Sr. Military Operations Specialist

BLUE OPS INC•Fort Pierce, FL

6d•$103,500 - $155,365•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Military Operations Specialist is a supervisory position in Blue Ops INC.’s Operations department. The role supports the planning, coordination, oversight, and evaluation of autonomous maritime operations and related defense programs, working across engineering, operations, and government customer engagement to ensure Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV) systems are tested, deployed, and sustained in support of mission requirements. The position provides operational leadership for mission execution teams, including operators, technicians, and mission support personnel. It coordinates day-to-day activities, helps assign responsibilities, and supports safe and effective achievement of mission objectives. The specialist also supports program execution, mission planning, USV operations, real-time monitoring and incident response, test execution, data analysis and reporting, training, compliance, safety, and cross-functional integration. The role is based in Fort Pierce, Florida, and requires work in office and operational environments, including shipyards, test ranges, and outdoor maritime settings. Travel of up to 50% may be required. Occasional evening, weekend, or extended hours may be needed for mission operations, testing events, or customer demonstrations. A post-offer background check is required. The position involves access to ITAR/EAR-controlled materials; candidates for restricted work must provide proof of U.S. citizenship or permanent residence and must not require sponsorship for export-restricted work authorization.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, maritime operations, defense systems, robotics, or a related technical field; equivalent experience may be considered.
At least 8 years of experience in defense operations, maritime systems, autonomous systems, unmanned vehicles, or a related operational environment.
Demonstrated experience supporting operational planning, mission execution, and testing of complex systems.
Experience working with government customers, defense programs, or mission-focused operational environments.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to assess operational risks and technical challenges.
Ability to interpret technical documentation, system specifications, and operational procedures.
Proficiency with mission planning tools, command-and-control systems, telemetry monitoring, or related operational software platforms.
Strong communication and collaboration skills and ability to work effectively across multidisciplinary teams.
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, demonstration events, and operational deployments as required.
Ability to work in varying environmental conditions, including heat, humidity, wind, and marine environments.
Ability to operate computer systems, mission control interfaces, and standard office equipment for extended periods.
Must successfully complete a post-offer background check.
For work subject to ITAR/EAR restrictions, must provide proof of U.S. citizenship or permanent residence and must not require sponsorship for export-restricted work authorization.

Nice To Haves

Experience with Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs), Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), autonomous vehicles, or maritime robotics.
Familiarity with maritime operations, navigation, and environmental considerations affecting vessel operations.
Experience supporting defense research, test and evaluation (RDT&E) programs.
Prior military, maritime, or defense industry operational experience.

Responsibilities

Support execution of product and mission-supporting programs, including research and development, testing, and operational demonstrations.
Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to define program goals, objectives, and deliverables.
Monitor project and mission progress; identify operational risks, technical issues, or schedule impacts; and implement corrective actions and process improvements as needed.
Promote collaboration, communication, and knowledge sharing across operational and engineering teams, and provide operational guidance and technical support to team members.
Coordinate with government customers and mission partners to facilitate communication and manage operational expectations.
Develop detailed mission plans for testing, demonstrations, and operational deployments, incorporating environmental factors, route planning, risk mitigation, and contingency procedures.
Support development of operational documentation, including CONOPS, test plans, and mission briefs; participate in pre-mission planning, execution oversight, and post-mission debriefs.
Evaluate mission requirements, operational risks, environmental conditions, and mission constraints, and recommend mission execution approaches and operational priorities.
Oversee and coordinate USV operations during testing, training, and customer operations; lead and guide operators and mission personnel.
Operate vessel command-and-control interfaces and monitoring systems as needed; monitor telemetry, navigation status, propulsion systems, payload sensors, and communications links; and maintain maritime situational awareness.
Adjust operational parameters in response to environmental or mission changes.
Monitor vehicle status, system behavior, and operating environments during active missions; respond to alerts, anomalies, or unexpected vessel behavior; and execute contingency procedures to support mission continuity and platform safety.
Document and communicate operational issues to engineering and leadership personnel.
Execute operational test plans according to approved procedures; record observations, system performance, and test results; and log events, discrepancies, and technical issues for validation and debugging.
Provide structured feedback to engineering teams and contribute to improvements in testing procedures, operator workflows, and control interfaces.
Collect and analyze mission data; interpret performance metrics, sensor outputs, and operational outcomes; produce mission reports; and support engineering assessments and capability evaluations.
Conduct operator and end-user training for government and partner personnel on vessel operations, mission planning, and system capabilities.
Support fielding events, exercises, and operational demonstrations, and provide reach-back support to deployed or remote users as required.
Ensure USV operations comply with applicable maritime regulations, government policies, and operational standards; implement safety procedures and risk mitigation measures; and support operational risk assessments and mission safety planning.
Coordinate with Demo/RDT&E Specialists, Engineering & Autonomy Teams, Payload & Sensor Integrators, and Logistics & Field Support Personnel.
Provide operational leadership and coordination for mission execution teams; coordinate day-to-day operational activities, help assign responsibilities, and support safe and efficient achievement of mission objectives.