Head of Facilities

Who We Are GITAI is a vertically integrated space and defense company building the next generation of hardware for low-Earth-orbit missions. At our core is the space robotics technology that has defined GITAI from the beginning. A small, highly capable engineering team applies that foundation across satellite buses, in-orbit servicing robotics, and mission hardware for applications such as Earth observation. Today, a major focus of our work is supporting U.S. national security missions, particularly through proliferated LEO satellite constellations and other next-generation space systems. We design, build, integrate, and test much of our hardware in-house. Electrical, mechanical, software, manufacturing, integration, and test teams work closely together, allowing a small team to own complete systems rather than isolated components. This vertical integration helps us move quickly, learn directly from hardware, and shorten the path from architecture to a working system. We are still early. The systems, the company, and the market are all being built at the same time. Requirements change, technical problems are often ambiguous, and many answers do not yet exist. We are looking for exceptional engineers and operators who want broad ownership, can work across disciplines, and are willing to stay close to the hardware until the mission succeeds. Your Mission As Head of Facilities, you will build the physical foundation for GITAI’s next stage of growth, owning the infrastructure that enables us to scale engineering, manufacturing, integration, and testing across our offices, manufacturing environments, remote test sites, and facilities supporting U.S. government programs. This is initially a senior individual-contributor role with no direct reports. You will work directly with Engineering and Operations leadership and serve as the central owner across internal teams, contractors, consultants, landlords, utilities, regulatory authorities, government stakeholders, and security teams. Many of the environments GITAI needs do not yet exist, and requirements will often be incomplete or based on assumptions. You will seek primary information yourself, get close to the hardware and the people doing the work, identify the real constraint, and determine what should actually be built. You will turn those needs into working physical environments, making practical decisions across facilities, equipment, utilities, layout, permitting, security, cost, and schedule. The work will include technically demanding and highly regulated environments involving explosives, energetic and hazardous materials, and U.S. government security requirements. As GITAI grows, you may eventually build a facilities team, but this will remain a hands-on role. Your mission is to build the launchpad that enables GITAI’s engineers to move faster, test more, solve harder problems, and deliver their best work. What You’ll Drive Own GITAI’s facility strategy and execution across offices, engineering and manufacturing environments, remote test sites, and facilities supporting U.S. government programs. Translate technical and operational needs into practical infrastructure decisions across space, power, HVAC, utilities, equipment, safety, security, manufacturing areas, laboratories, and test environments. Challenge assumptions when a simpler or more effective solution exists. Lead site selection, facility due diligence, lease-related coordination, renovations, buildouts, permitting, inspections, construction, commissioning, and major infrastructure upgrades from initial need through completion. Own the facility-side path through regulatory, permitting, and security requirements, including those associated with explosives, energetic materials, hazardous materials, fire and life safety, environmental constraints, classified or cleared spaces, and operations at remote or government-controlled locations. Serve as the central hub across internal stakeholders and external partners. Define scope, manage budgets and schedules, negotiate with vendors and contractors, and drive decisions across landlords, brokers, consultants, general contractors, utilities, regulatory authorities, government stakeholders, and security teams. Stay close to the work. Walk the floor, inspect prospective sites and construction, review drawings and bids, investigate infrastructure problems yourself, and drive issues through closure. What We’re Looking For 8+ years of experience in facilities, construction, industrial infrastructure, facilities engineering, manufacturing operations, or a closely related field. Experience owning significant facility buildouts, expansions, relocations, test-site development, or infrastructure projects in a technically demanding environment such as aerospace, defense, propulsion, robotics, advanced manufacturing, automotive, energy, or laboratories. Strong practical understanding of industrial building infrastructure and facility development, including electrical power, HVAC, utilities, building systems, permitting, inspections, and construction. Demonstrated experience navigating permits, regulations, and approval processes for technically complex facilities. Experience with explosives, energetic materials, hazardous materials, or similarly regulated operations is required. Demonstrated experience developing, modifying, or operating facilities subject to U.S. government security requirements, including classified or cleared work environments, physical security requirements, controlled access, and coordination with security stakeholders. Strong judgment under ambiguity. You can separate the real requirement from assumptions and turn incomplete engineering or operational needs into a practical solution. Strong commercial and execution judgment across scopes of work, budgets, schedules, contractor selection, negotiations, and project delivery. A hands-on operating style. You actively seek primary