Technical Operations Engineer, Watch-floor

Saildrone

Saildrone

IT, Operations

Washington, DC, USA

USD 100k-150k / year + Equity

Posted on Mar 12, 2026

THE COMPANY

Saildrone is a maritime defense company and the global leader in autonomous unmanned surface vehicles (USVs). With more ocean miles and real-world operational experience than any USV manufacturer or operator, Saildrone maintains active, combat-deployed systems supporting national security and force projection around the world, 24/7/365.

Saildrone’s manufacturing and R&D headquarters are located in Alameda, CA, with business development and sales operations in Washington, DC, and deployment hubs in Europe and the Middle East. By combining proven autonomous operations, edge computing, advanced sensing, renewable power, and the most advanced and robust unmanned surface technology on the planet, Saildrone is shaping how the Navy of the future operates. Join a fast-moving, mission-driven team at the forefront of maritime security and autonomous innovation.

THE POSITION

As a Watchfloor Technical Operations Engineer, you serve as the front line of technical defense for Saildrone’s global fleet of unmanned surface vehicles (USVs). Stationed at the center of live operations on the DC watchfloor, you sit at the intersection of AI, autonomy, and defense technology. You provide real-time technical overwatch across hardware, software, and network systems, ensuring that our long-range, extreme-endurance platforms deliver critical intelligence in the toughest oceans on Earth.

This is a high-stakes role designed for a "quiet hero"—the technical problem solver everyone counts on when a vehicle goes offline mid-mission, when a new sensor payload misbehaves, or when a root cause needs to be identified quickly to save a mission. You will spend your business hours alongside mission operators, providing a "technical eye" on the fleet, and participate in an on-call rotation to ensure 24/7 coverage. Your work directly influences Saildrone’s most important operational metrics, maintaining our revenue-generating capability and supporting partners in border security, naval operations, and undersea infrastructure protection.

THE TEAM

The Technical Operations team is responsible for monitoring, supporting, and sustaining Saildrone’s autonomous fleet worldwide. We focus on delivering reliable, mission-ready systems that operate continuously in challenging maritime environments, enabling persistent maritime intelligence in a national security and defense context.

THE RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Real-Time Technical Overwatch: Maintain continuous monitoring of the global fleet via telemetry and diagnostic tools; proactively identify anomalies and emerging issues to maintain a target of >70% vehicle uptime.
  • High-Stakes Incident Response: Act as the primary technical responder for fleet-wide issues, utilizing Linux command-line tools for log parsing and system interrogation to resolve software, hardware, and network failures.
  • Hardware Diagnostics & Maintenance: Independently apply knowledge of electrical diagrams, schematics, and mechanical systems to diagnose root causes and execute physical repairs on USVs and complex sensor payloads.
  • Operational Readiness & Integration: Perform rigorous pre-deployment technical reviews and system integration testing (SIT) to ensure all vehicles are fully mission-capable before launch.
  • Automation & Process Improvement: Identify repetitive diagnostic tasks and develop Bash or Python scripts to automate them; author and maintain detailed troubleshooting playbooks and SOPs to speed up team incident response.
  • SRE & Reliability Tracking: Adhere to maritime safety protocols and SRE standards (SLIs/SLOs); track incident resolution performance and provide structured feedback to Engineering to shape long-term design revisions.
  • Mission Support: Provide internal customer service to mission execution teams, acting as the bridge between live field operations and back-end engineering.

THE QUALIFICATIONS

  • 2+ years in a technical watchfloor, operations engineering, systems integration, or field support role.
  • Strong understanding of embedded systems and the interaction of electrical, mechanical, and networking fundamentals.
  • Proficiency with Linux OS command-line tools and basic scripting (Bash/Python).
  • Ability to thrive in high-stakes environments and participate in a 24/7 on-call rotation.
  • Proficiency in industry-standard CAD tools (NX, Solidworks, Fusion 360, EAGLE, KiCad, Altium).
  • Familiarity with network and message protocols (TCP/IP, HTTP, CAN, RS-485, RS-232, SPI, I2C) and using APIs to interact with processes.
  • Direct experience with autonomous systems, marine electronics, sensor payloads, or general maritime operations.
  • Knowledge of service-level metrics (SLI, SLO, SLA, Error Budgets) and experience with project management tools (Jira, Confluence, Asana).
  • Experience leading teams or third-party contractors to execute operational plans within budget and on time.

The base salary range for this position is shown below. Actual compensation may vary based on skills, experience, and qualifications. This range reflects the base salary for candidates in states requiring pay transparency disclosure.

Salary Range
$100,000—$150,000 USD

To view Saildrone's candidate privacy policy, please visit: https://www.saildrone.com/privacy.

BENEFITS

At Saildrone, we’re building operational capability that matters—and that requires people who can do their best work over the long term. We invest in our team’s well-being, financial security, and professional growth so you can focus on delivering real-world impact with confidence and stability. Our comprehensive benefits package is designed to support you and your family while you contribute to a mission with lasting significance.

  • Generous Time Off: Competitive Paid Time Off (PTO) accrual plus a robust annual holiday schedule and paid sick leave ensure you can rest, reset, and sustain performance over time.
  • Comprehensive Health Coverage: Premium, multi-tier Medical, Dental, and Vision plans with significant company contributions for employees and dependents—providing security and peace of mind.
  • Shared Ownership in the Mission: Equity grants are a core part of our compensation, allowing you to participate in the long-term value you help create through meaningful, operational work.
  • Retirement Savings: Access to a 401(k) retirement plan with flexible pre-tax and Roth payroll contribution options supports long-term financial planning.
  • Investment in Your Growth: We support your continuous learning through an annual professional development reimbursement program, empowering you to sharpen your skills and stay ahead of the curve in a rapidly evolving field.
  • Relocation Support: For eligible roles, we offer relocation assistance to help bring the world’s best talent to our mission-critical locations.

Saildrone is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.

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