Business Development Representative

OpenRouter is the open AI routing and infrastructure layer that enterprises use to access, manage, and optimize the best large language models across providers—without lock-in, capacity constraints, or unnecessary cost. We power some of the most advanced AI teams in the world by giving them the flexibility to move fast, scale confidently, and stay future-proof as models evolve.

As enterprise adoption of AI accelerates, OpenRouter sits at the center of how organizations operationalize LLMs across research, product, and production workloads.

We're looking for a Business Development Representative to be the first point of contact for companies interested in OpenRouter. You'll qualify inbound leads, educate prospects on LLM optimization, and create a high-quality pipeline for our Account Executives. This role is perfect for someone early in their sales career who wants to become an AI/LLM technology expert, build sales processes from the ground up, and grow into a closing role at a fast-moving startup.

• Respond to inbound inquiries from prospective customers quickly and efficiently.

• Qualify leads based on fit criteria and route high-potential opportunities to Account Executives with thorough context.

• Educate prospects on how OpenRouter helps them optimize LLM costs, improve performance, and access the best models for their needs.

• Maintain meticulous CRM hygiene with detailed notes on prospect needs, objections, timeline, and opportunity size.

• Collaborate with Account Executives to improve the lead handoff process and incorporate feedback on lead quality.

• Partner with Marketing on campaign feedback, messaging effectiveness, and lead source performance.

• Meet or exceed monthly quotas for qualified opportunities created and meetings scheduled.

• 2+ years of experience in a BDR, SDR, or inside sales role at a B2B SaaS company.

• Track record of consistently hitting or exceeding quota in a metrics-driven environment

• Strong discovery skills—you ask thoughtful questions, listen actively, and uncover real business needs.

• Ability to quickly learn technical products and explain them clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.

• Excellent written and verbal communication with the ability to craft compelling, personalized outreach.

• Experience with CRM systems and comfort working in sales tools.

• Being the first BDR hire at a startup or fast-growing company.

• Experience at an API-first, AI infrastructure company or technically similar.

• Experience with prompt engineering and LLM evaluation.

If you don't think you meet all of the criteria below but still are interested in the job, please apply. Nobody checks every box, and we're looking for someone who is excited to join the team.