Executive Vice President, Engineering — Space, Defense & National Security

Job description

Voyager is an innovative defense, national security, and space technology company committed to advancing and delivering transformative, mission-critical solutions. We tackle the most complex challenges to unlock new frontiers for human progress, fortify national security, and protect critical assets, leading in the race for technological and operational superiority from the ground to space. Forge the Future: Join Voyager Technologies The future belongs to those who build it. At Voyager Technologies, we’re building technologies that protect lives, expand frontiers, and prepare us for what’s next. And we’re doing that with people who are wired to solve, build, adapt, and lead. These roles are not for the faint of heart.  You’ll help lay the foundation for humanity's future. Join a culture where innovation thrives, curiosity is rewarded, and impact is real. We’re a company of doers, thinkers, and builders, united by purpose and grounded in reality. If you want to put your skills to work where the stakes are real and the mission is bigger than any one person,  forge the future with Voyager. The Executive Vice President, Engineering for Space, Defense, & National Security is responsible for leading and scaling the engineering organization to deliver high-quality, reliable products aligned with business goals and growth priorities. The position reports to the President, Space, Defense & National Security and is based in the Long Beach, CA OR Denver Metro Area, CO area. This role is onsite. Most engineering leaders inherit an organization. You’ll invent one. Right now, thousands of Voyager engineers are building things the country needs and the industry has never moved fast enough to deliver: Propulsion and electronics at scale , built to put real combat capability in the field for missile defense and Golden Dome Advanced weapon systems that protect warfighters and allies Lunar landers that carry NASA and commercial payloads to the surface of the Moon, with the Griffin program carrying the Astrobotic heritage Commercial LEO destinations , the stations where humanity will work, research, and manufacture in orbit Cislunar and Lagrange-point infrastructure , the next layer of habitats and logistics beyond Earth orbit Space-qualified systems and payloads with flight heritage on the most demanding platforms humans have built That’s the portfolio today. Now add what’s coming: new acquisitions. International operations. Allied partnerships. New domains and new customers. Every one of them needs an engineering backbone that doesn’t exist yet. You decide what it looks like, and then you build it. THE PROBLEM WE’RE HIRING YOU TO SOLVE Aerospace and defense takes years to go from idea to hardware. The country doesn’t have years. We want days. Weeks. That means a different kind of organization. It isn’t a rigid hierarchy or a matrix of dotted lines and committees. It’s a living network of engineers , wired together by AI, where a thought becomes a design, a design becomes a test article, and a test article becomes delivered hardware without the friction that has defined this industry for sixty years. Nobody in aerospace and defense has built this. That’s the point. WHAT YOU GET Real autonomy. You’re not implementing someone else’s org chart. You’re drawing it. Real resources. We’re backing this because the nation needs it, not because it’s a pilot program. Real scale. Thousands of engineers, multiple sites, and the most consequential programs in the portfolio. Real runway. Acquisitions and international expansion mean the org you build on day one is the foundation for what we become. A direct line to the top. You report to the President of Space, Defense & National Security. Decisions get made, not routed. WHO WE WANT We’re not looking for someone who wants to manage a big engineering organization. We’re looking for someone who can’t stop thinking about what one should look like. You are dynamic, with depth across many technologies. You are a self-motivator with real business acumen. You love the technology, and you love what it does for people: protecting lives, extending humanity’s reach, and moving mankind forward faster than ever. You question everything. You set precedent instead of following it. This is a job for thought provokers. If you want the safe version of this career, this isn’t it. WHAT YOU’LL OWN The strategic vision, technical direction, and roadmap for engineering across Space, Defense & National Security Design, hiring, development, and performance of a high-performing, AI-enabled engineering network The full product lifecycle, from concept through development, test, certification, delivery, and post-deployment support Engineering excellence, covering system design, process, quality, and execution Product architecture that scales, performs, and lasts Technical roadmaps tied to company priorities, customer needs, and market opportunity Partnership with executive leadership on strategy, business development, and major program pursuits Cross-functional execution with operations, finance, and business teams Proactive management of technical, schedule, and cost risk A culture of accountability, innovation, transparency, and continuous improvement across every location THE FINE PRINT (BECAUSE IT STILL MATTERS) Basic qualifications Bachelor’s degree in engineering or a related technical field 15+ years of engineering experience in aerospace, defense, or a comparable high-technology industry 10+ years leading engineering teams and complex technical programs Experience with modern engineering methodologies Proven record leading product development across the full lifecycle, concept to delivery Strong systems-level thinking and command of engineering and product development fundamentals Demonstrated ability to scale engineering teams in fast-growing or complex environments Experience aligning cross-functional technical execution with business strategy Excellent communication and leadership, with the ability to influence at the executive level Preferred qualifications Master’s or Ph.D. in a relevant technical discipline Senior leadership experience in engineering organizations Experience driving process improvement and organizational transformation Familiarity with government and commercial enterprise and quality management systems Experience with government and commercial customers on complex, regulated programs, including regulatory and certification bodies Travel: up to 35%, including overnights across our company locations. Compensation: The good-faith base salary range is $290,000 – $340,000 , depending on experience, skills, and location. This is base only and excludes benefits and bonus/incentive. The range may be adjusted in the future. This position is incentive plan eligible. Benefits: Flexible Time Off · Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision for you and your family, with a significant share of premiums covered and many benefits paid at 100% for employees · Flexible, affordable gym memberships with 12,700+ options nationwide and free on-demand workout videos · 401(k) with a company match of up to 4% · Company wellness programs · Additional voluntary benefits and employee support resources · A highly talented team in an innovative, mission-driven environment ONE LAST THING At Voyager Technologies, we build technologies that protect lives, expand frontiers, and prepare us for what’s next. These roles are not for the faint of heart. The stakes are real, and the mission is bigger than any one person. If you read this and your pulse went up, forge the future with Voyager. Voyager offers a highly competitive total compensation package designed to support the well-being, growth, and success of our employees. Employees benefit from a flexible and comprehensive rewards program that supports both professional and personal well-being. Flexible Time Off (FTO), empowering employees to take the time they need to recharge and maintain a healthy work-life balance Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and their families, with a significant portion of premiums covered by the company, and many benefits paid at 100% for employees Flexible, affordable gym memberships with 12,700+ options nationwide, including 24 Hour Fitness, EoS Fitness, Crunch Fitness, Anytime Fitness, Blink Fitness, Chuze Fitness, and more! No long-term contracts and FREE on-demand workout videos before you enroll 401(k) retirement plan with a company match of up to 4% to help you build long-term financial security Company wellness programs that support physical and mental well-being Additional voluntary benefits and employee support resources The opportunity to work alongside a highly talented team in an innovative, mission-driven environment Voyager is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, protected veteran status, or other characteristics protected by law.  Minority/Female/Disabled/Veteran The statements contained in this job description are intended to describe the general content and requirements for performance of this job. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all job duties, responsibilities, and requirements. This job description is not an employment agreement or contract. Management has the exclusive right to alter the scope of work within the framework of this job description at any time without prior notice. California pay range $290,000 — $340,000 USD Colorado pay range $290,000 — $340,000 USD