Engineering Manager Jobs in Highlands Ranch, CO (NOW HIRING)

Senior Engineering Manager

Location: Littleton, Colorado

U.S. Citizenship Required for this Position: Yes

Clearance Level Must Currently Possess or be Able to Obtain: Secret

Travel: Yes

Schedule: Full Time

Description of Business Environment:

Peace is often associated with passivity. At Rocky Mountain Scientific Laboratory, we associate peace with strength, courage, and action. We know that enabling peace to prevail is not for the faint of heart, which is why we built our company foundation on the core values of Integrity, Quality, Agility, and Grit. We pride ourselves in providing unequaled services and technologies in the field of applied energetics to our customers. Our experts possess extensive knowledge and capability in energetic materials and military systems enabling them to offer analytical characterization, modeling & simulation, design, system integration, prototyping, test engineering, and proof-of-concept production services covering a wide range of applications. Our strengths lie in our ability and relentless determination to finish the job quickly and affordably.

RMSL is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO), Affirmative Action employer and welcomes all qualified applicants.  All qualified applicants will receive fair and impartial consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, veteran status, national origin, or other legally protected status.  An applicant with a disability or a disabled veteran can request reasonable accommodation to apply for one of our positions. The specialized staff at RMSL combines their exceptional knowledge with a passion for excellence.

Position Summary 

We are seeking an experienced Senior Engineering Manager to lead our multidisciplinary engineering teams. This critical leadership role will drive the technical execution of programs involving energetic material formulation and scale-up, munition and armament development, hazard testing, automation systems, and manufacturing process optimization. The ideal candidate is a hands-on technical leader with strong people-management skills who thrives in a dynamic, mission-focused environment. 

Key Responsibilities 

• Provide strategic and technical leadership to engineering teams (chemical, mechanical, electrical, manufacturing, and test engineers) focused on energetic materials development, scale-up, and qualification. 

• Oversee the full lifecycle of munitions and armaments programs, from concept and design through hazard environment testing, automation integration, and production manufacturing. 

• Develop and implement robust processes for safe handling, testing, and scaling of energetic materials while ensuring compliance with DoD, ATF, ITAR, and other regulatory requirements. 

• Lead cross-functional project teams to meet technical performance, schedule, and cost objectives on government and internal R&D programs. 

• Champion design-for-manufacturability, automation initiatives, and process improvements to enhance safety, throughput, and product reliability. 

• Manage engineering budgets, resources, and staffing plans; conduct performance reviews, mentoring, and talent development. 

• Collaborate closely with the executive team, program management, quality, and safety teams to mitigate risks and resolve technical challenges. 

• Support business development through technical proposals, customer presentations, and innovation roadmaps. 

• Ensure all activities prioritize personnel safety, environmental compliance, and security protocols. 

Qualifications:

Required: 

• Bachelor’s degree (Master’s or PhD preferred) in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, or a related engineering discipline. 

• 10+ years of progressive engineering experience, with at least 5 years in a leadership or management role. 

• Strong background in energetic materials, propellants, explosives, or related pyrotechnic/ordnance technologies. 

• Demonstrated experience in munitions/armaments development, hazard classification/testing, scale-up, and manufacturing/automation. 

• Proven track record leading technical teams in a defense or high-hazard industrial environment. 

• Deep knowledge of relevant standards and regulations (MIL-STD, DoD 4145.26M, NFPA, etc.). 

• Active or ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Secret security clearance (U.S. Citizenship required). 

Preferred: 

• Experience with automated manufacturing systems, process control, and data-driven optimization in energetic or chemical processing environments. 

• Prior work on Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) or other DoD contract vehicles. 

• Six Sigma, Lean Manufacturing 

Benefits: 

• Medical, Dental, Vision, and Disability insurance 

• 401(k) with company match 

• PTO 

• Flexible schedule 

• Professional development 

Work Environment

• While performing the duties of this job, employees may work in conditions that require the use of personal protective equipment such as face protection (safety glasses, goggles, face shield), foot protection (i.e., steel toed shoes, rubber boots, etc.), gloves, hard hat, shop coat and hearing protection. The work environment may also require a combination of indoor and outdoor activity (hot, cold, wet, humid conditions) with a varied amount of walking, standing, and sitting.
• Fast-paced, team-oriented environment where constant iteration, agility, improvement, and innovation is key to team, program, and company success