Sr. Military Operations Specialist

Location: San Diego, CA, USA. Work includes office and operational environments such as shipyards, test ranges, and outdoor maritime settings, with travel of up to 50% to testing sites, demonstrations, and deployments.

Compensation: Base pay plus an annual equity package and potential bonuses.

Company

hirify.global develops and supports defense-related autonomous systems, including unmanned platforms and maritime operations programs.

What you will do

• Support research and development, testing, demonstrations, and mission-supporting defense programs.
• Coordinate with government customers, mission partners, engineering teams, payload and sensor integrators, and field support personnel.
• Develop mission plans, CONOPS, test plans, mission briefs, route plans, risk mitigations, and contingency procedures.
• Oversee Unmanned Surface Vessel operations, including command-and-control interfaces, telemetry, navigation, propulsion, payload sensors, and communications monitoring.
• Respond to real-time alerts and anomalies, execute contingency procedures, document issues, and provide technical feedback to engineering teams.
• Analyze mission data, prepare reports, train operators and end users, and provide operational leadership to operators, technicians, and mission support personnel.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, maritime operations, defense systems, robotics, or a related technical field; equivalent experience may be considered.
• 8+ years of experience in defense operations, maritime systems, autonomous systems, unmanned vehicles, or a related operational environment.
• 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 across multidisciplinary teams.
• Ability to work in varying environmental conditions, stand and move around operational environments for extended periods, operate computer and mission-control systems, and occasionally lift or move equipment weighing up to 35 pounds.
• Availability for occasional evening, weekend, or extended hours during missions, testing events, or customer demonstrations.
• Successful completion of a post-offer background check is required.
• For ITAR/EAR-restricted work, candidates must provide proof of U.S. citizenship or permanent residence and must not require sponsorship for export-restricted work authorization.

Nice to have

• Experience with Unmanned Surface Vessels, Unmanned Aerial Systems, autonomous vehicles, or maritime robotics.
• Familiarity with maritime operations, navigation, and environmental factors affecting vessel operations.
• Experience supporting defense research, test, and evaluation programs.
• Prior military, maritime, or defense industry operational experience.

Culture & Benefits

• Supervisory and operational leadership responsibilities across multidisciplinary teams.
• Base pay, annual equity package, and potential bonuses.
• Equal employment opportunity workplace.
• E-Verify participation and compliance with right-to-work requirements.