The posting
At Dawn Aerospace, we're redefining how the world accesses space. From industry-leading satellite propulsion systems to the development of the world's first reusable spaceplane designed to fly to space twice in one day, we're building technologies that are changing the future of aerospace.
As we continue to grow across the United States, Europe and New Zealand, we operate in an increasingly complex environment of export controls, information security, customer requirements and regulatory obligations.
We're looking for a Senior Compliance Officer to help build the governance, risk and compliance capability that enables Dawn Aerospace to scale securely and responsibly. This role is remote, but we have preference for someone based in or near Alabama.
This is a broad, high-impact role where you'll work across Engineering, Operations, IT, Legal, Commercial and Corporate teams to translate complex regulatory, customer and security requirements into practical processes that support both compliance and execution.
While export controls and trade compliance will be an immediate focus, you'll also help shape the governance, risk, information security and compliance frameworks that support Dawn Aerospace's continued international growth. This is an opportunity to build capability, solve complex problems and help define how compliance supports one of the world's most ambitious aerospace companies.
What you'll do
- Lead Dawn Aerospace's export control and trade compliance activities, including licensing, record keeping, jurisdictional assessments and ongoing compliance obligations.
- Develop and continuously improve the company's governance, risk and compliance framework.
- Design and implement practical policies, procedures and internal controls that support both compliance and efficient business operations.
- Coordinate compliance with customer, contractual and regulatory obligations across multiple international jurisdictions.
- Develop and maintain compliance registers, risk registers, monitoring activities and management reporting.
- Plan and coordinate internal audits, compliance reviews, investigations and corrective actions.
- Support customer, supplier and regulatory audits, assessments and due diligence activities.
- Partner with Engineering, Operations, IT, Legal, Finance, Commercial and People teams to embed compliance into day-to-day business activities.
- Monitor emerging regulatory, security and industry requirements, advising the business on risks, impacts and practical actions.
- Support customer security questionnaires, supplier assurance activities and contractual compliance requirements.
- Deliver compliance awareness and training programmes that build understanding across the organisation.
- Provide practical, commercially focused advice to managers and senior leaders while enabling the business to move quickly and responsibly.
What you'll bring
Essential
- Experience managing export control or trade compliance programmes within aerospace, defence or another highly regulated industry.
- Experience in governance, risk, compliance, information security, internal audit, regulatory affairs or a related discipline.
- Strong understanding of export control regulations and experience managing ongoing compliance obligations.
- Experience developing and implementing policies, procedures, governance frameworks and internal controls.
- Demonstrated ability to interpret complex regulatory or contractual requirements and translate them into practical business processes.
- Experience working across multiple stakeholders to influence outcomes and embed compliance into business operations.
- Excellent communication, relationship-building and organisational skills.
- Strong analytical ability, sound judgement and a pragmatic approach to managing risk.
- A tertiary qualification in Law, Engineering, Information Security, Business, International Relations or another relevant discipline, or equivalent professional experience.
Desirable
- Experience with ITAR, EAR, OFAC, UK Strategic Export Controls, EU Dual-Use Regulations or other international trade compliance regimes.
- Experience supporting government contracts or defence programmes.
- Experience with information security or cybersecurity frameworks such as ISO 27001, NIST SP 800-171, CMMC or NIS2.
- Experience conducting internal audits, compliance reviews and enterprise risk assessments.
- Experience supporting customer assurance, supplier assurance or government security programmes.
- Experience working across multiple international jurisdictions.
- Professional certifications in governance, compliance, auditing, risk management, information security or export controls.
Why join Dawn Aerospace?
This is an opportunity to build a capability rather than inherit one.
As our Senior Compliance Officer, you'll play a key role in shaping how Dawn Aerospace manages export controls, governance, security and regulatory compliance as we continue to grow internationally. You'll work directly with engineers, technical specialists and senior leaders to solve complex challenges in a fast-moving, highly innovative aerospace environment.
You'll have significant ownership, exposure to senior decision-makers and the opportunity to influence how one of the world's most ambitious aerospace companies scales responsibly.
If you enjoy solving complex problems, building practical frameworks and working with talented people to enable innovation, we'd love to hear from you.
Diversity & Inclusion
At Dawn Aerospace, we believe that diverse teams build better solutions. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment where people of all backgrounds, identities, and experiences are valued and supported to do their best work.
About Dawn Aerospace
Dawn Aerospace is a space transportation company with a purpose. Our mission is to enable the next generation of space users by providing more sustainable and scalable ways to access and move around in space. We believe this access, in the form of a transportation network, will fundamentally change what’s possible from space. We currently focus on three areas of space transportation:
- In-space propulsion We're a leading supplier of turnkey green propulsion systems for various classes of satellites. Our systems utilise safe, accessible propellants and we have over 170 of these propulsion units on more than 40 operational satellites already. A further 200 units are in production.
- In-space servicing Coupled with our propulsion expertise, we are ensuring that our customers' satellites are refuellable. In the coming years, Dawn will offer a refueling service to enable life extension of customer satellites. This new market is aligned with our sustainability goal to ensue a clean and safe space for everyone!
- Spaceplane We are developing the fastest and highest-flying aircraft ever to take off from a runway, combining the extreme performance of rocket propulsion with the reusability of conventional airplanes to enable high-frequency, low-cost access to sub-orbital space.
Our international teams are distributed across four locations: the Netherlands, France, New Zealand, and the USA.
Apply for this Job
Important!
If you think you have what it takes but are unsure that you check every box, we still want to hear from you.
To all recruitment agencies: Dawn Aerospace does not accept agency resumes. Please do not forward resumes to our job’s alias, our employees, or any other company location. Dawn Aerospace will not be responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes.
