Sr. Military Operations Specialist

BLUE OPS INC•San Diego, CA

6d•$103,500 - $155,365•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Military Operations Specialist is a supervisory role in Blue Ops INC.’s Operations department. The position supports the planning, coordination, oversight, and evaluation of autonomous maritime operations and 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 role supports research and development, testing, and operational demonstrations; coordinates mission planning with government customers and partners; oversees USV operations; and monitors vessel telemetry and system behavior during active missions. It also executes test plans, analyzes mission data, prepares reports, provides operational feedback to engineering teams, and trains government and partner personnel. The specialist provides operational leadership and day-to-day coordination for operators, technicians, and mission support personnel. The role requires work in office and operational environments, including shipyards, test ranges, and outdoor maritime settings, and travel of up to 50% to testing sites, demonstrations, and deployments. Occasional evening, weekend, or extended hours may be required. A post-offer background check is required. Work involving ITAR/EAR-controlled items requires proof of U.S. citizenship or permanent residence and no need for 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.
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.
Ability to work occasional evenings, weekends, or extended hours when required for operations, testing, or demonstrations.
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 programs, including research and development, testing, and operational demonstrations.
Collaborate with stakeholders to define program goals, objectives, and deliverables; monitor progress and identify risks, technical issues, and schedule impacts.
Implement corrective actions and process improvements and promote collaboration and knowledge sharing across operational and engineering teams.
Provide operational guidance and technical support to team members.
Coordinate with government customers and mission partners to facilitate communication and manage operational expectations.
Develop mission plans incorporating environmental factors, route planning, risk mitigation, and contingency procedures.
Support development of CONOPS, test plans, mission briefs, and other operational documentation.
Participate in pre-mission planning, execution oversight, and post-mission debriefs; assess mission requirements, risks, environmental conditions, and constraints and recommend priorities.
Oversee USV operations during testing, training, and customer operations, and lead operators and mission personnel.
Operate vessel command-and-control interfaces and monitoring systems as needed; monitor telemetry, navigation, propulsion, payload sensors, and communications links.
Maintain maritime situational awareness and adjust operational parameters in response to environmental or mission changes.
Monitor vehicle status and system behavior during missions, respond to alerts and anomalies, execute contingency procedures, and communicate operational issues.
Execute approved operational test plans, record observations and results, and log events, discrepancies, and technical issues.
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 and sensor outputs, produce mission reports, and support engineering assessments and capability evaluations.
Conduct operator and end-user training; support fielding events, exercises, demonstrations, and reach-back support for deployed or remote users.
Ensure operations comply with applicable maritime regulations, government policies, and operational standards; implement safety procedures and support risk assessments.
Coordinate with demonstration/RDT&E specialists, engineering and autonomy teams, payload and sensor integrators, and logistics and field support personnel.
Provide operational leadership, coordinate day-to-day activities, help assign responsibilities, and support mission teams in achieving objectives safely and efficiently.