The Applied Innovation Intelligence Lead bridges elite end-users, design teams, and real-world problem solving. This role focuses on identifying, understanding, and articulating mission-critical challenges faced by top-tier operators and the commercial shooting community, then translating that operational experience and market insight into actionable innovation opportunities for our product development teams.
This is a field-facing role for someone equally comfortable inside a Tier 1/SOF training environment and inside a product design review - able to distill what elite operators actually need, not just what they say they want, into clear, actionable input for Engineering, Design, and Product Management.
Field Engagement & Operator Access
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Engage directly with Tier 1, SOF, and special mission units to uncover operational needs and emerging challenges.
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Maintain active involvement within the commercial shooting and training community, including participation in classes, forums, and events.
Problem Identification & Intelligence Synthesis
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Identify and articulate core problems - distilling feedback beyond what customers "say they want" to what they truly need.
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Provide structured intelligence on current and emerging technologies, equipment trends, and pain points across defense and commercial markets.
Product Development Collaboration & Innovation Support
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Collaborate with Engineering, Design, and Product Management teams to guide early-stage product development and innovation roadmaps.
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Contribute to ideation sessions, product evaluations, and prototype testing.
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Established access and relationships within Tier 1 or special mission unit circles; familiarity with their equipment, operational workflows, and procurement ecosystems, primarily with end users rather than just procurement contacts.
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Strong understanding of the commercial shooting and defense market, including hands-on experience in training, equipment use, and community engagement.
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Ability to analyze, synthesize, and clearly communicate complex operational problems to design and engineering teams without historical bias.
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Demonstrated capability to differentiate between symptoms and root causes, guiding teams toward solutions that matter.
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Excellent communication, situational awareness, and discretion in handling sensitive information.
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Demonstrated business development experience.
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Must be a U.S. Citizen. This role requires access to information and technology controlled under U.S. export regulations (e.g., ITAR). The company is unable to sponsor immigration or visa status now or in the future.
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Experience in product design, R&D, or field evaluation is highly desirable.
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Tactically fluent innovator - someone who can operate comfortably in both the field and the design lab.
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Knows the culture and the gear and is willing to fail fast and navigate an evolving landscape quickly.
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Demonstrated ability to not only collect feedback, but interpret it, connect it, and turn it into tangible product opportunities that push the boundaries of innovation.
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A steady pipeline of clearly defined, high-impact problems that transition into funded design or prototype efforts, measured by clarity, novelty, and downstream product adoption.
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A consistent yield of actionable field intelligence from Tier 1, SOF, and commercial training networks, evaluated by relevance, depth, and contribution to design direction or product pivots.
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Design, engineering, and product teams have direct visibility into real operator needs - not filtered through secondhand assumptions.
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The product innovation roadmap is measurably shaped by field intelligence rather than internal guesswork.
Compensation-commensurate with experience.
Benefits- Discretionary (unlimited) PTO; Nine (9) paid holidays;.401(K) Retirement Plan with employee contributions and competitive employer match (Elevate); Medical Insurance (Select Health); Dental (EMI Healthcare); Vision (Ameritas); HSA & FSA Programs (WEX); 100% Employer paid Basic Life Policy - $40,000 policy (MetLife); 100% Employer paid Employee Assistance Program (MetLife); Voluntary Products - Accidental Death & Dismemberment, Long Term & Short Term Disability, Life, Hospital Indemnity, Telehealth, Auto & Home, and Identity Theft Protection (Various Providers)
Syndicate is a growing enterprise that provides strategic direction, shared resources, and operational support to a consortium of independent yet interdependent entities. Each Syndicate entity delivers industry-leading, innovative products to the military, law enforcement, and firearms enthusiast markets.
