Colorado aerospace company Lockheed Martin announced Thursday evening that its space division would expand operations at its facilities in Douglas and Jefferson counties, adding 1,250 jobs.
The jobs will be added over eight years, said Kate Watts, vice president of Lockheed Martin space strategy and business development.
“It’s been a great partnership between the state and local communities. We just could not be more thrilled,” Watts said Thursday evening. “This helps us be more competitive and deliver for our customers.”
The announcement was made at the Site Selector Conference feedback dinner in Lower Downtown put on by the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce and the Metro Denver Economic Development Corp.
The new positions will include cybersecurity engineers, software engineers, technicians and administrative services, according to a news release put out by the governor’s office and the Office of Economic Development and International Trade.
“Coloradans are building the future of aerospace, and this expansion strengthens our nation-leading aerospace industry and our economy,” Gov. Jared Polis said in the release.
Watts added in the release, “Our growth is a direct reflection of the vibrant ecosystem here in Colorado.”
The aerospace industry has a long history in Colorado and along with Lockheed Martin, the state is home to some of the biggest players — Ball Aerospace (now called Aerospace & Mission Systems), Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Harris Corp., United Launch Alliance and Sierra Nevada Corp.
Of Lockheed Martin’s 125,000 or so employees, about 12,000 are in Colorado.
The company makes satellites, national defense systems and spacecraft. The Orion spacecraft that was part of the historic Artemis II lunar mission earlier this year was designed and engineered at Lockheed Martin in Jefferson County.
The company has been in Jefferson County since 1955, and is its largest primary employer. The expansion will likely mean 800 news jobs for the county.
“The company’s significant economic impact, high-quality jobs and continued investment have helped make aerospace one of the county’s strongest industries,” Kami Welch, CEO of Jefferson County Economic Development Corp., said in the release.
The expansion will mean 450 new jobs and 190,000 additional square feet of space at the Douglas County facility. Ellie Reynolds, president and CEO of Douglas County Economic Development Corp., said the new jobs represent “a significant investment in Douglas County and reinforces the strength of our aerospace sector.”
This is a breaking news story and may be updated.
