Mission Manager

About Us

Saildrone is a defense company delivering maritime intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance products to military, homeland security, and commercial customers. Saildrone unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) are extreme-endurance platforms equipped with advanced sensors and proprietary AI to provide persistent insights above and below the sea surface. Insights that support border security, law enforcement, undersea infrastructure protection, hydrography, and naval power applications. With more than 2,000,000 nautical miles sailed and 50,000 days at sea, Saildrone USVs are trusted by governments across the planet and set the standard for cost‑efficient maritime intelligence in the world’s harshest environments.

We are based in Alameda, CA, with offices in Washington DC and St. Petersburg, FL, and operate missions worldwide. This is an exciting opportunity with a fast‑growing team at the cutting‑edge intersection of big data services, autonomy, and AI. You will be part of a high‑performing, multidisciplinary team delivering data, intelligence, and firepower for strategic superiority.

Saildrone is seeking qualified Mission Managers to join the team at Saildrone, HQ in Alameda CA. The Saildrone Mission Manager’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 Managers 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.

• Assess mission feasibility in partnership with Program Delivery and Sales teams
• Saildrone POC for local maritime authorities, Coast Guard, Vessel Traffic, & 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

• Coordinate with the Fleet Captains across Surveyor, Voyager, and Explorer fleets related to mission readiness, drone allocation, deployments, & 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

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

• Deep understanding of maritime operations, including navigation, COLREGS and safety procedures
• Experience with in 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

• Significant time on ships, standing…