VP, Platform Engineering

VP, Platform Engineering

True Anomaly seeks those with the talent and ambition to build the technology that secures space. True Anomaly delivers decisive capabilities for space superiority. We build autonomous spacecraft, advanced payloads, mission software, and space-based interceptors enabling the U.S. and its Allies to secure the space environment and counter threats from the ultimate high ground.

Your Mission

True Anomaly is building a new Platform Engineering organization to own the compute infrastructure that powers everything we do, from autonomous spacecraft to classified command-and-control software. As VP of Platform Engineering, you will build this organization from day one. You will hire and lead teams across AI engineering, data engineering, infrastructure engineering, and IT. You will set the technical vision for how the company builds, deploys, and operates across commercial, CUI, and classified environments. The platforms your team creates will serve every program in the company and position True Anomaly to offer accredited compute as a strategic capability in the defense market. This role has direct impact on the company's ability to scale.

Responsibilities

• Build and lead the Platform Engineering organization from the ground up: hiring managers, setting technical direction, and scaling a team to 24+ in 2026 with significant continued growth as the company expands its program portfolio and prime capabilities
• Own the company's compute infrastructure platform strategy across commercial, CUI, and classified environments, including cloud, containers, networking, and CI/CD
• Define and deliver the technical architecture for DoD Impact Level 5 and IL-6 accredited compute environments, replacing subcontractor dependency with a reusable, internally owned platform
• Drive AI enablement infrastructure as the company's top strategic priority, including the AI platform, data infrastructure, and enterprise AI tooling that the rest of the company depends on
• Lead the Systems Working Group: technology evaluation, approval, and standardization across the company, backed by the engineering capacity to drive outcomes
• Partner with engineering leadership, program teams, and government customers to ensure infrastructure scales with the contract pipeline and positions True Anomaly to offer accredited compute as a prime capability

Qualifications

• 12+ years of experience in infrastructure, platform, or systems engineering, with 5+ years leading engineering organizations of 15+ people across multiple technical disciplines
• Hands-on expertise in cloud infrastructure (AWS, Azure, or GovCloud variants), Kubernetes, container orchestration, networking, and CI/CD at scale
• Direct experience building and operating DoD Impact Level 5 or higher accredited environments, with working knowledge of NIST 800-53, STIGs, RMF, and the ATO process
• Track record of building engineering organizations from scratch in high-growth environments: recruiting teams, establishing culture, and delivering platforms that other teams depend on
• Experience managing teams that operate across classification levels with mixed clearance requirements
• Strong executive communication skills and the ability to represent infrastructure strategy to government customers, program leadership, and C-suite stakeholders

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Experience in aerospace, defense, or national security technology companies
• Background spanning multiple infrastructure disciplines: AI/ML platforms, data engineering, networking, and SRE/DevOps
• Experience with multi-cloud and hybrid architectures including on-premises, GovCloud, and customer-deployed or disconnected environments
• Prior experience at a high-growth startup (Series B through IPO) building infrastructure that scales with rapid headcount and contract growth
• Familiarity with platform engineering "paved roads" operating models that balance standardization with engineering team autonomy
• Active U.S. Top Secret or TS/SCI clearance

Compensation

• Base Salary: $185,000 - $390,000
• Equity + Benefits including Health, Dental, Vision, HRA/HSA options, PTO and paid holidays, 401K, Parental Leave

Your actual level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education and experience.

Additional Requirements

• Work Location: this role will be fully onsite at our facilities in Centennial, CO or Long Beach, CA
• Work environment is in a standard office, working at a desk or in a production factory.