SRM - Director of Engineering; Start Up Div in VA Security Clearance

Position: SRM - Director of Engineering (Start Up Div in VA) with Security Clearance
Director/Chief/Head of Engineering - SRM Manufacturing - Greenfield Start-Up (Employee #2)
New Hire must work onsite in Arlington VA a lot in the beginning, then later one week a month.
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- Avio USA is a brand-new greenfield start-up subsidiary of international aerospace company Avio (Rome, Italy). Avio USA is headquartered in Arlington, VA (Washington, DC) and is in the process of opening a new manufacturing facility from scratch in Hurt, VA (between Danville & Lynchburg). The CEO of Avio USA is retired US Navy Vice Admiral James "Jim" Syring, former Director of the US Missile Defense Agency.

The new facility will support the U.S. Department of War’s effort to ramp up missile production for the Mk 104 program, the U.S. Navy dual-thrust SRM – Solid Rocket Motor. Raytheon and Avio USA have executed a purchase order of $26 million for continued engineering work. The Mk 104 works in tandem with the Mk 72 first-stage booster and other advanced throttling systems (like TDACS) to deliver extended range and precision targeting.

News | RTX's Raytheon and Avio USA expand collaboration to accelerate Mk 104 rocket motor production | RTX Avio will invest $500 million to establish an 860,000 square-foot manufacturing facility in Hurt, VA. The new facility will produce Solid Rocket Motors for defense, tactile propulsion, missile systems, and the commercial space sectors. Governor announces Avio USA to bring jobs to Hurt
• City of Danville. The parent company Avio S.p.A. is headquartered in Rome, Italy (Colleferro) and is engaged in the manufacturing and development of space launchers and solid, liquid and cryogenic propulsion systems, payload adapters, and military tactical missiles. They are a Solid Rocket Motor subcontractor for the design and manufacturing of several European tactical missile programs. Avio is the prime contractor and operator of the Vega launcher, and a sub-contractor of the Ariane launcher.

Avio is listed on the Italian Stock Exchange and is experiencing dramatic growth with a 23% increase in revenue in 2025 to EUR 542 Million. They have 7 primary locations in 3 countries, including Italy (Rome, Rivalta di Torino, Airola), France (Paris), USA (Arlington, VA & Hurt, VA) and French Guiana (Kourou).  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Avio USA is building a subsidiary from scratch in the USA and is seeking a Director of Engineering as employee #2 and reporting directly to the CEO, that will be excited about being very hands-on and building something from the ground-up. This Director of Engineering will partner closely with the CEO of Avio USA, will spearhead the partnership with RTX (Raytheon) and lead the greenfield development of our state-of-the-art U.S. Solid Rocket Motor (SRM) production facility in Hurt, VA.

The land has been selected and purchased. Position will begin working remotely, and/or traveling often to HQ in Arlington, VA to partner with CEO, and then will need to relocate to Hurt, VA within 1-2 years to help guide the construction of the new facility. They will also need to hire 5 new SRM Engineers within 6 months.
This is a "builder" role. You will bridge the gap between world-class European engineering and U.S. defense manufacturing, overseeing the qualification and mass production of the Mk 104 dual-thrust rocket motor.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Greenfield Facility Leadership:
Architect and oversee the construction, layout, and commissioning of a new U.S.

-based SRM manufacturing plant from the ground up. Ensure the facility meets all AS9100 and defense-grade safety/security standards.
• Partnership Management:
Must work closely with CEO and serve as one of the primary technical points of contact for RTX (Raytheon). Navigate the $26M+ contract requirements, ensuring all milestones - from Critical Design Review (CDR) to qualification—are met on time and within spec. This will include partnering with third party outsourced SRM Manufacturers and Boston Consulting…