Chief Technology Officer

CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER

Space Technology Company | Denver, Colorado (On-site)

Reports to: President, US entity

Clearance: Active TS/SCI highly desirable; clearable candidates considered

Package: $225,000 - $260,000 , equity, 401(k) with match, full benefits

Timing: Immediate hire

THE COMPANY

Our client develops advanced optical payload technology, including laser and precision pointing, acquisition and tracking systems, for spacecraft in Earth orbit and on the lunar surface. Following a major government contract award, the US business is scaling fast. Its lead defense program has been elevated to a national priority rating, with a flight demonstration in the next 18 to 24 months and a clear path to a sole-source production contract. A lunar demonstration is targeted on a similar timeline.

THE ROLE

A seat on the US executive team, combining three priories:

• 50% Engineering: own the US technical architecture and lead all US engineering, from mission architecture and requirements through supplier oversight, integration and test
• 40% Programs: all US program managers report to you, across concurrent Earth-orbit and lunar flight demonstrations, civil technology development and a commercial orbital demo
• 10% Site: lead the Colorado site, drive key engineering hires and select and build out a new Denver facility with optical test and payload integration capability

The US business operates as a standalone entity in a FOCI-mitigated environment, so you'll hold the architecture yourself and represent it to government customers, partners and the board. You'll stay hands-on in design reviews, critical trades and anomaly resolution.

WHAT YOU'LL BRING

• 10+ years in spacecraft systems engineering and mission development, including leadership of multidisciplinary teams
• Cradle-to-grave experience taking a mission from formulation through launch and on-orbit operations
• Recent delivery on US government space programs, including classified work, with direct customer accountability for cost, schedule and performance
• Experience leading program managers and engineering leads across concurrent programs
• Optical payload, precision pointing and tracking, or ADCS experience
• Experience selecting and managing spacecraft, payload or subsystem suppliers
• A track record of hiring strong technical talent and building teams
• Comfort operating in a FOCI-mitigated environment with a foreign parent company
• Active TS/SCI, or the ability to obtain it on near-term timelines
• Degree in aerospace, electrical or mechanical engineering, physics or similar

NICE TO HAVE

• Recent DoD or national security space leadership, especially flight demos or rapid prototyping
• Both LEO and lunar mission experience
• Procuring a third-party spacecraft bus and managing payload integration
• Leadership in an early-stage space company, or experience building labs and I&T facilities

WHAT THIS ROLE ISN'T

This is a build phase. You'll wear several hats without the support structures of a large prime, and while equity is a meaningful part of the upside, base salary won't match prime levels. Candidates from primes are very welcome if they want to build and thrive in a fluid, generalist environment.