Mission Operations - U.S. Government Strategy & Ops

Front Door Defense; Washington, Northern (District of Columbia, KY); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

100% coverage of medical, dental, and-

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 to own end-to-end mission operations projects for US government customers, spanning planning to delivery. You will bridge Nominal’s software with real-world applications, tailoring deployments for agencies like DoD, DOE, and NASA, and lead training and support efforts.

You will work with cross-functional teams to translate complex requirements into actionable plans, ensure on-time delivery, and drive continuous improvement for government-facing

Qualifications

• 5+ years of professional experience in technical project management or managing product development lifecycles.
• Experience developing project plans with milestones, timelines and interdependencies.
• Proven ability to hit deadlines, manage risks and deliver impactful results.
• Experience navigating government regulations and bureaucracies is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Own entire project lifecycles and ensure on-time, on-target delivery for government customers.
• Translate technical and bureaucratic complexity into actionable program plans with clear objectives.
• Deploy and tailor solutions to fit high-stakes environments, including government networks.
• Build deep partnerships with the Federal Growth team and government stakeholders.
• Train and support users to maximize product adoption and usage.
• Provide feedback for continuous product improvement based on user experiences.
• Identify and fix issues quickly to keep technology ahead of the curve.
• Serve as the bridge between Nominal and customers to ensure seamless collaboration.

Skills

Project management

Government programs

Stakeholder communication

Cross-functional leadership

Technical PM

Job description

Mission Operations - U.S. Government

Own end-to-end mission operations projects for US government customers from planning to delivery.

Location: Washington, District of ColumbiaLos Angeles, California

Compensation: $150,000 - 210,000 USD / year

About The Role

Mission Operations Engineer

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 U.S. Government 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 Government customers.
• Plan & Deliver: You will be responsible for translating technical and bureaucratic complexity into actionable program plans with clear 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 U.S. 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.
• This position requires you to currently possess and be able to maintain a U.S. security clearance, in order to meet U.S. regulatory eligibility requirements for the access to classified information associated with this role.

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.