Grants Manager

At Heart Aerospace we develop the ES-30, a regional hybrid-electric airplane with a capacity of 30 passengers, an electric zero-emission range of 200 km and an extended hybrid range of 400 km. Heart is targeting type certification of the ES-30 by the end of the decade.

Your mission

As the Grants Manager at Heart Aerospace, you will lead our efforts to secure and administer government funding that supports the development and commercialization of the Heart ES-30. You’ll manage the full lifecycle of grants and non-dilutive funding, from identifying and winning opportunities across federal and state agencies, to ensuring compliance, reporting, and project alignment for awarded grants.

This is a high-impact role ideal for someone who thrives in early-stage environments, enjoys building systems from the ground up, and is excited by the opportunity to fuel the future of sustainable aviation through government funding and partnerships.

Key responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Grant Sourcing & Acquisition

Identify and track funding opportunities across federal civilian agencies, state and regional programs, and the Department of Defense. Focus agencies and opportunities include:

• DOT: SMART
• FAA: FAST, CLEEN
• DOE: ARPA-E, LPO
• NASA: SFNP, EPFD
• DOD: AFWERX, DIU
• California: Go-Biz, California Competes

Lead the development of competitive grant applications, coordinating inputs from technical, finance, and leadership teams.

Build and maintain relationships with agency contacts and program managers to strengthen Heart’s funding pipeline.

Develop and maintain a systematic process for evaluating opportunities against Heart’s strategic priorities.

Grant Administration & Compliance:

• Oversee administration of awarded grants, beginning with Heart’s FAA FAST THEMIS project, ensuring all reporting and deliverable obligations are met.
• Partner with finance and project engineering teams to ensure accurate cost tracking, budgeting, and milestone reporting.
• Prepare and submit required technical, financial, and progress reports to agencies.
• Maintain comprehensive records and documentation for all grants to ensure compliance with federal and state requirements.
• Establish internal processes and training to embed compliance discipline across the company.

Cross-Functional Engagement:

• Work closely with engineering, finance, legal, and executive teams to align grant deliverables with company goals.
• Support leadership in communicating the strategic value of grants to investors, board members, and external stakeholders.
• Represent Heart in conversations with government stakeholders, funding partners, and industry forums related to grants and public funding.

Your place of work will be at our office located in El Segundo, CA. Some domestic travel may be required.

You'll Bring These Qualifications:

• Bachelors Degree in Aerospace, Mechanical Engineering, Public Administration, Communications, Technical Writing, Social Sciences, or related fields.
• 5+ years of experience in grants management, government contracts, or related fields.
• Demonstrated success in securing and managing grants from federal, state, or defense agencies.
• Experience with federal grant regulations (e.g., OMB Uniform Guidance); familiarity with CH is a plus.
• Excellent project management, organizational, and writing skills.
• Strong communicator who can coordinate inputs across technical and business teams.
• Comfortable working in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.

These Qualifications Would Be Nice to Have:

• Experience with aviation, aerospace, clean tech, or defense innovation programs.
• Direct experience with FAA, DOE/ARPA-E, or DOD funding programs.
• Direct experience with SBIR/STTR pathways
• Familiarity with state-level incentive programs such as California Go-Biz or California Competes.
• Track record of building grant administration systems in early-stage or scaling organizations.