Business Unit Engineering Manager

Air Squared Manufacturing • Thornton, CO

3d • Onsite

About The Position

Air Squared Manufacturing is launching a dedicated Defense & Aerospace organization to focus exclusively on mission-critical products and programs for government and aerospace customers. Built on proven engineering, manufacturing, and product expertise, this organization is being developed to operate with increasing independence as a focused high-performance business. This creates a unique opportunity to help build and scale an agile organization supporting advanced aerospace and defense applications, while contributing directly to strategy, execution, and long-term growth. The Business Unit Manager – Defense & Aerospace is responsible for leading all business unit activities across engineering, operations, and related functions in support of the Company's defense and aerospace programs. This role provides both technical and people leadership for design, product, and test engineering resources assigned to defense work and is accountable for execution, quality, compliance, and delivery throughout the full product lifecycle. This role is being established as part of a strategic initiative to build a dedicated defense engineering organization. The selected candidate will play a foundational role in shaping its structure, processes, and culture while driving execution and delivery across critical defense programs. The right candidate will thrive in an environment that requires building from the ground up, operating with ambiguity, and creating lasting organizational capability without losing sight of near-term commitments. This position is dedicated exclusively to defense-related programs and operates as part of a defined business unit with responsibility for technical execution, team leadership, and customer commitments. It is structured to support an independent operating model, including the ability to function as a standalone engineering organization if required in the future.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or equivalent experience (required)
• Minimum of 8 years of experience in design or product engineering (required)
• Minimum of 4-years of people management experience, including leading engineers in a regulated or defense-adjacent environment (required)
• Demonstrated experience scaling engineering teams or leading programs end-to-end, from development through delivery and sustainment (required)
• Experience managing engineering budgets or P&L within a program or business unit context (required)
• Working familiarity with CAD and test/validation systems sufficient to guide technical teams and review output (e.g., SolidWorks, LabVIEW)
• Familiarity with defense compliance standards, documentation requirements, and audit readiness
• Must be eligible to work in accordance with ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations); security clearance is not required, but candidates must be eligible to work on U.S. government defense programs
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional engineering teams and manage multiple concurrent programs
• Strong communication, organizational, and decision-making skills
• Proven ability to operate effectively in ambiguous, high-growth, or transitional environments
• Comfortable building organizational structure, process, and culture in a startup-like setting within a larger enterprise

Nice To Haves

• Advanced degree in Engineering or Business (preferred)
• Experience working on defense, aerospace, regulated, or highly documented engineering programs (strongly preferred)

Responsibilities

• Provide engineering leadership and technical expertise for all defense-related programs across the full product lifecycle, from concept and development through testing, qualification, and sustainment
• Translate business unit objectives into actionable engineering plans, staffing strategies, and development roadmaps
• Develop and maintain engineering processes, documentation, and discipline appropriate for defense customers and audits
• Analyze technology trends, customer needs, and industry requirements relevant to defense markets to support innovation and long-term competitiveness
• Plan, coordinate, and prioritize the work of design, product, and test engineering personnel assigned to the defense business unit
• Own engineering execution and delivery across programs, ensuring outcomes meet customer requirements, contract obligations, cost targets, schedules, and applicable regulatory or defense compliance standards
• Drive the development and scaling of engineering processes, tools, and systems to support efficient execution as the business unit grows
• Own the engineering budget for the defense business unit, including labor planning, program cost management, and variance reporting; accountable for delivering engineering commitments within approved cost structures
• Provide day-to-day management, coaching, and direction to engineering team members, including regular feedback and performance management
• Help build and develop a high-performing engineering organization capable of operating effectively in a dynamic, evolving environment
• Serve as a technical point of contact for defense customers as needed
• Support proposal development, cost estimates, and technical reviews for new defense opportunities
• Identify and coordinate training needs to support technical growth and compliance requirements
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives focused on quality, efficiency, and scalability
• Perform other duties as assigned

Benefits

• Health Insurance through Cigna (optional HSA plan with $10 per pay period matching)
• Dental and Vision insurance
• Long Term Disability Insurance, paid by employer
• Group and voluntary life insurance
• 401K Retirement Plan
• Safety shoe allowance
• 3-weeks PTO accrual and paid holidays
• Parental Leave
• Educational reimbursement

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager