Government Affairs Manager

## About Us

At Antares, our long‑term mission is to make clean energy abundant from Earth to the Asteroid Belt. We’re fueled by the belief that advanced nuclear energy can strengthen our military, solve the climate crisis, elevate global living standards, and expand humanity’s presence in outer space. To achieve our mission, we’re building mass‑producible, inherently safe, deployable microreactors that can be used terrestrially, underwater, and in space.

Formed in 2023, the Antares team hails from SpaceX, The White House, MIT, Rigetti Computing, The Air Force, General Atomics, Relativity Space, Ursa Major, and National Laboratories like Los Alamos, Idaho, and Oak Ridge. Antares has raised over $130M in venture capital from top‑tier investors and has over $13M in government funding.

## About the Role

The Government Affairs Manager is responsible for helping Antares leadership execute our DC‑based strategy for engaging federal stakeholders from Congress, the Pentagon, NASA, the Department of Energy, and the Department of Homeland Security. The manager will closely monitor all events in Washington, DC, and recommend how the CEO and the Head of Federal Strategy and Policy should engage to capture federal business opportunities, enact legislation that removes obstacles to the development of the advanced nuclear energy industry, and enhance Antares’ reputation within the Beltway.

## Roles and Responsibilities

– **Prioritized engagement plan** — Develop and maintain a regularly updated plan for engagement across all federal agencies and Congress.
– **Stakeholder objectives** — Create a list of what Antares seeks from each federal stakeholder, why, and whom to engage.
– **Congressional authority requests** — Develop requests for authorities in the NDAA, NASA authorization act, energy legislation, or DHS‑related bills.
– **Event monitoring** — Attend and report on relevant events (hearings, think tank events, speeches, legislation). Provide analysis and recommended follow‑up actions.
– **Leadership travel recommendations** — Suggest visits and travel opportunities for meetings with Pentagon, NASA, and DoE leaders outside Washington, DC.
– **CEO scheduling plan** — Work with the Head of Federal Strategy and Policy to develop a plan for how the CEO should allocate time during DC visits.

## Basic Qualifications

– Bachelor’s degree
– 5+ years of public policy experience in Washington, DC, ideally at the Pentagon, NASA, DoE, or DHS

## Preferred Skills & Experience

– Master’s degree preferred
– Experience developing and executing influence plans focused on federal stakeholders
– Strong writing skills (Smart Brevity, no passive voice, avoid repetition)
– High attention to detail
– Ability to explain complex concepts in clear, accessible language
– Understanding of the U.S. military, nuclear energy industry, space, NASA, the lunar economy, and the venture‑backed startup ecosystem (via work experience or academic study)

## Additional Requirements

– Ability to work long hours and weekends as needed
– Ability to travel to regulatory locations
– Ability to obtain a Q or Top Secret clearance is preferred

## Culture

At Antares, we tie each role to our founding values. These are the top five cultural values essential for success:

– **Think in Systems** — Energy and defense are complex ecosystems with competing priorities and emergent properties. First‑principles thinking alone is insufficient. Think probabilistically and take action.
– **Obsess over the End User** — The customer and end user are often not the same. We must understand the full product lifecycle to build globally competitive products.
– **Be Unconstrained by Convention** — Our only limits are the laws of physics. Never avoid a solution because it hasn’t been tried before.
– **Go Where the Work Is** — Meet customers and stakeholders face‑to‑face whenever possible. Teams are built in person.
– **Operate in the Grey** — Embrace nuance. Question assumptions in pursuit of truth.

## Equal Opportunity

Antares is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are based solely on merit, competence, and qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability, or any other legally protected status.

## ITAR Requirements

To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicants must be a:
(i) U.S. citizen or national,
(ii) U.S. lawful permanent resident (green card holder),
(iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. 1157, or
(iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. 1158,
or be eligible to obtain required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.
Learn more about the ITAR here.

## Compensation Range

$135K – $185K

Apply here