Engineering Manager, Chemicals

About the role

The Engineering Manager, Chemicals is responsible for leading a team of chemical engineers across chemical production and energetic materials manufacturing — from process design through production scale-up — to deliver defense-critical manufacturing capabilities. The position reports to the Director of Engineering and is part of the Voyager Energetics Engineering department based in Penrose, CO. This role is onsite in Penrose, CO, with work to transition to the Pueblo, CO location.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of chemical engineers across process design, equipment fabrication, pilot demonstration, production scale-up, and automation — including chemical and energetic materials — supporting personnel through the acquisition lifecycle from development through PDR/CDR and into Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP).
• Drive engineering strategy, planning, and resource allocation in partnership with engineering and program management leadership to meet performance, cost, schedule, and quality objectives for chemical R&D and manufacturing operations.
• Oversee the development, review, and approval of engineering deliverables — including requirements, models, procedures, design documentation, and risk assessments — while implementing engineering processes, best practices, and continuous improvement initiatives that ensure technical excellence and compliance with internal and government standards.
• Represent the engineering organization internally and externally in technical and program status reviews, and develop talent through coaching, performance feedback, and growth opportunities that foster a culture of safety, accountability, and technical excellence.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering or a related field with 5+ years of hands-on chemical engineering experience OR Master's degree in Chemical Engineering or a related field with 3+ years of experience OR 9+ years of chemical engineering experience in lieu of a degree.
• Experience standing up new manufacturing capabilities in a chemical manufacturing environment, with expertise across unit operations such as electrochemistry, evaporation, crystallization, dewatering, drying, grinding, mixing, and packaging of energetic materials.
• Experience with industrial automation (instrumentation, PLCs, communications), process modeling tools (Aspen, ChemCAD, MATLAB), and CAD software (SolidWorks), combined with demonstrated success building management processes that scale with organizational growth.

Qualifications

• Must be able to obtain and maintain a U.S. Security Clearance at the appropriate level (requires U.S. Citizenship), if needed.
• Candidates must meet all eligibility requirements to obtain and maintain applicable state and federal explosives licenses, including minimum age requirements (21 and over), a drug-free workplace in compliance with the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988 (41 U.S.C.8101–8106), Executive Order 12564 (Drug-Free Federal Workplace), applicable Department of Defense directives including DoD Instruction 1010.09 and DFARS 252.226-7003 and successful completion of any legally required background investigations.

Skills

• Strong working knowledge of common unit operations in chemical and energetic materials manufacturing such as process design, pilot demonstration, and production scale-up.
• Experience with project management and leadership in a regulated or defense environment.
• Ability to communicate effectively across engineering, operations, program management, and senior leadership audiences.

Benefits

• Flexible Time Off (FTO)
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and their families, with a significant portion of premiums covered by the company and many benefits paid at 100% for employees
• Flexible, affordable gym memberships with 12,700+ options nationwide, including 24 Hour Fitness, EoS Fitness, Crunch Fitness, Anytime Fitness, Blink Fitness, Chuze Fitness, and more!
• No long-term contracts and FREE on-demand workout videos before you enroll
• 401(k) retirement plan with a 50% company match on contributions up to 8%, supporting long-term financial security
• Company wellness programs that support physical and mental well-being
• Additional voluntary benefits and employee support resources

Pay

The good faith base salary range for this role is $200,000 –$230,000 at the time of this posting. Where you fall within the range depends on your experience, skills, and location. This range may be adjusted in the future.

Schedule

Voyager offers a highly competitive total compensation package designed to support the well-being, growth, and success of our employees. Employees benefit from a flexible and comprehensive rewards program that supports both professional and personal well-being.