Public Sector Specialist

We are seeking a Public Sector Specialist to develop and manage Sakana AI's relationships with government agencies and public institutions across Japan and internationally. As governments worldwide accelerate their adoption of AI for public services, national security, and administrative efficiency, Sakana AI is uniquely positioned: founded in Tokyo, backed by $412M, and building AI technology that is both powerful and controllable.

In this role, you will identify opportunities in government AI procurement, build relationships with key decision-makers in ministries and agencies, manage responses to RFPs and government tenders, and represent Sakana AI at government technology conferences and industry events. You will also work with our policy team on AI governance initiatives, helping shape the regulatory environment in ways that benefit both the public interest and responsible AI companies like Sakana.

Day to day, you will track government AI procurement pipelines, prepare bid documents and capability statements, organize meetings and demonstrations for government stakeholders, coordinate with our engineering team on compliance requirements, and build the institutional relationships that turn one-time contracts into long-term strategic partnerships.

The ideal candidate has deep experience in public sector technology sales or government relations and understands the unique dynamics of how government organizations evaluate, procure, and adopt new technology. You should be well-networked in Japanese government technology circles, comfortable navigating bureaucratic processes, and genuinely passionate about AI's potential to improve public services.

Requirements:

• 5+ years of public sector business development, government relations, or government technology experience
• Established network within Japanese government technology organizations (METI, MOD, Digital Agency, etc.)
• Experience with government procurement processes, RFP responses, and public tender submissions
• Understanding of AI/ML technology at a level sufficient to discuss capabilities with technical government stakeholders
• Strong relationship management and communication skills across government hierarchies
• Fluent in Japanese and English with experience in cross-cultural business environments
• Experience with defense or intelligence procurement processes is a significant plus