Business Development Associate: Critical Minerals, Battery Recycling & Clean Coal

Help Build India's Critical Minerals and Clean Energy Future, and Be Part of Something Historic
Business Development Associate: Critical Minerals, Battery Recycling & Clean Coal
Novasensa | Delhi NCR | Full-Time | On-Site
We are not looking to fill a seat. We are looking for a missionary, not a mercenary.
Every country that has built lasting industrial strength did it because a small number of people decided a hard problem mattered enough to spend years on it. India's dependence on imported critical minerals, and the clean energy and mineral value it still burns or discards instead of recovering, are among those problems. Novasensa exists to fix them, and we believe the country that solves this first becomes a genuine global leader in the technologies that will define the next several decades.
If you want a well-defined job with a fixed playbook, this is not that role. If you want to be one of the small number of people who helped build something that mattered before most people believed it was possible, keep reading.
That kind of work rarely feels comfortable while you're in it. It feels demanding, occasionally consuming, and, if you're the right fit, more engaging than anything with a fixed playbook ever could.
What We Are Building
Novasensa is a deep-tech company developing two industrial technology platforms:
● NovaGenesis is our hydrometallurgical platform for recovering critical and high-value metals from lithium-ion battery black mass and electronic waste.
● NovaX is our dry, X-ray Transmission-based beneficiation platform for separating valuable minerals from waste material without water or chemical inputs.
Our work spans critical minerals, battery recycling, e-waste, coal beneficiation, mineral ores, circular economy infrastructure, and industrial decarbonisation.
Novasensa is a Government of India designated Centre of Excellence under the National Critical Minerals Mission (NCMM) at IIT ISM Dhanbad, and was recognised at the Innovation Zero Awards from among more than 570 companies across 64 countries.
Why This Role Is Different
● Work closely with the founding team on live business development priorities from week one.
● We keep the team small on purpose, so you get exposure to everything, not a narrow lane.
● Work on active opportunities with major industrial organisations, not theoretical accounts.
● Learn how a deep-tech company moves from technology validation to commercial deployment.
● Gain exposure to the complete business-development cycle, from market research and initial outreach to proposal preparation and negotiation support.
● Contribute to the commercial systems and partnership processes of a company still writing its own playbook.
● ESOP eligibility opens after 9 months for people who prove they're owners, not employees.
The Kind of Person We're Looking For
● You see recovering critical minerals and cleaning up coal as a cause worth years of your career, not a stepping stone to somewhere else.
● You want India to lead globally in critical minerals and clean energy, the technologies that matter for the next century, and you want to be one of the people who helped make that happen.
● You are energised, not intimidated, by working on something genuinely new. This is not a market with an established playbook to copy from a competitor.
● You take ownership of outcomes, not just tasks. If something is unfinished or unowned, you treat it as yours to pick up, not someone else's to assign.
● You are drawn to hard, long problems. Our sales cycles run 9 to 18 months with many stakeholders. We are not optimising for quick wins.
● You would rather build something 10x better than chase something incrementally better.
● You want the satisfaction of being fully absorbed in difficult, meaningful work, not just the title of having worked on something meaningful.
We are looking for someone with approximately two to five years of professional experience in one or more of the following:
● B2B business development
● Enterprise sales
● Strategic partnerships
● Founder's office
● Management consulting
● Industrial or technology commercialisation
● Mining, metals, energy, cleantech, recycling, manufacturing, or infrastructure
Prior sector experience is valuable but not mandatory. Genuine interest in this mission is not optional. You should also be someone who:
● Can communicate clearly with senior executives, engineers, government officials, researchers, and business owners
● Is comfortable learning technical concepts and translating them into commercial language
● Writes clear emails, proposals, presentations, and meeting notes
● Follows through without requiring repeated reminders
● Can structure an ambiguous problem and identify the next practical action
● Is comfortable initiating conversations and developing relationships from a cold start
● Is comfortable working heavily with AI tools day to day. We'll train you on how to use them effectively, this isn't optional in how we operate
What You Will Work On
Business Development
● Identify and qualify potential customers, technology partners, suppliers, and offtake partners
● Develop relationships across mining, metals, coal, battery recycling, electronics, manufacturing, and clean technology
● Conduct structured outreach through email, LinkedIn, industry networks, events, and direct introductions
● Maintain ownership of opportunities from the first interaction through proposal stage, handing off for final negotiation and closure
● Follow up consistently and ensure that opportunities do not lose momentum
Founder's Office and Commercial Execution
● Support the co-founders in preparing for customer meetings, negotiations, and strategic discussions
● Prepare proposals, presentations, commercial notes, meeting briefs, and follow-up communications
● Convert technical discussions into clear commercial actions and next steps
● Coordinate internally with technical, research, operations, and finance teams
● Track commitments, timelines, dependencies, and decision-makers across active opportunities
● Help improve Novasensa's CRM, reporting, and business-development processes
Partnerships and Ecosystem Development
● Engage with private-sector companies, government departments, research institutions, industry associations, and international partners
● Support partnerships relating to technology deployment, feedstock supply, mineral recovery, equipment deployment, offtake, research, and market entry
● Represent Novasensa professionally in meetings, conferences, delegations, and industry forums
● Monitor relevant industrial, policy, and market developments
This Role Is Not for You If
● You are primarily seeking a short-term role before moving to another sector
● You prefer remote work, as this is a fully on-site position
● You need a company with a fully built playbook and no ambiguity
What You Will Receive
● Fixed compensation of ₹5 to ₹9 lakh per annum (approximately ₹41,700 to ₹75,000 per month), based on experience and demonstrated capability
● Performance-linked annual incentive
● Eligibility for ESOP consideration after nine months for candidates who demonstrate exceptional performance and long-term alignment
● Direct mentorship and working exposure with the co-founders
● Participation in live commercial and strategic discussions
● Exposure to leading organisations across mining, metals, battery recycling, clean energy, government, research, and international markets
● Significant responsibility and career progression for candidates who consistently deliver
● Relocation or housing support where applicable
Location
Delhi NCR. This is a full-time, 100% on-site position with an 18-month minimum commitment from your start date. Candidates should already be based in Delhi NCR or be willing to relocate.
How to Apply

Work arrangement
No