Tek84

Chief Technology Officer (CTO)

Location: Poway, CA Company: Tek84, Inc.

Position Summary

Tek84 is seeking a strategic and hands-on Chief Technology Officer (CTO) to lead the company’s technology vision, product innovation, and long-term technical strategy for advanced security screening systems. This role will have executive ownership of X-ray equipment technology, intellectual property strategy, and New Product Development (NPD), driving differentiation, scalability, and sustained market leadership.

The CTO will oversee all engineering and technology disciplines, partnering closely with the CEO, CRO, Operations, and Product Management to translate business objectives into a robust, defensible, and scalable technology roadmap—from concept and invention through commercialization and lifecycle management.

Key Responsibilities

Technology & Engineering Leadership

- Own and evolve Tek84’s overall technology and innovation strategy aligned with business growth and market expansion.

- Lead, mentor, and scale a multidisciplinary engineering organization including hardware, software, systems, and imaging.

- Establish engineering standards, governance, and accountability while fostering a culture of innovation and execution excellence.

X-Ray Systems & Technical Authority

- Serve as the company’s technical authority on X-ray equipment, imaging systems, detectors, radiation safety, and system architecture.

- Guide architectural decisions for complex electro-mechanical, imaging, and software-integrated systems.

- Ensure compliance with regulatory, safety, and certification standards applicable to X-ray and radiation-based equipment.

New Product Development (NPD)

- Own and continuously improve the end-to-end NPD process from concept, prototyping, and validation through production ramp and commercialization.

- Drive disciplined design practices including DFM, DFT, reliability, and scalability.

- Balance speed-to-market with performance, quality, cost, and regulatory compliance.

Intellectual Property & Patents

- Define and execute Tek84’s intellectual property strategy, including patents, trade secrets, and freedom-to-operate analysis.

- Partner with external counsel on patent filings, portfolio management, and competitive IP analysis.

- Ensure innovation efforts strengthen Tek84’s defensible market position.

Executive & Cross-Functional Leadership

- Act as a key member of the executive leadership team, contributing to business strategy, capital planning, and investment decisions.

- Collaborate with Sales, Marketing, and Service to ensure technology aligns with customer needs and go-to-market strategy.

- Communicate complex technical concepts clearly to executive, board-level, and external stakeholders.

Qualifications

Experience

- 15+ years of progressive engineering and technology leadership experience in complex hardware or manufacturing environments.

- Significant experience with X-ray, imaging, or radiation-based systems strongly preferred.

- Proven leadership of New Product Development for complex electro-mechanical systems.

- Experience building and protecting IP portfolios through patents and proprietary technology.

Technical Expertise

- Deep understanding of X-ray system design, imaging technologies, detectors, and system integration.

- Strong background in electro-mechanical systems, embedded software, and imaging pipelines.

- Expertise in product lifecycle management, DFM/DFT, and regulatory compliance.

Leadership & Business Acumen

- Executive-level leadership presence with strong decision-making and communication skills.

- Ability to align technology investments with revenue growth, margins, and competitive positioning.

- Experience working in growth-stage or scaling organizations preferred.

Education

- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering required; Master’s degree or PhD preferred.