Director, Defense Mission Integration

REGENT • North Kingstown, RI

21h

About The Position

REGENT is developing Seagliders, wing-in-ground-effect craft designed for fast, affordable coastal transportation. The Director, Defense Mission Integration bridges REGENT’s technical subject-matter experts and government partners, turning defense mission needs into concepts of operation, vignettes, test events, and deliverables that engineering, test, and maritime operations teams can execute. The role also briefs government partners on current vehicle capabilities and limitations to set credible expectations.

The position is within REGENT Defense, the business unit focused on the defense market, and reports to the VP, Defense. It manages a Mission Assurance Manager and collaborates closely with Engineering, Performance, Test, Maritime Ops, Manufacturing, and Contracts. The Director operationalizes Seaglider capabilities for military missions, supports the progression from experimentation toward a program of record, leads demonstrations and exercises, integrates payloads and systems, and delivers contractual reports and other outputs. The role also engages U.S. and allied stakeholders and contributes to business development, proposals, and follow-on opportunities. Travel of up to 20% is required, including to U.S. customer sites and events and occasionally abroad.

Requirements

• Significant experience in military operations, operational planning, test and experimentation, acquisition, or research and development; maritime, naval, expeditionary, or unmanned-systems experience is considered ideal.
• Experience working between operators and engineers, including writing concepts of operation, scoping requirements, and explaining technical limits to non-technical senior audiences.
• Experience planning and leading exercises, demonstrations, or fleet experiments from planning conference through debrief.
• Working knowledge of DoD contracting vehicles, including OTAs, CRADAs, FAR-based contracts, BPAs, and IDIQs, and of managing deliverables, data rights, and security requirements.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including experience briefing flag officers, program managers, and allied counterparts.
• Grit, a bias for action, and comfort working in a fast-moving startup environment where hardware is still maturing and plans change.
• Eligibility for, or an active, Secret clearance or higher.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with defense innovation organizations such as DIU, DARPA, NavalX, AFWERX, or Army Applications Lab, or with experimentation venues such as fleet exercises and warfare center test events.
• Experience in mine warfare, ASW, ISR, logistics, or search and rescue missions.
• Experience with unmanned or autonomous maritime or aviation systems, including launch and recovery and payload integration.
• Experience working with allied and international defense partners.
• Familiarity with safety, test and evaluation processes, and security programs such as DD-254, CUI, NIST 800-171, and CMMC.

Responsibilities

• Translate Navy, Marine Corps, SOF, and allied mission needs into concepts of operation, mission vignettes, and operational requirements for all Seaglider variants.
• Define mission profiles—including ISR, ASW and mine warfare, logistics, search and rescue, and contested logistics—and the conditions for demonstration, testing, and eventual fielding.
• Develop concepts, procedures, and training materials for repeatable Seaglider operations, coordinating with Maritime Ops on sustainment and support.
• Track the progression from experiment to program of record, documenting what each exercise proves, what it does not, and what subsequent events must demonstrate.
• Translate government requirements into engineering, test, and performance inputs, and translate test data, signatures, and limitations for operators and program offices.
• Chair the integration working group across Engineering, Performance, Test, Maritime Ops, and Manufacturing, aligning payload, interface, and power requirements with mission plans.
• Own interface documentation and customer-facing technical products, including ICDs, payload integration plans, mission plans, and test and demonstration reports.
• Track technical risks, action items, and open issues affecting demonstrations and deliveries, and escalate them early.
• Plan and lead demonstrations, joint exercises, and experiments with U.S. and allied partners, from initial planning conferences through after-action debriefs.
• Integrate partner and third-party payloads, sensors, communications, and autonomy onto REGENT platforms, including government-furnished equipment and CRADA or consortium partner equipment.
• Conduct lessons-learned cycles after events and apply findings to design, procedures, and future test plans.
• Plan and deliver contractual reports, demonstrations, and analyses across multiple defense awards, including OTAs, CRADAs, and FAR-based contracts.
• Coordinate with Contracts and the Mission Assurance Manager on deliverable schedules, data rights and distribution restrictions, security requirements such as DD-254 and CUI, and customer-furnished equipment custody.
• Contribute operational and technical content to proposals, white papers, and quad charts.
• Build and maintain relationships with program offices, warfighting labs, test and experimentation organizations, fleet and component staffs, and allied defense partners.
• Represent REGENT at exercises, working groups, site visits, and industry events, and brief senior government and military leaders.
• Manage a Mission Assurance Manager responsible for contract deliverable tracking, reporting, and compliance, and set priorities that keep deliverables tied to mission plans.
• Support business development by shaping opportunities with customers, contributing to capture plans and briefings, and carrying operational insight from events into proposals and follow-on work.
• Travel up to 20%, including to customer sites, exercises, test events, and industry events in the U.S. and occasionally abroad.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation including a robust equity incentive plan.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance; the company covers 100% of premiums.
• 401(k) with company matching.
• Generous flexible time off, paid parental leave, and company-wide holiday breaks.
• Relocation packages available for those moving to join the team.
• Daily, free catered lunches.
• Learning and professional development opportunities.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: No Education Listed