Chief of Staff
Traysar · Austin
About Traysar
Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Traysar is the world’s first subterra defense tech company. Through breakthroughs in military boring and subterranean autonomous systems, Traysar transforms the Earth’s crust into a three-dimensional maneuver space - enabling a new class of strike capabilities against previously unreachable targets and rapid underground protection of critical infrastructure for the United States and its allies. Traysar is backed by Lux Capital, Craft and Silent Ventures among notable angel investors including Steve Blank, the founders of Anduril, and early SpaceX engineers. For more information visit www.traysar.com . / x.com/traysartech
Job Summary
We’re looking for a Chief of Staff to work directly with Traysar’s founding team as a strategic operator, force multiplier, and problem-solver. This is not a staff role — it’s a frontline position at the center of everything we do: engineering, operations, business development, government relations, and finance. You’ll drive the most important initiatives across the company, ensure the founders’ time is spent on what matters most, and fill whatever gaps need filling on any given day.
This is an opportunistic, high-trust role for someone who can turn chaos into execution: if Traysar needs to run a desert demo in one week, coordinate a manufacturing push across Israel and Austin, organize a DC stakeholder meeting, or pull together a talent event around a SpaceX launch, you are the person who makes it happen end-to-end.
Traysar is building category-defining technology for underground warfare — a domain that every Western military is waking up to. The pace is intense, the stakes are real, and the ambiguity is constant. If you thrive when the playbook doesn’t exist yet, this is your role.
Responsibilities
Serve as a strategic thought partner to the co-founders, providing decision support on company priorities, resource allocation, and execution strategy
Own and drive high-priority cross-functional initiatives end-to-end — from defense procurement processes and manufacturing timelines to fundraising preparation and investor communications
Manage the operating rhythm of the company: leadership meetings, OKRs, internal communications, and accountability structures
Act as a bridge between engineering, operations, BD, and finance teams — ensuring alignment and removing blockers
Represent the founders in meetings with defense ministry officials, military stakeholders, and government agencies when needed
Lead special projects with speed and autonomy — the kind of high-stakes, ambiguous work that doesn’t fit neatly into any single function, whether that means organizing a desert demo on one week’s notice, coordinating a manufacturing push across continents, or pulling together a strategic talent event around a major aerospace launch
Spearhead key hiring initiatives for critical roles across engineering, operations, business development, and leadership — from identifying talent gaps to sourcing, coordinating, and closing exceptional candidates
Lead thought leadership and ecosystem-building efforts, including organizing industry conferences, private roundtables, technical demos, and events that position Traysar as the defining company in underground warfare
Own high-urgency, opportunistic missions end-to-end — from field demonstrations and customer visits to manufacturing pushes, investor moments, and strategic events with little notice and no playbook
Coordinate execution across Traysar’s distributed footprint, including frequent travel between R&D, manufacturing, customer, and government-facing sites in Israel, Austin, Washington, DC, and other key locations
Plan and execute unconventional founder-led initiatives, including talent acquisition events, defense community gatherings, live demonstrations, site visits, and high-leverage moments around major industry or aerospace events
Build and maintain relationships with key external stakeholders: investors, defense primes, partners, and advisors
Streamline internal processes and identify operational bottlenecks before they become problems
Filter and prioritize inbound opportunities, requests, and information flow to the founders
Support hiring, onboarding, and culture-building as the team scales from early-stage to growth
Basic Qualifications
3-7 years of experience in management consulting, investment banking, military service officer-level, operations, or a comparable high-intensity role
Demonstrated ability to manage complex, multi-stakeholder projects and deliver results under pressure
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills in English
Comfort operating in extreme ambiguity — you build the plane while flying it
Proven track record of getting things done across organizational boundaries without formal authority
Ability to travel up to 50% of the time to domestic and/or international client sites and regional offices
Preferred Skills and Experience
Experience in defense, aerospace, or deep-tech startups
Familiarity with Israeli and/or US defense procurement processes, including SIBAT, DSCA, FMS, or equivalent
Background in engineering, manufacturing, or hardware-intensive environments
Experience working directly with founders or C-suite executives in a high-growth company
Understanding of underground infrastructure, tunneling technology, or subterranean operations is a strong plus
Military background in combat engineering, intelligence, or technology units, including 8200, Talpiot, Yahalom, or equivalent
Financial modeling or fundraising experience
ITAR / EXPORT CONTROL REQUIREMENTS
This position requires access to technical data, software, and/or hardware controlled under U.S. export control laws, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and/or the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a "U.S. person" as defined in 22 C.F.R. § 120.62, which includes 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 the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State (Directorate of Defense Trade Controls) and/or the U.S. Department of Commerce. Learn more about the ITAR at https://www.pmddtc.state.gov.
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
Traysar is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions at Traysar are based on merit, competence, qualifications, and business need, and are not influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status (except as required by law, regulation, executive order, or government contract), age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, marital status, veteran or military status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. Traysar is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities throughout the application and interview process. To request an accommodation, contact louise@traysar.com.