Senior Director, Optical Engineering

Attalon / Location Overview Attalon is a leading technology partner to the global aerospace and defense industry, specializing in the physics of light and heat. With over 500 employees in the U.S., Attalon engineers critical optical, laser, and coating technologies that enable systems to see farther, target faster, and survive the harshest environments. From high-energy directed laser systems to satellite optics and hypersonic thermal protection, Attalon equips the warfighter with the advantage of precision. Located along Colorado’s scenic Front Range and nestled in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, Longmont offers a high quality of life, breathtaking natural beauty, and easy access to outdoor recreation, making it the perfect place to balance work and play. This role is an on-site position based in Longmont, CO. Our Laser and Gimbal Systems Division focuses on building high energy lasers and precision opto-mechanical assemblies for the defense market, supporting critical national security initiatives and defense innovation. At Attalon, we’re redefining performance, precision, and reliability in defense technologies.

Position Summary Attalon's Directed Energy & Advanced Lasers segment designs and builds high-power laser sources and amplifiers, beam control, gimbal, and precision optical subsystems across six sites: Bloomfield CT, Traverse City MI, Beavercreek OH, Longmont CO, Somerset NJ, and Monrovia CA. The segment supports Army, Navy, Air Force, and missile defense high-energy laser programs at a point where directed energy is moving from prototype to production. The Chief Technical Director is the segment's senior technologist and owns what the segment builds next. This role owns the segment technology strategy, directs internal R&D investment, and serves as the technical face of the segment to customers, primes, and government labs. The Chief Technical Director partners with the Segment Chief Engineer, who owns engineering execution, design authority, and product-level roadmaps, and with the division GMs (program delivery) to move technology from the lab into fielded, affordable, producible systems.

Key Responsibilities

• Technology strategy: Own the segment's 3 to 5 year technology strategy across laser sources and amplifiers, beam control, gimbals and ATP, optics and coatings, power, and thermal management, and set the direction that product-level roadmaps follow.
• IRAD portfolio: Set priorities, allocate budget, and stage-gate efforts against TRL/MRL targets. Scale what works; stop what does not.
• Engineering standards and CM policy: Set and own the segment's engineering standards and configuration management policy. The Segment Chief Engineer drives program compliance and feeds execution lessons back into the standards.
• Prototype to production: Set design-for-cost direction for next-generation products and own the 3 to 5 year architecture cost roadmap. Reduce single-source dependency on critical components. Site P&L leaders own near-term cost reduction.
• Capture leadership: Serve as technical lead on major pursuits: solution architecture, technical volumes, red team reviews, and customer technical interchanges.
• External representation: Represent Attalon to customers (Army RCCTO, SMDC, ONR, NSWC Dahlgren, NRL, AFRL, DARPA, SCADE, MDA), prime integrators, national labs, and the directed energy professional community.
• One technical enterprise: Integrate technology development across the six sites so the segment develops, shares, and reuses technology as one organization.
• Technical talent: Mentor site technical leads, help shape a future company-wide technical career path and fellows program, and recruit key technical talent.
• Intellectual property: Set IP strategy, including patents, trade secrets, and technical data rights positions in contracts.

Minimum Qualifications

• Advanced degree (PhD preferred) in Chemistry, Physics, Optics/Photonics, Materials Science, or Electrical Engineering.
• 15+ years in directed energy, high-power lasers, or electro-optical systems for defense customers.
• Demonstrated technical leadership taking a high-energy laser or EO/IR system from prototype through fielding or production.
• Systems engineering depth across optics, mechanical, thermal, power, and controls disciplines.
• Track record leading multidisciplinary technical teams, including across multiple sites.
• Experience shaping and winning DoD programs: proposals, technical reviews, and customer interchanges.
• Active Secret clearance with ability to obtain TS/SCI.

Preferred Qualifications

• Counter-UAS high-energy laser experience in the 10 to 50 kW class.
• Established relationships with Army RCCTO, SMDC, ONR, NRL, DARPA, SCADE, the AFRL Directed Energy Directorate, and the New Mexico directed energy community.
• Materials chemistry background applied to laser components: coatings, gain media, and optical damage.
• Experience in a high-growth or private equity backed defense technology company; comfortable with fast decision cycles.
• Patents and peer-reviewed publications.

For Colorado, the salary pay range for this role is $240,000.00- $305,000.00 Please note this range is provided as a general guideline. When determining an offer, Attalon takes into account multiple factors, including (but not limited to) the responsibilities of the position, your professional experience, education and training, specialized skills, and current market and business conditions.

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement Attalon, Inc. is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law. Export Control Compliance This role involves access to technology, materials, software, or hardware subject to U.S. export control laws. Therefore, to be considered, candidates must be classified as a “U.S. Person” under applicable regulations or be eligible for authorization under a U.S. government export license.