Compliance Officer - Export Controls & Regulatory Affairs

Dawn Aerospace is building scalable space transportation.

We develop green propulsion systems for satellites and reusable spaceplanes. Our propulsion systems are already operating on satellites in orbit, and our spaceplane programme is advancing toward routine and affordable access to space.

As we continue to grow internationally, we are looking for a Compliance Officer to support our export controls and broader regulatory compliance activities across a highly technical and global aerospace business.

The Role

This is a hands-on, practical role supporting Dawn's compliance framework across export controls, strategic goods regulation, sanctions compliance, customer and supplier due diligence, and related regulatory obligations.

You will work closely with engineering, operations, supply chain, commercial, and leadership teams to help ensure compliance requirements are understood and embedded into day-to-day work. The role involves a mix of coordination, documentation, process support, regulatory research, and practical problem-solving in a technical environment.

This role is well suited to someone early in their compliance or regulatory career, or someone coming from aerospace, engineering, defence, government, international trade, legal, quality, or a related field. You do not need to be an expert on day one, but you should be detail-oriented, curious, and comfortable working in a structured and regulated environment.

What you'll do

• Support Dawn's export controls and regulatory compliance programmes in New Zealand and international operations.
• Assist in assessing customers, suppliers, partners, visitors, employees, and transactions for export control, sanctions, and broader compliance considerations.
• Help review exports, transfers of technology, technical data, software, and international business activities for regulatory obligations.
• Support compliance with strategic goods controls, sanctions, cross-border shipments, and technology transfer requirements.
• Assist in monitoring relevant New Zealand and international regulations and translating them into practical internal guidance and processes.
• Help develop and maintain policies, procedures, workflows, training materials, and compliance records.
• Support licence applications, regulatory submissions, and engagement with government agencies where required.
• Assist with internal compliance reviews and audits, and help maintain documentation to support compliance obligations.
• Act as a point of contact for day-to-day compliance questions, escalating issues where appropriate.
• Help build a culture where compliance is understood and integrated into everyday decision-making.

What we're looking for

You may come from a compliance, engineering, aerospace, defence, legal, government, international trade, quality, or regulatory affairs background.

Ideally, you will bring:

• Exposure to export controls frameworks (e.g. ITAR, EAR), trade compliance or global trade compliance activities such as third-party due diligence, or import/export compliance.
• Strong attention to detail and a structured, organised approach to work.
• The ability to interpret information carefully and apply practical judgement.
• The confidence to ask questions, raise concerns, and escalate issues where compliance risk requires it.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• The ability to work effectively with both technical and non-technical teams.
• High integrity, discretion, and a practical mindset.
• A willingness to learn and develop expertise in export controls and regulatory affairs within a technical aerospace environment.

It would be a bonus if you also have

• Experience in aerospace, defence, satellite, aviation, or other advanced technology industries.
• Familiarity with New Zealand strategic goods or export control requirements.
• Exposure to international export control regimes such as US ITAR/EAR.
• Familiarity with EU strategic goods or export control requirements.
• Experience working with government agencies or supporting regulatory processes.
• Technical or engineering qualifications, or experience working with technical products or data.

Why join Dawn Aerospace?

This is an opportunity to work on real problems in a company building real space hardware and flight systems.

You will gain exposure across engineering, operations, supply chain, commercial, and leadership teams while supporting the systems that enable a growing global aerospace business to operate responsibly and effectively. It is a role for someone who enjoys detail, structure, and learning, and wants to build capability in a high-tech, fast-moving environment.

If this sounds like you, we'd like to hear from you.