Saildrone’s manufacturing and R&D headquarters are located in Alameda, CA, with business development and sales operations in Washington, DC, and deployment hubs in Europe and the Middle East. By combining proven autonomous operations, edge computing, advanced sensing, renewable power, and the most advanced and robust unmanned surface technology on the planet, Saildrone is shaping how the Navy of the future operates. Join a fast-moving, mission-driven team at the forefront of maritime security and autonomous innovation.
THE POSITION
Saildrone is seeking a Manager, Mission Solutions & Integration to join our Mission Solutions & Integration (MSI) team. Reporting directly to the Head of Mission Solutions & Integration you will play a critical role in the full operational performance, supervision, and mission effectiveness of a global mission success center. We are looking for a skilled leader who creates clarity from ambiguity, drives execution in a fast-paced environment, and can lead a team of, Mission Support Specialists, and maritime domain experts to support Saildrone’s global customers.
THE TEAM
The MSI team serves as “customer zero” for the continuous delivery of high quality maritime data collected by Saildrone’s global fleet of Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USV). This team will ensure the timely and relevant delivery of data to government customers operating in a maritime security environment.
THE RESPONSIBILITIES
- Direct and oversee daily watch floor operations across all shifts to ensure continuous ingestion, processing, and synthesis of received data and maintain full functionality of workflows.
- Hire and manage a small team of Mission Support Specialists that will serve as “Customer Zero” to ensure high-integrity data quality, deliver tailored maritime domain insights, and operational training and integration support to global customers.
- Be accountable for the synthesis of multi-source maritime data ensuring analytic rigor, accuracy, and relevance while enforcing quality control standards.
- Work closely with MDA product leads to diagnose technical issues and architect future solution improvements to enhance mission efficacy and customer adoption
- Serve as the senior on-floor decision authority during operational periods, leading the response to time-sensitive maritime events or anomalies and ensuring rapid dissemination of high-priority information.
- Coordinate with engineering and technical teams to resolve system performance issues and identify process improvement opportunities.
- Provide timely updates and insights to customers, serving as the primary functional interface to translate data into relevant information and facilitate customer training.
- Develop and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs) and conduct after-action reviews to refine procedures and mitigate risks or blockers.
- Manage staffing schedules for global coverage, conduct performance evaluations, and foster a high-performance, mission-focused team culture.
- Establish a culture of accountability, ownership, collaboration, and engineering excellence while mentoring a strong team of analysts and senior technical leaders.
- Recruit, retain, and develop world-class talent in a highly competitive market to continuously improve team effectiveness.
THE QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience in intelligence studies, maritime operations, defense, or a related field.
- 7+ years of experience in intelligence operations, ISR, or maritime domain awareness, performing work related to mission-critical operations. Min of 5+ years in leadership positions.
- Demonstrated proficiency in leading operational teams within a 24/7 watch floor, command center, or mission operations environment.
- Proven ability to analyze complex issues and make decisions regarding intelligence findings in situations involving ambiguity or time pressure.
- Ability to clearly communicate intelligence assessments and operational status updates to peers, managers, and government or defense customers.
- Working knowledge of ISR workflows, maritime intelligence operations, and operational escalation procedures.
- Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Security Clearance, as required for national security business reasons.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
- Ability to support a 24/7 operational environment, which may include working varied shifts (day, night, or weekend) as required by the mission.
- Willing to travel up to 20% travel for customer site visits.
Salary range: $120,000 – $160,000 USD
Location: Washington DC, United States
