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California, United States
Hybrid
As we enter our next phase of growth and scale the Chaparral aircraft from flight testing into full rate production, Elroy Air is seeking a Head of IT to build and lead secure, scalable, and high-performance IT systems across the company. This role is responsible for architecting and operating our internal IT infrastructure, including corporate IT, identity and access management (physical and digital), endpoint systems, networking, and compliance frameworks required for export-controlled environments.
You will be a foundational leader and doer, working directly with engineering, security, legal, and leadership to ensure our systems are robust, compliant, and enable rapid successful execution without compromise.
This is not only a maintenance role. You will shape and build the systems that allow the company to mature and operate efficiently as we scale.
Own end-to-end management of corporate IT infrastructure: physical networks, endpoint management, and SaaS management, maintaining successful compliance with strict security frameworks such as NIST SP 800-53
Develop and enforce IT policies and access control aligned with defense sector norms and requirements.
Own and manage identity provider (IdP) systems according to role-based access control, principle of least-privilege, and Just in Time (JIT) principles.
Establish secure endpoint device management (MDM), endpoint detection and response (EDR), and fleet lifecycle processes designed for device trust and conditional access authentication workflows.
Architect and maintain secure physical network infrastructure across office, lab, and production environments
Lead vendor selection and contract management across IT, security, and infrastructure tooling
Partner with Engineering to support high-performance cloud computing, lab systems, and specialized environments.
Evaluate logging, detection, and incident response (LDR) posture and improve capabilities for IT systems
Act as a key stakeholder in security audits, compliance readiness, and regulatory inspections.
Facilitate business continuity and disaster recovery planning
Own and streamline IT elements of employee lifecycle, including automating critical aspects of onboarding / offboarding
Support the security and maintainability of corporate web hosting systems including DNS.
Take high ownership and accountability
Have a security-first approach while still enabling rapid execution
Can operate in ambiguity and make high-quality decisions quickly
Use strong judgment balancing speed, cost, and risk
Are a clear communicator with both technical and non-technical teams
Have a builder mentality: you aren’t afraid to roll up your sleeves and create new systems or integrations when legacy ones aren’t working
8+ years of experience in IT infrastructure, IT operations, or IT systems engineering
Deep experience with cloud infrastructure management, particularly with Google Cloud and AWS
Familiarity with implementing MDM (Jamf/Iru, Intune) and EDR solutions.
Experience implementing and automating identity systems systems (Okta, Azure AD, or similar) in highly regulated environments.
Strong understanding of physical network architecture, including VPNs, firewalls, routes, and segmentation
Proven track record of automation and user lifecycle improvements in enterprise IT systems in a fast-paced environment
Must be eligible to work in the United States
Ability to receive and maintain access to export-controlled information (ITAR/EAR)
This role is hybrid on-site and requires close collaboration with engineering and lab environments
Experience operating in ITAR, EAR, or other export-controlled environments
Familiarity with NIST 800-171, CMMC, and/or similar compliance frameworks
Background in IT management for aerospace, defense, energy, or deep tech startups
Experience supporting hardware labs, manufacturing environments, or secure facilities
Prior experience in scaling IT from early-stage to growth-stage company status.
Competitive salary
Equity ownership in a rapidly growing advanced aerospace company
Comprehensive medical benefits
401(k) with company contribution + Roth IRA
Free daily lunch provided onsite
Flexible time-off policy
3 months of paid parental leave
Employee assistance program with 24/7 support
High-impact startup environment with significant ownership and autonomy
Opportunities for rapid career growth and internal advancement
You’ll work with a motivated, kind, and highly skilled team
You'll help shape and define our company culture and values
You'll help build and scale a new category of aerospace / logistics technology