Director of Test and Field Operations

OKSI; Torrance (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision fully paid

Three weeks vacation

Educational assistance

401K plan 5% contribution

Job summary

OKSI in Torrance, CA seeks a Director of Test and Field Operations to lead field tests, coordinate with engineering, and align tests with CONOPS, range, and spectrum constraints. You will turn test results into executive briefings, manage safety and compliance, and supervise field service staff while travel 40–50%.

Responsibilities include test planning, readiness, range approvals, and cross-functional integration across Engineering, Programs, Operations, and Business Development.

Qualifications

• 8+ years in military operations, aviation, range operations, flight or field testing, mission operations, or related field.
• Experience leading personnel or multidisciplinary teams in complex, high-risk environments.
• Experience planning and executing operational exercises, flight operations, field evaluations, live-fire activities, or government demonstrations.

Responsibilities

• Turn objectives into test plans, cards, and mission profiles with clear success criteria.
• Build CONOPS, test briefings, and operational vignettes for government customers and executives.

Skills

Leadership

Test planning

Risk management

MIL-STD familiarity

Education

Bachelor’s degree preferred

Job description

About OKSI

Opto-Knowledge Systems, Inc. (OKSI) designs and builds EO/IR sensor systems, autonomous platforms, and modeling and simulation technology that give warfighters a decisive edge. We're a small, fast-moving team where your work reaches the field in months, not years.

Description

About OKSI

Opto-Knowledge Systems, Inc. (OKSI) designs and builds EO/IR sensor systems, autonomous platforms, and modeling and simulation technology that give warfighters a decisive edge. We're a small, fast-moving team where your work reaches the field in months, not years.

The Role

The Director of Test and Field Operations provides operational leadership and coordination for OKSI’s field tests and demonstrations, working alongside engineering program managers, and technical principals to tie each test to its CONOPS, threshold objectives, range availability and restrictions, airspace, and spectrum. The Director also helps turn test results into reports and briefings that explain the operational value to government decision makers.

What You'll Do

Test Planning and Readiness: Turn engineering and program objectives into test plans, test cards, and mission profiles. Help codify OKSI’s test execution framework with Engineering and Programs so that every event has clear objectives, success criteria, and a data collection plan. Maintain complete test documentation, including approvals before execution, readiness reviews, operational after-action reports within five business days unless the program specifies otherwise, and formal technical reports on the approved program schedule

CONOPS and Briefings: Build concepts of operations (CONOPS), test briefings, and operational vignettes for OKSI systems, and brief them to government customers. Frame each test around the government’s operational picture so that results show mission impact, not only technical performance

Range Packages and Safety Approvals: Prepare range safety packages, hazard analyses, and emergency procedures, and obtain site-specific range approvals wherever OKSI tests, such as Hazard Analysis Working Group (HAWG) packages at Yuma Proving Ground. Schedule ranges, complete range paperwork, and serve as OKSI’s liaison to range safety, range control, and test directors.

Airspace and Spectrum: Coordinate required airspace authorizations, including FAA certificates of authorization and waivers, NOTAM publication, spectrum and frequency approvals, and operational deconfliction, with the responsible FAA, military, range, and air traffic control authorities for every flight and live-fire event

Test Execution: Support on-site execution as a senior member of the test team and serve as Test Conductor or Test Director when formally designated, for open-loop and closed-loop flight tests, risk-reduction events, live-fire tests, and final demonstrations. Help drive safe, disciplined execution against the approved plan, exercise immediate stop-work authority for unsafe conditions, and coordinate go/no-go decisions with the designated technical, range, safety, and program authorities

Government Interface: Represent OKSI at government test meetings, planning conferences, and test events, and help turn test reports into briefings that explain the operational value of each result to government decision makers. Coordinate any commitments to the customer through the responsible program manager.

Cross-Functional Integration: Work across Engineering, Programs, Operations, and Business Development so that test plans match the approved technical baseline and system configuration. Document anomalies and lessons learned for the responsible technical authorities, and keep program managers, technical principals, and the CEO aligned.

Business Development Support: Share customer and operator feedback from the field with Engineering and Business Development. Support demonstrations and pursuit shaping, contribute test assumptions and resource estimates to proposals, and cross-train in business development and sales engineering.

Team Leadership and Continuity: Supervise assigned Field Service Representatives and coordinate matrix-assigned engineering personnel during field activities. Maintain field standard operating procedures (SOPs), checklists, training standards, equipment readiness, and shared records of range contacts and lessons learned so that operations continue through personnel and program changes.

Compliance: Ensure every event follows range rules and OKSI safety, security, and export-control requirements, including the handling of controlled unclassified information (CUI), controlled technical data, and hazardous materials.

Requirements

Knowledge, Skills, and Qualifications

• 8+ years of progressively responsible experience in military operations, aviation, range operations, flight or field testing, mission operations, or a closely related field.
• Demonstrated experience leading personnel or multidisciplinary teams in complex, high-risk operational environments.
• Experience planning and executing operational exercises, flight operations, field evaluations, live-fire activities, or government demonstrations.
• Working knowledge of operational risk management, range safety processes, and range approval packages.
• Practical understanding of airspace management, air traffic control procedures, NOTAMs, frequency coordination, and range and airspace deconfliction.
• Familiarity with developmental and operational test and evaluation (DT&E and OT&E).
• Familiarity with applicable MIL-STD test, safety, and environmental standards.
• Familiarity with DoD acquisition processes and how test results support program decisions.
• Ability to work with engineers to turn technical objectives into executable test plans, including instrumentation and data collection needs.
• Ability to build and brief CONOPS, test plans, and after-action reports for government and executive audiences.
• Ability to manage multiple programs and events at once under time-sensitive field conditions.
• Willingness and ability to travel 40 to 50 percent, including extended time at remote test ranges.

Preferred Qualifications

• 15+ years of relevant operational, defense, aerospace, or test experience.
• Background in special operations, aviation or aircrew operations, air traffic control, JTAC, combat arms, operational fires, or military UAS operations, or comparable defense-industry operations experience.
• Prior assignment as a Test Director, Test Conductor, Range Safety Officer, range operations lead, or field operations manager.
• Experience at DoD test ranges such as Yuma Proving Ground, White Sands Missile Range, Dugway Proving Ground, or the Nevada Test and Training Range.
• Experience with government developmental test, operational evaluation, or formal test and evaluation organizations.
• Experience with UAS, counter-UAS, rockets, guided weapons, EO/IR sensors, or related defense technologies.
• FAA Part 107 certificate or military UAS operator qualification.
• Experience supporting defense business development, customer demonstrations, proposals, or statements of work.
• Active Secret clearance or higher.
• Familiarity with ITAR and EAR requirements and the handling of CUI.

Education

Bachelor’s degree preferred. Equivalent military experience, training, and certifications, such as special operations, air traffic control, JTAC, or test and evaluation training, will be considered in place of a degree.

Additional Requirements

You must have, or be eligible to obtain, a Department of Defense Secret clearance. You will be subject to government security investigations and must be able to access classified information. The inability to obtain a security clearance will result in you being ineligible for the position. A valid driver’s license. U.S. citizenship is required for security clearance eligibility. Must hold or be able to obtain a U.S. passport.

Compensation & Benefits

• $140,000 - $180,000 annually. New hires are typically brought into the organization at a salary between the range minimum and the salary range midpoint depending on qualifications and the budget allocated for this role.
• Medical, dental, vision fully paid by the employer for the employee
• Three weeks' vacation
• Company contribution to 401K – 5% of earned wages (no matching required)
• Educational assistance

We are an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other status protected by law.

We provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities in the application and hiring process. The person hired will have access to information and items subject to U.S. export controls, and therefore, must either be a "U.S. person" as defined by 22 C.F.R.

This employer participates in E-Verify.