Chief Technology Officer

AEOS (Above Earth Operating System) is Axiom Space’s orbital compute orchestration platform—a federated software layer that manages distributed spacecraft compute nodes across LEO and beyond. AEOS enables autonomous workload scheduling, deterministic state reconciliation across intermittently connected domains, and ISL-aware (inter-satellite link) DAG execution across GPU-accelerated flight hardware. The platform treats optical inter-satellite links as first-class schedulable resources alongside compute, power, and thermal budgets, enabling distributed AI inference, secure data processing, and resilient space-based computing for defense, intelligence, and commercial customers. AEOS is architected around patent-pending federated autonomous control planes that allow each orbital node to operate independently during connectivity gaps and converge deterministically upon reconnection—a foundational capability for sovereign, cyber-resilient space infrastructure.

Axiom Space fosters a work environment inclusive of all perspectives. We are the pioneers of commercial space, leading the transformation of low-Earth orbit into a global space marketplace. Our mission-driven team is seeking a bold and dynamic Chief Engineer who is fueled by high ownership, execution horsepower, growth mindset, and driven to understand our world, science/technology, and life itself, for the benefit of all on Earth and beyond.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Chief Engineer’s job is to integrate these domains into a working system. You own the architecture. You own the sprint. You own the coordination between AEOS’s engineers and QDSC’s crypto specialists. You translate between the FPGA engineer’s RTL, the orbital engineer’s contact window models, the platform engineer’s distributed systems code, and QDSC’s key derivation algorithms — and you make sure they all converge into a system that encrypts optical inter-satellite links at 10 Gbps

Built secure embedded systems for defense or space — not just software, not just hardware, but the integration of both under real constraints (SWaP, radiation, operational tempo). Shipped something that flew, or something that went through FIPS/CC validation, or ideally both. Thinks in system architecture, not just code or RTL.

Doesn’t need to design a cryptographic algorithm — QDSC does that. But you need to understand what a FIPS 140-3 module boundary is, why key zeroization matters, what an AEAD cipher does, and how a key pre-distribution system differs from PKI. Need to review QDSC’s integration spec and catches the assumptions that don’t hold in a space environment.

KEY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Leadership

• Execute AEOS’s strategic vision across orbital compute orchestration, federated autonomous control planes, ISL-aware distributed scheduling, cybersecurity, and AI-enabled space infrastructure.
• Identify and develop new commercial, defense, and government market opportunities.
• Lead long-range operational planning, scaling strategy, and business execution.
• Advise the CEO and Board on growth initiatives, market positioning, and risk management.
• Monitor emerging trends in space systems, edge computing, AI, secure communications, optical inter-satellite links, orbital infrastructure, and distributed autonomous systems.

Operational Management

• Direct daily operations to ensure alignment with company objectives, milestones, and investor expectations.
• Build scalable operational frameworks suitable for high-growth aerospace and technology environments.
• Establish performance metrics, accountability systems, and execution discipline across departments.
• Oversee cross-functional coordination among orchestration software engineering, flight compute integration, cybersecurity, AI development, business development, and operations teams, including management of external development partners.
• Support compliance initiatives involving aerospace, defense, cybersecurity, ITAR, CUI handling, export control, and government contracting requirements.

Business Development & Partnerships

• Lead strategic partnerships with aerospace companies, satellite operators (e.g., Kepler Communications), defense contractors, GPU/compute hardware providers (e.g., NVIDIA), research institutions (e.g., SwRI), cloud providers, and government agencies.
• Drive customer acquisition strategies and pipeline development.
• Represent the company in negotiations, industry events, investor meetings, and government engagements.
• Support proposal development for government and commercial contracts.
• Identify merger, acquisition, licensing, or strategic alliance opportunities.

Financial & Growth Leadership

• Support fundraising efforts including venture capital, strategic investment, government grants, and institutional partnerships.
• Assist with budgeting, financial forecasting, and resource allocation.
• Drive revenue growth while maintaining operational efficiency.
• Collaborate with finance leadership to ensure responsible capital management in a startup environment.

Organizational Leadership

• Recruit, mentor, and retain high-performing multidisciplinary teams.
• Foster a culture of innovation, accountability, security, and mission execution.
• Build leadership infrastructure capable of supporting rapid scaling.
• Promote collaboration between technical and business functions.

External Representation

• Serve as a public-facing executive spokesperson for the company when appropriate.
• Strengthen the company’s visibility within the aerospace, AI, cybersecurity, and defense sectors.
• Maintain relationships with investors, regulators, strategic advisors, and government stakeholders.

Perform other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS: 

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

Education & Experience

• 12+ years systems engineering spanning hardware and software. Not purely a software architect. Not purely an EE. The integration person who holds the system together.
• Space or defense embedded systems: Has built or integrated systems under SWaP constraints for defense or space programs. Understands rad-hard vs. rad-tolerant tradeoffs, MIL-STD qualification, and the realities of deploying hardware you can’t touch after launch.
• FPGA + software fluency: Can review Verilog RTL and a Go/C codebase in the same day. Doesn’t need to be the best at either — needs to be good enough at both to make architecture calls and catch integration mistakes.
• Working knowledge of encrypted comms: Understands symmetric encryption, key lifecycle, FIPS module boundaries, AEAD ciphers, and the difference between key management and key pre-distribution. Does not need to design cryptographic algorithms — QDSC provides that expertise. Needs to be a competent consumer and integrator of crypto technology.
• Technical leadership in ambiguity: Has led a small, high-intensity team through a prototype-to-product transition where requirements were evolving. Comfortable making decisions with incomplete information.
• Active or obtainable TS/SCI clearance strongly preferred given DoD program targets (Golden Dome, PWSA
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, mission-driven startup environment.
• Strategic thinker with hands-on execution ability.
• Collaborative leadership style.

Preferred Experience

• Senior systems engineer from L3Harris Space or Northrop Grumman Payload who has led the integration of encrypted comms subsystems on space-grade FPGA platforms.
• Has been through a FIPS lab submission — not as the cryptographer, but as the systems lead who defined the module boundary and coordinated between the crypto team and the hardware team.
• Has a TS/SCI.
• Is frustrated by the pace of large-prime bureaucracy and wants to own the technical direction at a company defining a new category.

Skills & Attributes

• Visionary Leadership
• Operational Excellence
• Strategic Thinking
• Executive Communication
• Government & Industry Relations
• Financial Acumen
• Technical Curiosity
• Decision-Making Under Uncertainty
• Team Building & Talent Development
• Innovation & Agility
• Demonstrated ability to operate in a mission-driven, high-growth, and technically complex environment.
• High integrity, sound judgment, and commitment to Axiom Space’s vision of extending humanity’s presence beyond Earth.
• High EQ and ability to collaborate within teams and cross-functionally

Functional Competencies

• Strong business judgment and ability to balance legal risk with commercial objectives
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Proven ability to operate in a fast‑paced, evolving environment
• Collaborative leadership style with executive presence and influencing skills
• Strong project management discipline, highly organized, and takes ownership.
• Forges strong partnership with other executive leaders.
• Uses sound judgement to problem-solve proactively, positively impacting hard challenges
• Demonstrated organization skills to meet tight deadlines with high quality results
• Strong agility and adaptability to integrate quickly into a small team.

Persona

• Passion for space and the mission

• Entrepreneurial, growth mindset
• Perseverance
• Resourceful, adaptable

Core Competencies:

Embody our core values of Leadership, Innovation, and Teamwork. In addition, to perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies:

• Accountability
• Technical Rigor
• Execution Discipline
• Pride of Delivery

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

Generally, an office environment. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Requirements 

• Must be able to complete a U.S. government background investigation.
• Management has the discretion to select at any level for which the position is advertised.
• Proof of U.S. Citizenship or US Permanent Residency is a requirement for this position.
• Must be willing to work evenings and weekends as needed to meet critical milestones.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Axiom Space is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.  Axiom Space does not discriminate on the basis of race, regional color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.