IT Director

What the company does
Our client is a Washington-based fusion energy startup developing compact, deployable fusion systems for defense, space, and advanced energy applications. They are in a high-growth phase and focused on rapidly building and testing real hardware rather than long-term theoretical research.

What they're looking for

This is a newly created Director of IT role responsible for scaling IT operations, processes, security, and internal support capabilities as the company grows. The position will lead a small IT team while partnering closely with engineering, research, manufacturing, operations, and facilities teams. The ideal candidate can balance strategic planning with hands-on execution and has strong interpersonal skills to build trust across highly technical groups.

Key requirements

• Experience leading and scaling IT operations in a fast-growing technical environment.
• Strong knowledge of IAM, endpoint management, networking, collaboration platforms, security, and IT support.
• Ability to work effectively with engineering, research, manufacturing, and operations teams.
• Familiarity with compliance/security frameworks such as NIST 800-171, CMMC, SOC 2, ISO 27001, or ITAR.
• Comfortable being approximately 70% strategic leadership / 30% hands-on execution.

What success looks like

• IT becomes a trusted partner to scientific and engineering teams.
• Systems and processes scale smoothly as the company grows.
• Security, usability, and operational efficiency improve together.
• The IT organization provides clear communication, planning, and operational leadership.