Executive Director of Technology

Blue Canyon Technologies, RTX's small satellite manufacturer and mission services provider, is solving some of the toughest challenges in space. Our components and bus platforms have completed missions ranging from very-low Earth orbits to lunar and interplanetary journeys at a fraction of the cost of traditional space systems. We support premier defense, commercial and civil organizations including the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory, NASA, MIT Lincoln Lab, the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, University of Colorado and more. Join our innovative and dynamic company as we build, test and operate the small spacecraft of the future.

Position Purpose:  The Executive Director of Technology reports to the General Manager and is tasked with leading BCT executive leadership in planning for product improvement, innovation, and research & development (R/D).

Title: Executive Director of Technology 

Position Type: Full Time (Exempt)

Pay Range: $180,000 - $325,000

(Salary to be determined by the education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities of the applicant, internal equity, and alignment with market data.)

Location: Lafayette, CO

Benefits:

• 100% company paid health, dental and vision benefits for you and your dependents effective the first of the month following hire date
• Life insurance
• 401k (matching 4% with a minimum 5% contribution
• Generous PTO (4 weeks of vacation + 3 floating holidays, 2 weeks of sick time, 7 paid holidays throughout the year) and parental leave.

Job Responsibilities:

• In coordination with BCT executive business leadership, create product line roadmaps aimed at increasing BCT profitability and/or market competitiveness, by harmonizing stakeholder input regarding the state of the BCT products, markets, technical and organizational capabilities; identifying technical gaps in those areas and opportunities to close said gaps; coordinating the decision process for financial reinvestment into technology required to execute on established business plans.
• With assistance from BCT executive stakeholders, annual coordination of a company-wide solicitation for, and selection of, ideas for internal research and development (IRaD) projects that are focused BCT technology roadmap objectives, and return on investment.
• Responsible for the technical and administrative oversight of R&D activities at the company, including regular monitoring of IRAD program execution to assure adequate resources (staff, tools and infrastructure) are available to complete all funded development work, providing technical input to IRAD teams, identifying/removing execution roadblocks and facilitating interdisciplinary communication.
• Regular reporting of technical and financial IRAD performance metrics (milestones and spend rates) to both executive leadership and to the greater BCT team.
• Perform regular assessments of the IRAD portfolio to mitigate risk to IRAD program non/under performance; reevaluating and reallocating funds to maximize effectiveness of the investment.

Required Qualifications/Education:

• A B.S. degree in engineering and 15+ years of related technical experience.
• Knowledge of a broad range of engineering technical topics including, general electrical, RF, optical, power, energy and mechanistic systems for satellites.
• Experience implementing new technologies into small satellite product lines.
• Prior experience conducting engineering research.
• Experience working with multi-disciplinary teams.
• Basic business acumen.

A preferred candidate would have the following additional expertise:

• An advanced degree in engineering, and 5+ more years of experience working with BCT technologies.
• An advanced technical understanding of one or more of the subject areas listed above.
• Experience managing IRAD or customer R/D work.
• A strong business acumen; with basic understanding of business finance; ability to navigate and understand financial statements.

Working Conditions:

This job operates in a professional office environment, but in a manufacturing company. This role uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, scanners, filing cabinets and fax machines.  BCT anticipates the application window closing approximately 40 days from the date the notice was posted. However, factors such as candidate flow and business necessity may require BCT to shorten or extend the application window.

Physical Demands and Work Environment:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit for long periods of time.  The employee is occasionally required to stand, bend, reach, and walk. The position requires some light physical effort. This would require the ability to lift or move objects up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift or move objects up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities are required by this job which includes close vision, distance vision, color vision, and ability to adjust focus.

Blue Canyon Technologies is a drug-free workplace and an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, or any other protected factor. Colorado Residents:  In any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation.  You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.  Blue Canyon Technologies is committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. To request a reasonable accommodation, contact Melissa Po at HR@bluecanyontech.com.