Director, New Product Development

The future of aerospace and defense starts here. 

Ursa Major was founded to revolutionize how America and its allies access and apply high-performance propulsion, from hypersonics to solid rocket motors, satellite maneuvering and launch. We design and deliver propulsion and defense systems that solve the most urgent and critical national security demands. 

Our products and technologies require an extraordinary team. A team that will mold tomorrow’s technologies while deploying today’s best. We are an intrinsically motivated team that has a passion for solving problems and empowering each other every day to develop our skills, knowing that there is always room for growth.

As the Director, New Product Development, you are responsible for driving the maturation of new technologies into production-ready solid rocket motor (SRM) products. In this role, you will define the front end of product development: shaping architectures, sizing systems, and ensuring new ideas align with customer needs and mission requirements. The Director leads technology development programs, manages early customer engagement, and balances innovation with executable product strategies. By bridging research and productization, this leader ensures that investments in new technologies translate into fielded capabilities that scale across programs.

Responsibilities:

• Technology Development Leadership – Direct the research and maturation of emerging SRM technologies into viable products. Prioritize and manage investments in new materials, processes, and architectures. Track progress of TRL including investment milestones and projected maturity over time.


• Customer Engagement & Concept Shaping – Partner with customers at the front end of programs to understand requirements, define feasible solutions, and ensure alignment between technology development and mission needs.


• Systems-Level Optimization – Lead system-level studies including propulsion sizing, performance trades, and mission analysis on early concepts. Ensure early designs balance performance, cost, manufacturability, and integration.


• New Product Introduction – Establish processes that transition technologies from concept to early hardware demonstration and eventual production readiness. Ensure seamless handoff to Chief Engineer and design/development teams. 


• Cross-Functional Collaboration – Partner with Business Development, Government Relations, Chief Engineer, Systems & Analysis, and Design/Development teams to align technology investments with long-term enterprise strategy.


• Bookings ownership – setting priority and reporting on monthly/quarterly projections/actuals


• Manage proposal execution – Manage team that executes gate reviews, writing proposals, architecting proposal solutions, cost estimating, and writing whitepapers.


• New supplier/partner/consultant engagement – Contribute to finding and nurturing key external relationships to support pursuing new business opportunities.


• Drive market alignment – Identify key requirements, trends and emerging markets to identify opportunities/risks and align products/roadmaps to drive business growth.


• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Aerospace, Business, or a related field (Master’s degree preferred).


• 15+ years of experience in aerospace, defense, R&D or a related field, with a focus on solid rocket motors.


• Proven experience leading early-phase technology programs and transitioning them to productization


• Strong technical aptitude in a related field with the ability to engage with engineering and technical teams.


• Demonstrated ability to interface directly with customers and translate mission needs into technical solutions


• Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills, with a proven ability to influence and inspire a diverse team.


• Experience managing budgets and overseeing P&L for a department

Preferred Experience:

• Master’s degree or PhD in aerospace engineering or related field


• Direct leadership of government or defense-funded technology maturation programs


• Experience with SRM subsystems (cases, nozzles, insulation, grain design) and new materials/processes


• Familiarity with digital engineering, modeling & simulation, and rapid prototyping methods


• Track record of building and mentoring multidisciplinary R&D teams

Colorado law requires us to tell you the base compensation range of this role, which is $190,000 - $238,000, determined by your education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities. What we can’t quantify for you are the exciting challenges, supportive team, and amazing culture we enjoy. 

Classification: Full-time Exempt