Military Operations Specialist

BLUE OPS INC•San Diego, CA

7d•$80,960 - $121,440•Onsite

About The Position

The Military Operations Specialist is an entry-level Operations department role at Blue Ops INC. Under the direct supervision of a Senior Military Operations Specialist or equivalent senior operations personnel, the role supports the operation, monitoring, and testing of Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV) systems. It assists with mission execution, data collection, training support, and safety compliance while developing foundational skills in defense unmanned maritime systems. The specialist supports research and development, testing, demonstrations, and operational deployments; helps prepare mission plans and documentation; assists with USV setup and checks; monitors vessel systems during operations; records test and mission data; and supports analysis, reporting, training, logistics, and compliance activities. The role works closely with operational, engineering, autonomy, payload, and field-support teams. It has no supervisory responsibilities. The position is based in San Diego, California, and requires the ability to work in offices and operational settings such as shipyards, test ranges, and outdoor maritime environments. Travel of up to 50% may be required. Occasional evening, weekend, or extended hours may be required to support missions, testing, or customer demonstrations. The role requires U.S. citizenship and eligibility to obtain a security clearance; the position also requires proof of U.S. citizenship or permanent residence for ITAR/EAR-controlled work.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, maritime operations, defense systems, robotics, or a related technical field; equivalent military or vocational training will be considered.
Two years of experience in defense, maritime, unmanned systems, or a related technical field; internship or academic project experience will be considered.
Basic understanding of maritime operations, vessel systems, or autonomous vehicle concepts, and willingness to learn command-and-control software.
Strong attention to detail and accuracy in data recording, field documentation, and operational logging.
Clear written and verbal communication skills and ability to work effectively in a multidisciplinary team.
Ability to read and follow technical documentation, system specifications, and operational procedures.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint).
Must be a U.S. citizen and eligible to obtain a security clearance.
Must provide proof of U.S. citizenship or permanent residence for work subject to ITAR/EAR restrictions and must not require sponsorship for export-restricted work authorization.
Ability to work in office and operational environments, including shipyards, test ranges, and outdoor maritime settings.
Ability to stand, walk, and move around operational environments for extended periods.
Ability to occasionally lift or move equipment weighing up to 35 pounds.
Ability to travel up to 50% of the time to testing sites, demonstrations, and operational deployments.
Ability to work in varying conditions, including heat, humidity, wind, and marine environments, and to operate computer systems, mission-control interfaces, and standard office equipment for extended periods.
Occasional evening, weekend, or extended hours may be required to support mission operations, testing events, or customer demonstrations.
Must successfully complete a post-offer background check.

Nice To Haves

Active security clearance.
Exposure to mission-planning or telemetry tools.
Academic or hands-on exposure to USVs, UAS, autonomous vehicles, or maritime robotics.
Familiarity with maritime operations, navigation, and environmental factors affecting vessel operations.
Exposure to defense research, test and evaluation (RDT&E) programs through coursework, internship, or prior employment.
Prior military, maritime, or defense industry experience, including service in a maritime, aviation, or unmanned systems role.

Responsibilities

Assist senior staff with research and development, testing events, operational demonstrations, and mission-supporting programs.
Track program progress, document operational observations, and flag schedule or technical concerns to senior personnel.
Support collaboration and knowledge-sharing across operational and engineering teams, and apply corrective actions and process improvements with senior guidance.
Assist with coordination and information flow involving government customers and mission partners.
Support development of mission plans for testing, demonstrations, and operational deployments, including consideration of environmental factors, routes, and contingency procedures under senior guidance.
Prepare operational documentation, including CONOPS drafts, test-plan support materials, and mission briefs.
Participate in pre-mission planning, mission-execution observation, and post-mission debriefs.
Assist with USV setup, pre-mission checks, and post-mission breakdown under senior operator supervision.
Monitor command-and-control interfaces and telemetry displays during live operations under supervision; observe and log navigation, propulsion, payload sensor, and communications-link status.
Maintain maritime situational awareness and promptly identify and escalate anomalies or unexpected system behavior.
Monitor vehicle status, system behavior, and the operating environment during active missions alongside experienced operators.
Assist with responding to alerts and anomalies and support contingency procedures to maintain mission continuity and platform safety.
Document and communicate operational issues to operations personnel and engineering staff.
Assist with executing approved operational test plans under direct oversight; record observations, system performance data, and test results accurately.
Log events, discrepancies, and technical issues to support system validation and engineering debugging.
Provide structured, factual field observations to support engineering feedback and system refinement; organize test documentation, field logs, and data records.
Collect and organize mission data; support senior analysts with interpreting performance metrics, sensor outputs, and operational outcomes.
Help prepare mission reports documenting findings, lessons learned, and recommendations, and maintain operational data records for engineering assessments and capability evaluations.
Assist senior training staff in preparing and delivering operator and end-user training for government and partner personnel.
Maintain training material libraries, including operator manuals, instructional guides, and quick-reference cards.
Support fielding events, exercises, and demonstrations through logistics coordination and setup assistance; provide administrative and logistical support for customer-site and government-installation training events.
Follow maritime regulations, government policies, Blue Ops INC standards, safety procedures, and risk-mitigation measures.
Participate in risk assessments and mission safety planning under senior supervision and promote safe practices.
Coordinate with Demo/RDT&E Specialists, Engineering & Autonomy Teams, Payload & Sensor Integrators, and Logistics & Field Support Personnel; seek mentorship and participate in knowledge-sharing activities.