Director of Synthetic Chemistry

Title: Director of Synthetic Chemistry
Employment Type: FTE / Permanent
Location: Lafayette, CO
Work Arrangement: Onsite, 5 days/week
Salary: $215,000 – $275,000/year + Equity
Travel: Up to 15%

Position Overview

The Director of Synthetic Chemistry will serve as the first chemistry leadership hire and own the chemistry strategy across three business verticals: Energetics, Mining & Metals, and Polymers. This role will lead route selection, process development, safety, cost optimization, laboratory buildout, and team development.

The Director will build and lead a chemistry organization of up to 8 scientists, beginning with two senior technical hires and expanding through FY28.

Key Responsibilities

• Own synthetic route selection across Energetics, Mining & Metals, and Polymer programs, balancing cost, scalability, performance, and process safety.

• Build and lead the chemistry organization, including hiring, mentoring, leveling, and setting technical standards.

• Lead development of the Energetics program from early-stage laboratory work through a validated 10 kg/day pilot.

• Prioritize and sequence competing chemistry campaigns based on technical requirements, resources, timelines, and business priorities.

• Establish process safety as an integral part of route selection and development, including reaction calorimetry, exotherm evaluation, quench design, HAZOP participation, and hazard assessment.

• Evaluate and manage the development pipeline, including determining when projects should proceed, pivot, or be discontinued based on technical and economic evidence.

• Make build-versus-buy decisions for chemical intermediates and defend cost models to leadership and government customers.

• Lead the setup of the Colorado laboratory, including equipment specifications, long-lead procurement, licensing, and compliance requirements.

• Manage compliance related to ITAR, export controls, procurement-controlled reagents, and energetic materials.

• Represent the chemistry function in government program reviews, customer meetings, partner laboratory discussions, and CDMO engagements.

Required Qualifications

• PhD in Organic, Process, or Materials Chemistry, with 12+ years of relevant post-PhD experience, or equivalent depth of experience.

• 3+ years of experience managing chemists against external delivery timelines.

• Experience hiring and building a technical chemistry team from the ground up.

• Personal ownership of a synthetic route that successfully reached pilot scale.

• Strong technical expertise in at least one of the following:

  • Energetics Chemistry

  • Metal Extraction Chemistry

• Experience with process safety, including:

  • Reaction calorimetry

  • Exotherm and quench design

  • HAZOP participation

  • Hazard-based route selection

• Experience selecting synthetic routes based on cost per kilogram.

• Ability to work with ITAR and export-controlled information and operate within applicable compliance requirements.

• Strong technical writing and presentation skills suitable for government program reviews and customer-facing discussions.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with government-funded, milestone-based development programs.

• Experience building a laboratory from scratch, including equipment selection, licensing, procurement, and operating procedures.

• Experience converting exothermic or corrosive batch chemistry to flow or continuous processes.

• Experience with insensitive high explosives, ATF-licensed facilities, or DoW explosive safety standards.

• Experience with hydrometallurgical reagents, chelating ligands, or solvent extraction chemistry.

• Experience with condensation polymer chemistry and molecular weight distribution specifications.

• Active security clearance or ability to obtain one.

Success in the Role

First 3 Months

• Establish and document campaign sequencing across all three verticals.

• Begin hiring the two senior technical anchors.

• Establish technical standards for future chemistry hires.

6–12 Months

• FY27 team hired and producing.

• FY28 hiring plan established.

• Key Energetics and TACI development programs have clear technical outcomes.

• Establish a consistent route, hazard, and cost review process.

Work Environment

• Onsite: 5 days per week in the Boulder/Lafayette, Colorado area.

• Travel: Up to approximately 15%.

• Team: Up to 8 direct reports at full staffing.

• Hands-on work in HazMat and Energetics laboratories is expected.

Export Control & Regulatory Requirements

This position involves access to data and systems subject to U.S. export control regulations, including ITAR. Candidates must meet the applicable eligibility requirements.

The position also involves access to explosive materials, and candidates must meet federal requirements to serve as an employee possessor of explosive materials.

 

At SPECTRAFORCE, we are committed to maintaining a workplace that ensures fair compensation and wage transparency in adherence with all applicable state and local laws. This position's pay range is $215,000.00/Yearly – $275,000.00/Yearly.