Sales Development Representative, Federal Practice
innodata • Remote - United States, United States
Education
Not stated
Type
Yearly
Pay Rate
$70000–$80000/yr
Listed
45d ago
About this role
From the innodata listing
Innodata (Nasdaq: INOD) is a global data engineering company. We believe that data and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are inextricably linked. Our mission is to enable the responsible advancement of artificial intelligence by providing the data, evaluation frameworks, and human expertise required to build AI systems that can be trusted at scale. We provide a range of transferable solutions, platforms, and services for Generative AI / AI builders and adopters. In every relationship, we honor our 36+ year legacy delivering the highest quality data and outstanding outcomes for our customers. Scope of the Role: Generates and qualifies first meetings at enterprise accounts served by the federal practice: defense prime contractors, systems integrators, and security and autonomy companies whose end customers are government. The position works a named target account list, obtains access, establishes the program and the funding source, and hands the meeting to the Director of Enterprise Sales. This position does not close and does not perform capture. Its output is qualified access. Innodata’s federal practice supplies the data and evaluation layer beneath AI systems: corpus triage and curation, dataset engineering and release, and independent model and agent evaluation. The buyer sits in an engineering, data science, or chief technology organization rather than in procurement, and the budget is typically company-funded engineering money rather than program scope. What You’ll Own: Outbound engagement against a named account list maintained by Business Development, beginning with prime engineering organizations and commercial accounts serving government end customers. Account and contact mapping inside target companies, identifying buying centers and the titles that hold internally funded budget, maintained in Salesforce rather than in a personal spreadsheet. Pre-event attendee and exhibitor research, with meetings booked in advance of travel rather than worked on the show floor. Qualification calls establishing the program, the buyer, and the funding source, with a written handoff to the receiving seller. Follow-up against dormant sources of access, including prior requests for information and industry day contacts that have not converted. Salesforce record maintenance: contact and account creation, activity logging, stage discipline, and duplicate avoidance. You’ll Thrive in This Role If You Have: One to three years in a sales development or business development representative role against an activity or meeting quota, with attainment the candidate can state in figures. Outbound selling of technical services rather than seat-based or license-based software. Independent account and contact research producing a named target map, rather than working a list supplied by marketing. Written outbound that is built on account specifics. Candidates should expect to be assessed on writing. Disciplined CRM record maintenance, with Salesforce preferred. Bachelor’s degree in any field, or equivalent demonstrated experience in a quota-carrying outbound role. Preferred Qualifications: Outbound into defense primes, systems integrators, or federal agencies. Event-driven pipeline generation, including pre-event research and booked meetings with outcomes the candidate can describe. Familiarity with artificial intelligence, data engineering, or machine learning subject matter sufficient to hold a first conversation without solutions engineering support. Experience supporting a named-account seller rather than working an undifferentiated territory. Working knowledge of sequencing platforms, LinkedIn Sales Navigator, and contact-data services. The expected salary range for this position is $70,000 – $80,000 USD per year, based on experience, skills, and qualifications. Please be aware of recruitment scams involving individuals or organizations falsely claiming to represent employers. Innodata will never ask for payment, banking details, or sensitive personal
Requirements
- Must be eligible to work in one of: Remote - United States, United States
- Fluent proficiency in English (Written & Verbal)
- Reliable high-speed internet connection
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience
- Demonstrated expertise in Data Science
Interview Prep
Sample questions for a Sales Development Representative role, written in-house to help you prepare.
How do you qualify a lead beyond just checking whether they fit the target company profile?
I look for evidence of an actual problem the product solves and some signal of timing or budget, not just firmographic fit, since a company can match the ideal customer profile on paper without having any real intent to buy soon. Asking directly about their current process and pain points surfaces this faster than assuming based on company size alone.
What's your approach to handling a prospect who gives a vague objection like 'we're not interested right now'?
I ask a follow-up question to understand what's behind the vague response, since it often masks a more specific concern, like budget timing or already having a solution in place, rather than genuine disinterest. Treating a vague objection as final closes off a conversation that might actually still be salvageable.
How do you prioritize which leads to follow up with first when you have more leads than time to reach them all?
I prioritize based on both fit and signals of active intent, like recent engagement with content or a specific trigger event, rather than working through the list in the order it was generated. A well-fitting lead with no urgency signal is often less valuable right now than a decent-fit lead showing active interest.
What's your process for researching a prospect before an outreach call to make the conversation feel relevant rather than generic?
I look for something specific to that company, like a recent announcement or a role change, that connects to the problem the product solves, rather than using the same generic opener for every call. A single relevant, specific detail does more for engagement than a longer but generic pitch.
Why this role
Few outlets pay Data Science specialists what the leading AI labs pay for direct judgment. At $70000–$80000/yr, this Sales Development Representative, Federal Practice role prices in the expertise itself, separate from hours billed or clients managed.
Talent pool
We're light on Data Science candidates
We've matched 9 people with a Data Science background against 293 Data Science listings we've tracked, so most go out without one. Set up a profile and we'll consider you for a role like this one.
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Common questions
Is AI training work the same as traditional consulting?
No. Instead of client deliverables, you're given complex scenarios to evaluate: grading the AI's logic, correcting its hallucinations, and supplying expert-level reasoning it doesn't have on its own. The job is closer to teaching than consulting.
Why do these AI training roles pay so much?
Because general knowledge isn't what's being tested. The model already knows the basics; what it needs is expertise on edge cases, the rare, difficult, highly technical judgment calls only a senior professional in the field would make correctly.
What does Data Science work look like for a Sales Development Representative, Federal Practice?
Tasks here are scoped to Data Science, not generic labeling. As a Sales Development Representative, Federal Practice, expect to draw on real domain judgment (evaluating outputs, correcting errors, or providing expert reasoning specific to Data Science) rather than following a one-size-fits-all rubric. If you don't have hands-on Data Science background, this is likely not the right listing to start with.
What specific skills does this listing call for?
Coding and Expert are named directly in the listing. If you don't have hands-on experience with these, expect the screening process to test for them directly rather than accepting adjacent experience as a substitute.
How much does this specific role pay?
This listing is posted at $70000–$80000/yr, a per-task rate. The range reflects experience level and negotiated terms, not a placeholder, so where you land in it depends on your background and the assessment. Pay can change between when we last checked the listing and when you apply, so confirm the current number on the platform's own application page before committing time.
Can I apply from outside Remote - United States or the United States?
This specific role is open only to people based in Remote - United States and the United States. If you are somewhere else, applying is unlikely to lead to an offer even if you pass the assessment, because the restriction is usually about where the work can legally be contracted rather than your skills. Read the full description for any tax-residency or right-to-work caveats before you apply, since they can differ by country.