About UsWith 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 RoleSaildrone is seeking qualified Mission Controllers to join the team at Saildrone, HQ in Alameda CA. The Saildrone Mission Controller’s primary responsibilities are to plan the operational on-the-water aspects of a diverse set of missions. Monitoring vehicle performance and vehicle health, communicating both internally and externally in service to our customers. Mission Controllers are positioned at a crucial crossroads in the organization, communicating mission objectives and technical expertise and to several stakeholders. Candidates can expect their day to day work to be spent on the forefront of industry leading autonomous vehicle operations worldwide. ResponsibilitiesMission Readiness<ul><li>Assess mission feasibility in partnership with Program Delivery and Sales teams</li><li>Saildrone POC for local maritime authorities, Coast Guard, Vessel Traffic, &amp; Port captains.</li><li>Manage Reserves and Sanctuaries access permissions and special reporting.</li><li>Assist customers with routing suggestions to optimize mission outcomes</li><li>Manage customer communications on Saildrone’s mission portal, routing and concept of operations (CONOPS), and connecting technical issues to internal SMEs</li><li>Participate in regular customer meetings and provide customer training when appropriate</li><li>Actively develop and refine process documentation integral to Mission Control operations</li></ul> Fleet Execution<ul><li>Coordinate with the Fleet Captains across Surveyor, Voyager, and Explorer fleets related to mission readiness, drone allocation, deployments, &amp; recoveries.</li><li>Liaise with Technical Operations teams to ensure mission readiness and support troubleshooting of drone issues on mission.</li><li>Oversee the daily mission drone operations, coordinating with drone operators (pilots) and program managers to ensure consistent operations and customer support.</li><li>Passage planning, regional weather watch, global maritime operations</li><li>Monitor the health of the drone fleet, and provide updates and feedback to external and internal stakeholders</li><li>Manage timelines and provide mission status updates regarding on-the-water operations to all relevant parties</li><li>Communicate daily mission objectives to enable successful piloting and tasking 24/7/365 </li></ul>Cross Functional<ul><li>Partner with Product team to develop and support roadmapping for continuous improvements to user interfaces</li><li>Provide feedback to internal teams regarding drone performance and health issues to support quality</li><li>Partner with R&amp;D teams to develop and execute test plans for new products and features</li></ul> Required Skills and Experience<ul><li>Deep understanding of maritime operations, including navigation, COLREGS and safety procedures</li><li>Experience within Command and Control Center environments</li><li>Detail-oriented with a disciplined approach to communications, processes, and projects</li><li>Possess excellent oral and written communication skills</li><li>Able to interact with multiple audiences, including governmental agency leadership, senior executives and engineers.</li><li>Interest and passion for new technology, Maritime Awareness, Ocean Mapping, and Ocean Data</li></ul> Desired Skills and Experience<ul><li>Significant time on ships, standing on-bridge watches</li><li>5-10 years of experience leading teams in a maritime environment.</li><li>Demonstrated record of success translating and prioritizing mission needs into actionable outcomes.</li><li>Active or prior Security clearance is a plus</li><li>Experience on sailboats is a plus </li></ul>Physical Requirements<ul><li>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.</li><li>Travel Requirements: A willingness to travel to conferences to represent Saildrone, and engage with potential customers and data specialists </li></ul>Location: This position is in Alameda, CA. Our waterfront office offers beautiful views of San Francisco Bay in always sunny Alameda. 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:<ul><li>Paid time off, including vacation, bereavement, jury duty, sick time and parental leave</li><li>Comprehensive and competitive medical, dental and vision plans, and HSA with employer matching.</li><li>Company sponsored life insurance</li><li>Stock Options</li><li>Annual stipend for continued learning and development</li><li>Quarterly company BBQs at our Alameda HQ (bring your friends and family!)</li><li>Free Bay Area Public Transportation via AlamedaTMA with the BayPass Clipper Card</li></ul> <div><div>The salary range for this role is $100,200-$149,700 annually.</div></div><div> </div> Individual compensation packages are based on geographic location, scope of the role, and relevant experience, among other factors.<div>Saildrone is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.</div> #LI-Onsite

Saildrone designs and manufactures wind and solar powered autonomous surface vehicles called Saildrones, which make cost-effective ocean data collection possible at scale. We are working with governments, civic agencies, foundations, universities, and private companies around the globe to drive better information about our oceans and seas - be it in mapping out the ocean floor, collecting new CO2 data in hard-to-reach areas, counting biomass to establish fishing quotas, or detecting and stopping illegal fishing and trafficking. We believe that better inputs in planetary models in turn yield better outputs and that the new insights gained in weather forecasting, carbon cycling, global fishing and climate change will have tremendous impact on humanity. We are based in Alameda, CA.

Mission Controller

About the Job

About the Company

Saildrone

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