Chief Technology Officer

CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICERSpace Technology Company | Denver, Colorado (On-site)Reports to: President, US entityClearance: Active TS/SCI highly desirable; clearable candidates consideredPackage: $225,000 - $260,000 , equity, 401(k) with match, full benefitsTiming: Immediate hireTHE COMPANYOur 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 ROLEA 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 test40% Programs: all US program managers report to you, across concurrent Earth-orbit and lunar flight demonstrations, civil technology development and a commercial orbital demo10% Site: lead the Colorado site, drive key engineering hires and select and build out a new Denver facility with optical test and payload integration capabilityThe 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 BRING10+ years in spacecraft systems engineering and mission development, including leadership of multidisciplinary teamsCradle-to-grave experience taking a mission from formulation through launch and on-orbit operationsRecent delivery on US government space programs, including classified work, with direct customer accountability for cost, schedule and performanceExperience leading program managers and engineering leads across concurrent programsOptical payload, precision pointing and tracking, or ADCS experienceExperience selecting and managing spacecraft, payload or subsystem suppliersA track record of hiring strong technical talent and building teamsComfort operating in a FOCI-mitigated environment with a foreign parent companyActive TS/SCI, or the ability to obtain it on near-term timelinesDegree in aerospace, electrical or mechanical engineering, physics or similarNICE TO HAVERecent DoD or national security space leadership, especially flight demos or rapid prototypingBoth LEO and lunar mission experienceProcuring a third-party spacecraft bus and managing payload integrationLeadership in an early-stage space company, or experience building labs and I&T facilitiesWHAT THIS ROLE ISN'TThis 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.Interested? Contact Sam Wiltshire, Practice Lead at EVONA, at s.wiltshire@evona.com for a confidential conversation.