Manager, Mission Control

Motional; Las Vegas (NV); On-site; USD 84,000 - 109,459; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

401(k) with company match

Health savings accounts

Life insurance

Pet insurance

Job summary

Motional is seeking a Mission Control Manager for its Las Vegas office, overseeing real-time autonomous vehicle operations. This role involves coordinating with first responders and ensuring safe, efficient operations across various environments.

The ideal candidate has 5–10 years of experience in operations, strong decision-making skills under pressure, and a relevant degree. The job includes a competitive salary and a variety of employee benefits.

Qualifications

• 5–10+ years of experience in real-time operations or mission-critical environments.
• Experience with incident command systems or structured emergency response frameworks.
• Proven ability to thrive in ambiguity and make high-quality decisions under pressure.

Responsibilities

• Serve as operational owner for live AV fleet safety.
• Make rapid decisions to stabilize operations during high-severity events.
• Manage end-to-end non-nominal event processes and escalations.

Skills

Operational judgment

Real-time decision making

Cross-functional coordination

Communication skills

Situational awareness

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Operations, Engineering, or related field

Tools

Operational tools and dashboards

Job description

Motional’s Las Vegas office is located less than 10 miles from the Las Vegas Strip at 730 E Pilot Road and is home to one of the largest fleets of self-driving vehicles. The city’s grid system of roads and being one of America’s ‘smart cities’ allows for extensive research and development testing.

Mission Statement

The Mission Control Manager serves as the central operational authority for real-time autonomous vehicle (AV) operations while also leading Motional’s public safety engagement efforts across current and future operating markets. Reporting to the Director of Commercial Fleet Operations, this role combines mission-critical fleet command and control responsibilities with external first responder relationship management, ensuring safe, efficient, and scalable driverless operations. This leader acts as the operational nerve center for live AV operations, and drives rapid, high-stakes decision-making under ambiguity and time pressure. Success in this role requires exceptional operational judgment, calm leadership during non-nominal events, strong cross-functional coordination, and the ability to build scalable operational and public safety engagement frameworks that support commercial driverless expansion.

What You’ll Be Doing

Real-Time Fleet Command & Control

• Serve as the operational owner for live AV fleet safety and monitor operational signals to identify anomalies, degradation patterns, and emerging service impacts.
• Make rapid, high-consequence decisions under uncertainty to stabilize operations and minimize customer and safety impact.
• Provide operational leadership and escalation management during high-severity or ambiguous operational events.

Operational Design Domain (ODD) Management

• Continuously manage ODD constraints including weather, road closures, construction, and city events impacting operations.
• Initiate and approve Pick-Up/Drop-Off (PuDo) restrictions, map overrides, and routing interventions to maintain safe operability.
• Partner cross-functionally to align operational conditions, mapping, and system capabilities while escalating systemic issues impacting service reliability or safety.

Non-Nominal Event & Incident Management

• Own the end-to-end management of non-nominal events and degraded vehicle recovery processes.
• Act as Incident Commander for high-severity events, driving triage, structured escalation, containment, and recovery protocols.
• Coordinate directly with internal teams, first responders, towing providers, and municipal agencies during active incidents.

Field Support & Dispatch Coordination

• Triage and dispatch field support resources including On-Road Response Specialists (ORS) or third-party providers (e.g., towing).
• Manage SLA performance, response times, and resource allocation across field operations.
• Optimize field coverage models and support operational readiness for launches, expansions, and special events.

First Responder Engagement & Public Safety Partnerships

• Build and maintain trusted relationships with law enforcement, fire, EMS, emergency management, and public safety stakeholders.
• Serve as a primary liaison for first responder interactions involving autonomous vehicle operations and incidents.
• Partner with external agencies during operational disruptions while integrating public safety feedback into operational planning.

Map & Operational Readiness Oversight

• Review and validate active map restrictions, routing constraints, and operational readiness conditions.
• Ensure readiness for daily operations by aligning map state, fleet availability, and environmental conditions.
• Escalate systemic map or routing issues impacting service reliability.

Training & Operational Readiness

• Develop and deliver training materials and operational guidance for first responders and external stakeholders.
• Partner with Operations, Engineering, Safety, Legal, and Communications teams to translate technical concepts into operationally usable guidance.
• Support tabletop exercises, field drills, and preparedness activities while reinforcing escalation and incident response protocols.

Cross-Functional & External Stakeholder Coordination

• Serve as the primary liaison between Command Center, Remote Vehicle Assistance (RVA), Engineering, Safety, and Commercial Operations during live events.
• Drive structured communication and cross-functional alignment during operational disruptions and critical incidents.
• Provide executive-level operational updates, incident summaries, and escalation communication during high-pressure scenarios.

Continuous Improvement & Scalability

• Identify recurring operational issues and drive root cause analysis with Engineering, Safety, and Analytics teams.
• Translate incident learnings into process improvements, tooling requirements, and automation opportunities.
• Contribute to the development of scalable operational frameworks supporting full driverless expansion.

What We’re Looking For

• Bachelor’s degree (Operations, Engineering, Business, Emergency Management, Public Safety, Transportation, Logistics) or equivalent practical experience.
• 5–10+ years of experience in real-time operations, command-and-control, or mission-critical environments (e.g., autonomous systems, aviation operations, emergency dispatch, military operations, logistics control towers).
• Demonstrated ability to thrive in ambiguity, balancing operational and strategic planning with tactical execution.
• Experience with incident command systems or structured emergency response frameworks.
• Proven ability to make high-quality decisions under pressure with incomplete or ambiguous data.
• Demonstrated experience in incident management, escalation frameworks, and real-time operational risk mitigation.
• Strong situational awareness and the ability to synthesize multiple data streams into actionable decisions.
• Experience coordinating cross-functional teams in high-stakes environments.
• Demonstrated ability to use data to drive performance and decision-making.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to provide clear direction during critical events.
• Proficiency with operational tools, dashboards, and data systems used in live monitoring environments.
• Ability to work flexible schedules, including nights, weekends, and holidays.

Bonus Points (not required)

• Direct experience in autonomous vehicle operations, robotics, or advanced mobility systems
• Familiarity with ODD frameworks and real-time geospatial decision-making.
• Experience managing field operations or dispatch logistics, including SLA performance oversight.
• Experience working with mapping systems, geofencing, or real-time routing tools.
• Track record of process standardization and operational scalability in high-growth environments.
• Experience in autonomous vehicles, driverless systems, or mobility platforms.
• Background in safety operations, emergency response, or reliability engineering.

Physical Demands & Working Environment

• This role requires the ability to interface with both office and field environments.
• The employee is occasionally required to remain stationary at times for up to 50% of working time.
• Operate and use office equipment.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.

This role is based in our Las Vegas office and requires 5 in-office days each week.

Salary Range: $84,000 USD - $109,459 USD

This role may include additional forms of compensation such as a bonus or company equity.

Motional’s benefits include but are not limited to medical, dental, vision, 401(k) with a company match, health savings accounts, life insurance, pet insurance, and more.

Motional AD Inc. is an EOE. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. To comply with Federal Law, we participate in E-Verify. All newly-hired employees are queried through this electronic system established by the DHS and the SSA to verify their identity and employment eligibility.