth-csgbv0tk86pp) — Falmouth, MA - [Technician - Duluth](https://feeny.ai/job/technician-duluth-spear-ai-duluth-je17yj2r0rhe) — Duluth, MN - [Forward Deployed Infrastructure Engineer (Mid-Level)](https://feeny.ai/job/forward-deployed-infrastructure-engineer-mid-level-spear-ai-manassas-727d06mzyarg) — Manassas, VA - [Information Systems Security Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/information-systems-security-engineer-spear-ai-bolling-afb-k08vt87v4y8f) — Bolling AFB - [All Source Intelligence SME](https://feeny.ai/job/all-source-intelligence-sme-spear-ai-washington-60pkm3bqyvb3) — Washington, DC - [Program Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/program-manager-spear-ai-washington-x5mq0jv7b5vq) — Washington, DC - [Technical Integrator](https://feeny.ai/job/technical-integrator-spear-ai-manassas-07n898b7wzn1) — Manassas, VA - [Intelligence / Targeting Mission Integrator](https://feeny.ai/job/intelligence-targeting-mission-integrator-spear-ai-washington-ad9kp34805ev) — Washington, DC