Head of IT (Defense)

TL;DR

Head of IT (Defense): Define, build, and lead security and corporate IT strategy for AI-enabled defense platforms ensuring spectrum dominance across domains with an accent on compliance frameworks, risk management, and scalable infrastructure. Focus on hands-on design and implementation of IT/security systems, controls for enterprise environments (R&D, production, global ops), and achieving audit readiness in regulated settings.

Location: El Segundo, CA (onsite). US Citizen, Green Card holder, or eligible for ITAR authorizations required. Operate across CONUS and OCONUS environments.

Salary: $165,000 - $205,000 a year

Company

Next-generation defense technology company building AI-enabled hardware and software to detect, disrupt, and defend the electromagnetic spectrum across land, air, sea, and space domains.

What you will do

• Define and own overall security and corporate IT strategy, roadmap, priorities, and long-term operating model.
• Design, build, and operate core IT/security capabilities including identity, endpoints, networking, SaaS, and cloud environments.
• Lead programs for CMMC, ISO 27001 compliance, audit readiness, and sustainment.
• Build risk management, incident response, vulnerability management, and resilience programs.
• Own vendor selection, buy-versus-build decisions, budget, and enterprise-wide IT/security initiatives.
• Partner with engineering to enforce security, risk, and compliance across R&D, corporate, production, and customer environments.

Requirements

• Defense industry experience required.
• Experience with CMMC, ISO 27001, and related frameworks including implementation and audit readiness.
• Hands-on ability to build and operate IT/security systems in early-stage environments.
• Expertise in IAM, endpoint management, networking, SaaS administration, segmentation, cloud infrastructure.
• Strong cross-functional communication, influence, decision-making, and judgment balancing speed, risk, compliance.
• Experience with buy-versus-build and automation decisions.

Nice to have

• Early-stage startup experience.
• Familiarity with NIST 800-171, FedRAMP, government security requirements.
• Experience scaling IT/security from build to maturity.
• Supporting customer audits, regulatory reviews in defense/government.
• Global expansion experience across enterprise environments.

Culture & Benefits

• Competitive salary, stock options, health, vision, dental benefits.
• 401K enrollment at 90 days.
• Generous PTO plus most Federal Holidays.
• Collaborative, inclusive environment with high responsibility, autonomy.
• Access to latest tools, technologies, professional growth opportunities.
• Work on hardest problems in electronic warfare.