Mission Manager

About Us

With more than 2 million nautical miles sailed and 50,000 days at sea, Saildrone has earned the trust of governments worldwide. Our unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) deliver continuous, real-time intelligence in the toughest oceans on Earth—giving our partners faster awareness, stronger security, and a decisive edge at sea.

Our USVs are long-range, extreme-endurance platforms powered by advanced sensors and proprietary AI - they have been designed to operate where no crewed vessel can. They collect critical insights above and below the surface to support border security, law enforcement, naval operations, and undersea infrastructure protection.

Headquartered in Alameda, CA, with offices in Washington, DC, and global deployment hubs, Saildrone operates missions worldwide. Join a fast-moving, mission-driven team at the intersection of AI, autonomy, and defense technology—where data turns into intelligence, and intelligence drives action.

The Role

Saildrone is seeking a qualified Mission Manager to collaborate with the existing Mission Manager team based out of Washington DC. The Saildrone Mission Manager's primary responsibilities are to plan the operational on- the-water aspects of a diverse set of missions, monitor vehicle performance and health, and communicate both internally and externally in service to our customers.

Mission Managers are positioned at a crucial crossroads in the organization, communicating mission objectives and technical expertise to a broad range of stakeholders. Candidates can expect their day to day work to be spent on the forefront of industry leading autonomous vehicle operations worldwide.

Responsibilities

Mission readiness

• Assess mission feasibility in partnership with Program Delivery and Sales teams
• Saildrone POC for local maritime authorities, Coast Guard, Vessel Traffic, and Port captains.
• Manage Reserves and Sanctuaries access permissions and special reporting.
• Assist customers with routing suggestions to optimize mission outcomes
• Manage customer communications on Saildrone’s mission portal, routing and concept of operations (CONOPS), and connecting technical issues to internal SMEs
• Participate in regular customer meetings and provide customer training when appropriate
• Actively develop and refine process documentation integral to Mission Control operations

Fleet execution

• Coordinate with the Fleet Captains across Surveyor, Voyager, and Explorer fleets related to mission readiness, drone allocation, deployments, and recoveries.
• Liaise with Technical Operations teams to ensure mission readiness and support troubleshooting of drone issues on mission.
• Oversee the daily mission drone operations, coordinating with drone operators (pilots) and program managers to ensure consistent operations and customer support.
• Passage planning, regional weather watch, global maritime operations
• Monitor the health of the drone fleet, and provide updates and feedback to external and internal stakeholders
• Manage timelines and provide mission status updates regarding on-the-water operations to all relevant parties
• Communicate daily mission objectives to enable successful piloting and tasking 24/7/365

Cross functional partnership

• Partner with Product team to develop and support roadmapping for continuous improvements to user interfaces
• Provide feedback to internal teams regarding drone performance and health issues to support quality and
• Partner with R and D teams to develop and execute test plans for new products and features

Required Skills and Experience

• Deep understanding of maritime operations, including navigation, COLREGS and safety procedures
• Experience within Command and Control Center environments
• Detail-oriented with a disciplined approach to communications, processes, and projects
• Possess excellent oral and written communication skills
• Able to interact with multiple audiences, including governmental agency leadership, senior executives and engineers.
• Interest and passion for new technology, Maritime Awareness, Ocean Mapping, and Ocean Data

Desired Skills and Experience

• Significant time on ships, standing on-bridge watches
• 5-10 years of experience leading teams in a maritime environment.
• Demonstrated record of success translating and prioritizing mission needs into actionable outcomes.
• Active or prior Security clearance is a plus
• Experience on sailboats is a plus

Physical Requirements

• Work is performed on a computer and requires ability to attend in-person and/or virtual meetings and operate a keyboard and other peripheral devices.
• Travel Requirements: A willingness to travel to conferences to represent Saildrone, and engage with potential customers and data specialists

Location: This position is in Washington, DC.

All employees are required to provide proof of authorization to work in the U.S. within their first 3 days of work. Please note that the Company does not sponsor employees for work visas or permanent resident cards to work in the U.S. If you need sponsorship for a work visa or green card, you will not be qualified for employment with Saildrone.

Benefits:

• Paid time off, including vacation, bereavement, jury duty, sick time and parental leave
• Comprehensive and competitive medical, dental and vision plans, and HSA with employer matching.
• Company sponsored life insurance
• Stock Options
• Annual stipend for continued learning and development

Individual compensation packages are based on geographic location, scope of the role, and relevant experience, among other factors.

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