Vice President of Davidson Labs - Huntsville, AL.

Davidson is distinguished in the aerospace and missile defense industry, in part, because of its excellence in hiring exceptional experts, engineers and software developers dedicated to delivering advanced, intelligent technology solutions in defense of our nation.Davidson is seeking a Vice President of Davidson Labs - Huntsville, AL.Davidson Technologies, Inc. is actively seeking a Vice President of Davidson Labs to lead and operationalize the company's innovation ecosystem as a fully integrated, mission aligned capability engine.Davidson Labs serves as the company's innovation engine, integrating cutting-edge research, engineering excellence, and mission-focused execution to deliver decision advantage solutions to our customers. This role will define and execute the strategic vision for Davidson Labs, oversee innovation portfolios, and ensure alignment with corporate growth objectives, national security priorities, and emerging technology trends. This position will lead the efforts to create mature, high payoff concepts into prototypes and, ultimately, funded program efforts in conjunction with the company's business unit leaders and innovation cells.RoleThis role is not a traditional R&D leader - it is the driving force that ensures innovation at Davidson is tightly coupled to:Business Unit ExecutionCustomer Mission OutcomesProgram DeliveryGrowth & Capture StrategyThe VP will ensure Davidson Labs operates as a high-velocity bridge between concept and capability, accelerating the transition of advanced technologies into operational environments and revenue-generating programs.Key ResponsibilitiesEnterprise Integration & Operational AlignmentServe as the primary integration node between Davidson Labs, Business Units (BU), Program Execution, and Business DevelopmentEmbed Davidson Labs capabilities into program baselines, capture strategies, and customer engagementsPartner with BU leaders and Chief Engineers to ensure technical road maps are synchronizedInnovation Pipeline ExecutionOperationalize a structured innovation pipeline: Concept > Prioritization > Rapid Prototyping > TRL maturation >TransitionDefine clear entry/exit criteria for each stage of developmentDrive time-to-impact reduction (concept > prototype > deployment)Ensure Davidson Labs outputs are transition-ready, not science projectsTransition & Program InfusionPartner with BU Leaders and Chief Engineers for insertion of Lab-developed capabilities into live programs and new capturesPartner with BU Leaders and Chief Engineers to reduce integration friction and de-risk adoption of emerging technologiesTrack and drive transition metrics (i.e. % of lab efforts transitioning to revenue; time from prototype to program insertion)Develop and lead Davidson Labs transition team to ensure capability actually reaches the customerGrowth & Capture EnablementEmbed Davidson Labs into capture strategies as a discriminator in partnership with BU Leaders, Innovation Cells, and Chief EngineersSupport proposal development with differentiated technical concepts and rapid prototypes and demonstrationsPartner with Business Development leaders to identify adjacent and emerging marketsTranslate innovation investments into pipeline growth and backlog expansionCapability Platform LeadershipOversee development and integration of core capability platforms, such as: AI/ML and Data Analytics Modeling and Simulation Environments Cyber and Resilient Architectures Quantum ApplicationsEnsure Platforms are reusable across programs, scalable and productized where appropriate, and aligned to mission threads and customer problemsTalent & Embedded CultureSupport the development of a workforce that thrives at the intersection of advanced technology development and operational mission deliveryDeploy talent in hybrid roles across Davidson Labs and BU/Innovation Cell programs to strengthen integrationFoster a culture of ownership, urgency, mission-first thinking, and "Build >Deploy > Learn" cycles.RequirementsBachelor's degree in computer science, Mathematics, Physics, or Engineering or equivalent practical experience, Master's Degree in Technical or Business discipline Preferred15+ years of relevant leadership experience in software product development and project management efforts working with the DoW, preferably in the Integrated Air and Missile Defense mission area.Demonstrable knowledge in AI/ML products as software solutions for the DoW customerGeneral understanding of Modeling and Simulation capabilities as it pertains to DoW/IC marketsGeneral understanding of cybersecurity capabilities as it pertains to DoW/IC marketsDemonstrated technical experience in working directly with DoW customers to identify problem areas, propose innovative solutions, and spearhead successful outcomesMust be able to collaborate, coordinate, and communicate across the Davidson enterprise with transparency Team-oriented with the ability to work independently with minimal supervisionStrong organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills, including the ability to clearly express technical concepts in verbal and written forms; ability to tailor conversations to adapt to technical vs. non-technical audiencesAbility to translate customer needs into differentiated product/solution development plansU.S. citizenClearance RequirementsMust have a current DoW Secret Security Clearance/ Top Secret preferredLocation & Travel:Work Location Preferred: Huntsville, AlabamaTravel: Approximately 15% domesticJob Posted by ApplicantPro