Bozeman Adds 50 High-Paying Jobs in $18.5M Defense Expansion

Montana is becoming an unexpected powerhouse in advanced manufacturing, and one Bozeman company just landed an $18.5 million grant to prove it.

Lattice Materials will break ground this spring on an 80,000 square foot facility near Bozeman Airport, creating 50 new jobs in the photonics industry. The company, which has operated quietly in Bozeman since 1989, manufactures infrared optics for U.S. military defense programs.

"There's a lot of folks who have lived here a long time and just don't know that we're here," said Zach Gill, Director of Engineering and Technology. That's about to change in a big way.

The company grows silicon and germanium crystals in-house, converting them into specialized windows and lenses for defense systems. When China restricted germanium exports in recent years, cutting off 70% of global supply, demand for domestic manufacturers like Lattice skyrocketed.

"When you take that type of supply off the market, there's a huge imbalance," explained President Travis Wood. The Department of Defense responded with the $18.5 million grant to help double Lattice's production capacity.

The timing couldn't be better for Bozeman's economy. Bozeman Economic Development Director Brit Fontenot noted that most 2025 job growth came from service and retail positions, typically lower-wage opportunities.

"When you add additional high-paying jobs and more investment in our community, it expands our tax base," Fontenot said. The photonics industry already employs over 1,000 people in Bozeman, forming what Wood calls "an epicenter for photonics and quantum technologies."

The Ripple Effect

This expansion represents more than one company's growth. It signals Montana's emergence as a serious player in advanced manufacturing and technology sectors traditionally dominated by coastal hubs.

Montana State University provides both research partnerships and a steady talent pipeline, creating a self-sustaining ecosystem. As Bozeman attracts more high-tech employers, it diversifies beyond tourism and agriculture while keeping the quality of life that draws people to Montana.

The investment also strengthens national security by reducing dependence on foreign supply chains for critical defense materials. Each germanium crystal grown in Bozeman is one less component subject to international trade restrictions.

For a company that many locals don't even know exists, the expansion sends a clear message: cutting-edge technology manufacturing thrives in places people might not expect.

The new facility should be completed by 2027, bringing those 50 positions online as Bozeman continues its transformation into a high-tech manufacturing hub that's reshaping Montana's economic future.