Job Description
Company Overview:
Allen Control Systems (ACS) is a cutting-edge defense startup founded by two former Navy electrical engineers with a proven track record in robotics and software. We are developing an autonomous gun turret using advanced computer vision and control systems to precisely detect, track, and neutralize enemy drones.
With an engineering-first culture, ACS values technical excellence and innovation. Backed by our founders’ successful exits from two previous ventures acquired for a combined $180M in 2022, we are committed to ensuring that the groundbreaking technologies we develop will have a real-world impact.
About The Role:
We are looking for an Executive Assistant to join our team, providing high-level operational and administrative support across our engineering leadership. This role requires someone who thrives in a fast-paced, technical environment and can serve as a force multiplier for an engineering-first team building next-generation autonomous defense systems. You don’t need to write code, but you should be energized by working alongside engineers solving hard, real-world problems.
At its core, this role is about keeping engineering leadership running at full speed — orchestrating complex schedules, coordinating high-stakes meetings, managing travel logistics, and producing polished materials that represent the team at the highest levels. This is a unique opportunity to embed yourself at the operational core of a high-growth defense startup with direct impact on how our engineering organization scales and executes.
What You’ll Do:
Own and manage complex, fast-moving calendars for engineering leadership — proactively resolving conflicts, prioritizing commitments, and ensuring leaders are always prepared and in the right place at the right time.
Plan and execute large-scale meetings end-to-end: coordinating across time zones, managing attendee logistics, preparing agendas, securing venues or virtual setups, and handling all follow-up. This includes executive offsites, board reviews, government partner engagements, all-hands events, and field demonstrations.
Manage all executive travel — booking flights, hotels, and ground transportation; building detailed itineraries; anticipating disruptions; and ensuring seamless logistics for both domestic and international trips.
Build and refine high-quality presentations and briefing materials for leadership reviews, board updates, investor meetings, and government engagements — translating complex technical content into clear, compelling narratives for varied audiences.
Act as a trusted liaison between engineering leadership and internal or external stakeholders, managing communications with professionalism and appropriate technical context.
Coordinate logistics for hardware testing events, vendor visits, and team offsites, handling all details from venue sourcing to catering to equipment needs.
Support engineering hiring logistics including interview scheduling, panel coordination, and candidate pipeline tracking in close collaboration with HR and Recruiting.
Handle sensitive and classified information with strict confidentiality and in accordance with government and company security protocols.
Anticipate leadership needs, identify process gaps, and proactively implement operational improvements that increase the engineering team’s velocity.
What You’ll Need:
3–5+ years of executive or senior administrative experience, ideally supporting technical leaders in a startup, defense, or fast-paced organization.
Proven experience managing complex executive calendars and coordinating large, multi-stakeholder meetings across time zones and locations.
Strong track record handling executive travel logistics — flights, hotels, itineraries — with the foresight to manage changes and contingencies smoothly.
Demonstrated ability to produce polished, professional presentations and briefing documents, including experience translating technical or complex information into clear executive-level materials.
Exceptional organizational and project management skills with the ability to juggle competing priorities without losing the thread.
Strong written and verbal communication skills; comfortable drafting executive correspondence, agendas, and stakeholder briefings.
High proficiency with productivity and collaboration tools such as Google Workspace, Notion, Confluence, Slack, or similar platforms.
Demonstrated ability to handle confidential and sensitive information with integrity and sound judgment.
Comfort navigating ambiguity, adapting quickly to change, and operating with minimal supervision in a startup environment.
A genuine interest in working in technical environments and supporting leaders building complex, mission-critical systems.
Bachelor's or Associate's degree in Business Administration, Communications, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
Ability to obtain or currently hold an active U.S. security clearance, or eligibility to obtain one.
You’ll Stand Out:
Prior experience supporting founders or C-suite leaders in a defense, aerospace, robotics, or hardware startup environment.
Experience supporting technical recruiting: panel scheduling, coordinating assessments, and managing candidate pipelines.
Experience owning large-scale event logistics — from executive summits to field demonstrations — from planning through execution.
Familiarity with government contracting processes, DoD procurement cycles, or ITAR compliance workflows.
Background assisting with engineering budget forecasting, capital equipment procurement, or vendor management.
Exposure to agile development workflows and working knowledge of engineering sprint cycles.
What We Offer:
Competitive salary
ACS Equity Package
Health, Dental, Vision Insurance
Paid Time Off
Allen Control Systems is an Equal Opportunity Employer, providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment. Allen Control Systems prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.