Federal Mission Operations Engineer

Cantwell's Tavern; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Unlimited PTO and sick leave

Free lunch, snacks, and coffee

Professional Development Stipend

Annual company retreat

Job summary

Nominal is seeking a Mission Operations Engineer in Washington, D.C. to bridge software with real-world applications for Federal customers. You will own project lifecycles, coordinate with agencies such as the DoD, DoE, and NASA, and ensure timely delivery of Nominal’s technologies.

You will translate complex requirements into actionable plans, lead cross‑functional teams, and provide training and support. Travel up to 50% is possible, and ITAR/compliance considerations are integral to the role.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in technical project management or product development lifecycles.
• Experience navigating Federal regulations and Agency processes.
• Ability to translate technical concepts for leadership and clients.
• Strong writing skills for status reports and white papers.
• Experience deploying software on government networks and IA/compliance.

Responsibilities

• Own entire project lifecycles and align stakeholders.
• Translate complex requirements into actionable programs.
• Deploy and integrate solutions on government networks.
• Lead cross-functional teams and manage risks.
• Provide training and ongoing support to Federal customers.
• Drive continuous product improvement from user feedback.

Skills

Project management

Federal government experience

Communication skills

Technical problem solving

Leadership

Travel readiness

Job description

Mission Operations - Federal

Washington, D.C.

Mission Operations

In office

Full-time

About Nominal

Nominal is building the connected test and operations platform powering the world's most advanced hardware systems, from spacecraft and autonomous vehicles to next-generation defense programs. Our platform gives hardware engineering teams a single place to ingest data, analyze performance, automate test execution, and collaborate across every phase of development, so they can move faster without sacrificing safety or precision. We're a fast-moving team that owns problems end-to-end, works across disciplines, and thrives at the intersection of hardware and software.

We serve top-tier commercial and defense customers, from autonomy leaders like Anduril and Shield AI to next-generation aerospace teams like Hermeus and REGENT, and performance engineering teams like Pratt Miller Motorsports, alongside mission partners within the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force on programs where failure isn’t an option. We’re backed by Sequoia, General Catalyst, Founders Fund, Lux Capital, and Lightspeed. Our team draws from SpaceX, Palantir, Anduril, Applied Intuition, and other leading companies, united by a common mission: giving hardware engineers the tools to build the future with speed, safety, and confidence.

As a Mission Operations Engineer, you'll bridge Nominal's software with real-world applications, becoming an indispensable advisor to our Federal customers with a focus on US agencies like the Department of Defense, Department of Energy, and NASA. You'll ensure our solutions not only meet but exceed operational requirements, tailoring deployments to unique environments, providing comprehensive training, and directly addressing any challenges that arise. Your work will transform customer operations, enhance user experiences, and drive Nominal's technology to new frontiers.

🚀 About the role

• Own the Outcome: You will own entire project lifecycles, proactively engage and align internal and external stakeholders, demonstrate exceptional levels of communication, and ensure on-time and on-target delivery of Nominal’s tech to Federal customers.
• Plan & Deliver: You will be responsible for translating technical and bureaucratic complexity into actionable program plans withclear objectives traceable to mission impact, strategic impact, financial outcomes, and program objectives.
• Deploy & Integrate: Take Nominal's tech to operation on the ground, tailoring solutions to fit our clients' high-stakes environments perfectly, including but not limited to deployments on US Government-managed networks.
• Build Relationships & Business: You're not just deploying technology; you're partnering closely with Nominal’s Federal Growth team to drive Nominal's presence and impact. You will be expected to establish deep, productive partnerships with both US government stakeholders and integration partners (e.g., systems integrators). You’re acting as a program manager and product expert, with important relational and technical capital on your shoulders.
• Train & Support: You're on the front lines with the broader Mission Ops (MOps) team, making sure our users understand our products and can use them to their full potential.
• Enhance & Evolve: Your feedback loops are gold, turning user experiences into actionable insights for continuous product improvement.
• Solve & Streamline: See an issue? You're on it, with the autonomy to fix problems fast and keep our technology ahead of the curve.
• Be the Bridge: You're the vital link between Nominal and our customers, translating needs and critical dependencies into solutions and ensuring seamless collaboration across all fronts.

🔍 We're looking for someone with

• Proven Project Management Experience: 5+ years of professional experience in technical project management or managing product development lifecycles. You have first-hand experience developing project plans, including milestones, timelines, and interdependencies. You can point to real-world success in hitting deadlines, managing project risks, and delivering impactful results.
• Bureaucratic Ninja: You have a solid track record working inside of or with the Federal government (ideally the Department of War) and understand how to navigate the bureaucracy. You understand how regulations, rules, and policies impact project outcomes and have the patience and creativity to break down barriers.
• Communicator & Influencer: You articulate complex ideas with ease and confidence, steering conversations and projects with clarity, honesty, and diplomacy. You are comfortable engaging with senior civilian and military leaders and have strong writing skills to author compelling and understandable written deliverables (e.g., status reports, white papers, etc)
• Technical Sharpshooter: Your intellectual curiosity drives you to solve complex problems. You think in systems and see the big picture, yet you're all about nailing the details. You have a strong intuition for the math and physics our customers encounter daily.
• Dynamic Leader & Team Player: With a mix of humility, eagerness to learn, and empathy, you're a natural at leading and lifting those around you. You don't just spot problems; you solve them. You are comfortable coordinating and leading cross-functional teams, often with teammates who don’t directly report to you.
• Ready to Roll: Up to 50% travel? No problem. You're ready to be where the action is, anywhere, anytime.
• Must be eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S.TS Clearance

⚡ Skills that supercharge us

• Customer-facing Skills: Experienced government program manager, consultant, customer success leader, and/or technical program manager.
• Software Delivery: Previous experience deploying software products on US government networks, with a proven track record for navigating Information Assurance and cybersecurity compliance requirements.
• Hardware Engineering Expertise: You have worked in the trenches of hardware engineering. You have firsthand experience in environments like propulsion test stands, satellite mission operations, flight testing, or autonomy development.
• Acquisition Experience: Bonus points if you have direct experience dealing with federal acquisition regulations, government contracting, or formal test and evaluation processes.

✨ Benefits/Perks

• 🏥 100% coverage of medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 🏖️ Unlimited PTO and sick leave
• 🍽️ Free lunch, snacks, and coffee
• 🚀 Professional Development Stipend
• ✈️ Annual company retreat

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.

ITAR Requirements

To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.

Compensation

The base pay range for this role is $150,000 – $210,000 per year.

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This position requires access to information and technology that is subject to U.S. export controls. Your responses to the questions below will be used solely to determine your eligibility under U.S. law to receive information and materials subject to U.S. export controls. Are you any of the following “protected individual(s)” as defined in the Immigration and Naturalization Act, 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)? *

A person lawfully admitted for permanent residence of the United States (i.e. Green Card holder)

A person admitted as a refugee to the United States under 8 U.S.C. 1157

A person admitted as an asylee to the United States under 8 U.S.C. 1158

A United States citizen or national

None of the above

U.S. Work Authorization - Are you authorized to work in the United States? *

Yes

No

Will you require sponsorship from Nominal for employment now or in the future? (e.g, OPT, H1B visa)? *

Yes

No

Clearance Eligibility - Do you presently hold an active U.S. security clearance, or are you eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance? *

Yes, I hold an active U.S. security clearance

Yes, I'm eligible for a U.S security clearance

No

If you have held a U.S. security clearance in the past, what clearance level have you held? *

Confidential

Secret

Top Secret

N/A - have never held a U.S. security clearance

Voluntary Self-Identification

To comply with government reporting requirements, we invite candidates to participate in the self-identification survey below. Your completion of this form is entirely optional, and your decision will neither influence the hiring process nor any subsequent stages. Any information you choose to share will be kept confidential and stored in a secure file. As outlined in our Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we uphold a commitment to non-discrimination based on any protected group status specified in applicable laws.

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Race and ethnicity descriptions

Voluntary Self-Identification of Veteran Status

VEVRAA requires Government contractors to take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment protected veterans. To help us measure the effectiveness of our outreach and recruitment efforts of veterans, we are asking you to tell us if you are a veteran covered by VEVRAA. If you believe that you belong to any of the following categories of protected veterans, please indicate by making the appropriate selection.

Veteran status descriptions

Disabled veteran

A veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military and is entitled to disability compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to disability compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, or was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability

Recently separated veteran

A veteran separated during the three-year period beginning on the date of the veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S military, ground, naval, or air service

Active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran

A veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge was authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense

Armed Forces service medal veteran

A veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military ground, naval, or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985 (61 Fed. Reg. 1209).

Veteran status

Req ID: R16