Job Details

Director of (Flight) Projects

Position Number: 7251801
Location: Boulder, CO
Position Type: Engineering - Aerospace

Director of (Flight) Projects

Requisition Number: 72839
Location: Boulder Colorado
Employment Type: Research Faculty
Schedule: Full Time
Posting Close Date: 02-Jul-2026
Date Posted:

Job Summary

The Director of (Flight) Projects leads all operations of the LASP Project Office, driving the successful execution of large flight projects and other major projects from award through delivery. This senior leadership role is responsible for establishing the project office framework, standardizing methodologies for execution and reporting, supporting the principal investigators and project managers, reporting progress to the LASP Director, executive and senior leadership teams, and ensuring each project advances LASP's strategic science goals. The Director of Projects may also actively manage projects.

The Director reports to the Senior Director for Technology and partners closely with the Director of Strategy to deliver mission-critical programs that meet technical, schedule, and cost commitments.

This role requires an onsite presence of at least 4 days per week.
CU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. We are committed to creating a workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Who We Are

The Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) is one of the largest research institutes of CU Boulder, the #1 public university recipient of NASA research grants, and one of America's leading aerospace universities. With a focus on solar, stellar, space plasma, atmospheric, and planetary sciences, LASP employs both experimental and theoretical approaches to answer key science questions. Since its inception in 1948, LASP has developed, operated, and analyzed the data from scientific instrumentation for solar science, earth atmospheric, planetary, deep-space, and Earth-orbiting spacecraft missions investigating the Sun, all eight planets, Pluto and beyond. The progressive development of research capabilities and use of innovative technologies in pursuit of emerging research initiatives ensures a continued leadership role for LASP in today's growing "new space" era. Since 2013, LASP has secured over $1.75B in grants and contracts.

Thanks to its distinctive combination of scientific and engineering expertise and its ability both to manage long-term collaborations with agencies such as NASA and to respond to faster-moving opportunities with private sponsors, LASP has grown rapidly in the last decade, with expenditures that exceed well over $150M annually, secured through grants, contracts, and other funding vehicles. Some 400 of LASP's 600-person staff are technical staff and research scientists. The LASP community includes tenure/tenure-track faculty, approximately 110 student employees, 69 graduate students, and 10 postdocs.

An important element of LASP's mission is to train the next generation of space scientists and engineers: through wide-ranging research and flight projects, LASP participates actively in the development of the future leaders of space research and is a leader in educating students with highly valued technical and scientific skills. Undergraduate and graduate student participation is integral to LASP's R&D and operational success. In this regard, LASP has been both a contributor to and beneficiary of the remarkable growth of the state of Colorado's space sector.

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

Leadership & Team Development

Lead and direct the full operations of the LASP Project Office, including insight, support, and reporting to LASP leadership for major mission and instrument efforts and oversight of the SmallSat Program and other multi-project programs
Lead, mentor, and grow a team of project managers supporting multiple concurrent flight projects
Identify high-potential technical leaders and create structured development pathways to build project management depth and succession across the lab
Establish a lab-wide community of practice that supports project management professionals at all career stages, spanning both dedicated project managers and science and technical staff leading projects

Project Standards

Steer the full project portfolio, from early concept through mission operations, ensuring LASP's flight projects and programs are executed with technical rigor, schedule discipline, and cost accountability for sponsors
Define organizational authority structures, accountability frameworks, and decision-making for project leadership across the lab, including the roles and responsibilities of principal investigators (PIs) and project managers (PMs)
Design, implement, and continuously improve project management standards and methodologies.
Define and implement internal project kickoff and oversight and reporting processes to ensure consistency and accountability across all projects
Ensure compliance with contractual obligations and export control requirements, and maintain accountability for project schedules
Implement scalable performance measurement approaches (e.g. Earned Value Management) across programs and ensure compliance with customer and contractual reporting requirements
Establish organizational mechanisms for project risk management, support/oversight, and intervention/problem solving with project and technical managers

Oversight

Serve as the primary point of escalation for program risks, issues, and changes, and oversee corrective actions/planning
Report project status, milestones, and the full project portfolio to the Senior Director for Technology and lab leadership

Cross-functional Collaboration

Collaborate with the Director of Strategy on proposal formulation, translating LASP mission concepts into competitive flight project proposals
Facilitate partnership between Finance & Operations and project managers to ensure project managers have sufficient training and resources for budgeting and contract management
Work closely with the LASP Finance team to develop and incorporate proactive financial management and associated tools to allow for a consistent and clear picture of project financial health

* Other duties as assigned.

What You Should Know

Due to requirements governing access to export-controlled data and information, only U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents (green card holders), or other protected individuals (i.e., persons designated as an asylee, refugee, or temporary resident under amnesty provisions) are eligible for hire.
This role requires an onsite presence of at least 4 days per week.

What We Can Offer

$232,950 - $271,850 per year.
Relocation assistance may be available.

Benefits

At the University of Colorado Boulder, we are committed to supporting the holistic health and well-being of our employees. Our comprehensive benefits package includes medical, dental, and retirement plans; generous paid time off; tuition assistance for you and your dependents; and an ECO Pass for local transit. As one of Boulder County's largest employers, CU Boulder offers an inspiring academic community and access to world-class outdoor recreation. Explore additional perks and programs through the CU Advantage program.

Be Statements

Be ambitious. Be groundbreaking. Be Boulder.

What We Require

Bachelor's degree in engineering, aerospace, or a related technical discipline.
10+ years of project or program management experience, with 5+ years in space science or aerospace.
Demonstrated experience managing a project office or leading large programs.
Due to US Export Control restrictions, only US persons may apply.
Demonstrated experience managing complex projects.
Proven knowledge of Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and government contracting.

What You Will Need

In-depth understanding of aerospace regulations and industry best practices.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

Special Instructions

To apply, please submit the following materials:

Resume or CV.
Cover Letter.

(Optional) Transcripts/Proof of Degree: If you are selected as the finalist, your degree will be verified by the CU Boulder Campus Human Resources Department using an approved online vendor. However, if your degree was obtained outside of the United States, please submit an English-translated version as an Optional document.

Please apply by 7/2/2026 for consideration.

Note: Application materials will not be accepted via email. For consideration, applications must be submitted through CU Boulder Jobs.

In compliance with the Colorado Job Application Fairness Act, in any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.

To apply, visit https://jobs.colorado.edu/jobs/JobDetail/Director-of-Flight-Projects/72839