Director of Operations

Director of Operations Englewood, CO | Full-Time, Exempt | Reports to CEO Sodern America, Inc. (SAM) is the newly established U.S. subsidiary of Sodern SA, a France-based leader in optronic and star tracker systems for space and defense applications (including the Auriga, Hydra, and Horus product lines). Headquartered in the Englewood, Colorado aerospace corridor, SAM is standing up U.S. operations, manufacturing, and support dedicated to the U.S. market. This is a founding-team role, you’ll help build SAM's operations, quality, and production infrastructure. Overview As Director of Operations, you will build and lead the operational backbone of SAM's U.S. presence, spanning manufacturing, quality, supply chain, and facilities. Reporting directly to the CEO, you will stand up scalable operations processes from the ground up as SAM grows into a fully operational U.S. subsidiary supporting the production, integration, test, and delivery of star trackers and optronic space hardware. Core Responsibilities Partner with Sodern France's engineering, manufacturing, and product teams to transfer manufacturing processes, technical data, and quality standards to the U.S. site Develop and execute SAM's operations strategy, aligning manufacturing, quality, and supply chain functions with the company's growth plan and with Sodern France's global operations Direct and oversee all local manufacturing production activities to achieve quality and schedule objectives Build and lead the operations team as SAM scales, including hiring, mentoring, performance expectations, and accountability Establish and maintain the AS9100 quality system, procedures, audits, and compliance programs Drive and promote a culture of continuous improvement across manufacturing and operational processes to improve quality, cost, and delivery performance Manage operational budgets and provide regular performance reporting to the CEO What You Bring Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Manufacturing, Operations Management, or a related field 10+ years of experience in aerospace/defense operations, including 5+ years in a leadership role Experience standing up or scaling a new manufacturing site, program, or business unit strongly preferred Working knowledge of AS9100, export control, and CMMC requirements in a manufacturing environment Strong background in production planning, quality systems, and supply chain management for precision or optronic hardware Proven ability to build teams and processes in a startup or early-stage environment with limited existing infrastructure Excellent communication skills and comfort operating cross-functionally with an international parent company Salary range: $165,000 – $195,000. The salary range represents the low and high end of the Sodern America, Inc. salary range for this position. Actual salaries will vary and may be above or below the range based on various factors including but not limited to experience, knowledge, and ability as applicable to the role. SAM currently offers health, dental, and vision insurance; basic life and disability coverage; retirement benefits; additional supplemental benefits; and paid time off. These benefits are subject to change at the Company's discretion. Application Instructions: The application deadline is August 31, 2026. Please submit your resume and optional cover letter expressing why you are a good candidate for the position. We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Important Notice: To conform to U.S. Government export control regulations, applicants must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or otherwise eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Sodern America, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. We provide equal consideration for employment regardless of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, veteran status, age, or any other protected characteristic under federal, state, or local law.