Operations Specialist, Forward Deployed Engineering

Responsibilities

• Own and manage project schedules, deliverables, and cross-functional milestones for FDE-led initiatives
• Support the definition, documentation, and tracking of technical requirements and system capabilities
• Run and coordinate structured design reviews to capture decisions and ensure alignment with engineering and product roadmaps
• Track and manage FDE-related budgets, vendor contracts, and spend against plan
• Maintain accurate documentation of Bill of Materials (BOMs), procurement timelines, and key component delivery schedules
• Drive the day-to-day operational rhythm of the FDE team
• Oversee logistics and coordination for field operations, customer demos, internal tests, and deployments
• Drive centralized visibility into team activities via dashboards and regular reporting on deliverables and resource utilization
• Collaborate with engineering, product, legal, and compliance teams to ensure alignment on FDE goals and execution timelines
• Serve as a trusted liaison between the FDE team and internal and external stakeholders, ensuring clear, timely communication and follow-through
• Partner with the FDE Manager to ensure strategic initiatives are staffed, scoped, and executed effectively
• Identify and improve operational inefficiencies across onboarding, documentation, tooling, and knowledge sharing
• Develop and refine process workflows, templates, and coordination mechanisms to scale execution quality and consistency
• Coordinate hiring and onboarding efforts for new FDE team members

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in operations, project coordination, or engineering program management in robotics, aerospace, defense, or a similar field
• Bachelor's degree in engineering, operations, or a related field
• Experience managing schedules, budgets, and component delivery timelines in a hardware and software environment
• Proven experience supporting multi-disciplinary teams in fast-paced, field-driven contexts
• Familiarity with running or supporting design reviews, managing requirements traceability, and coordinating subsystem development efforts
• Proficient in project management tools (e.g., Monday, Coda, MS Excel, or equivalent)
• Detail-oriented, with a systems-level mindset, and the ability to manage technical documentation and execution workflows
• Excellent communicator and able to translate between technical teams, external partners, and operational stakeholders
• Self-starter with a strong bias toward ownership and a pragmatic, get-things-done attitude
• Experience working with ERP systems (e.g., NetSuite), MRP systems (e.g., ION), and BOM management tools (e.g., Arena)
• Familiarity with U.S. defense contracting, DoD logistics, and proposal/IRAD tracking is preferred