Permanent Payload Operator Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

WORK LOCATION: Huntsville, AL or San Luis Obispo, CA

FLSA STATUS: Exempt

SALARY RANGE:  The anticipated salary range for this role in Huntsville, AL is $227,200 to $303,200 and $227,000 - $306,800 for San Luis Obispo, CA annually. This range reflects a good faith estimate based on the targeted level for the role and typical compensation benchmarks across U.S. locations. Actual compensation may vary depending on the selected candidate’s qualifications, experience, geographical location, and internal alignment.

SUMMARY

The Vice President, Defense Tech Global Product Support & Operations is the senior executive responsible for the operational success, readiness, sustainment, and customer experience of Redwire Defense Tech’s worldwide fleet of unmanned aircraft systems, including the Stalker and Penguin UAS product families and associated payloads sold through RDT. This leader oversees Redwire’s global support enterprise for fielded UAS and payload products, spanning the U.S.-based support for the Stalker fleet, Latvia-based support for the Penguin fleet and Octopus gimbals, and future regional or in-country support organizations established to serve growing international customer fleets.

The position is accountable for ensuring customers can successfully operate, maintain, deploy, and employ their UAS systems throughout the operational lifecycle. Success is measured by customer mission success, fleet availability, aircraft readiness, operational safety, speed of response, effectiveness of issue resolution, customer self-sufficiency, and customer confidence in Redwire Defense Tech and its UAS products. The role is also essential to translating customer lessons and support insights into continuous product improvements and greater reliability.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The following job functions are a basic requirement but are not limited to and may be assigned other duties.

• Lead the global support enterprise for Redwire Defense Tech’s worldwide fleet of unmanned aircraft systems, including the Stalker and Penguin UAS product families.
• Oversee U.S.-based support for the Stalker fleet, Latvia-based support for the Penguin fleet, and future regional or in-country support organizations established to serve growing international customer fleets.
• Ensure Redwire customers can successfully operate, maintain, deploy, and employ their UAS systems throughout their operational lifecycle.
• Maintain accountability for global fleet readiness, customer technical support, maintenance repair and overhaul, field service, flight operations, logistics and spares, customer demonstrations, training schools and training support, technical troubleshooting, 24-hour/7-day-a-week operational support, and global fleet health and status dashboard maintenance.
• Manage and oversee two global support enterprises supporting different aircraft products, customers, geographic regions, and operational environments while maintaining common Redwire standards for customer response, safety, technical excellence, readiness, and issue resolution.
• Serve as a key conduit of communication and data between customers, engineering, and production teams to support quantifiable improvements and advancements in product deliveries and reliability.
• Develop and evolve the organizational structure, personnel, facilities, processes, information systems, regional support infrastructure, and performance metrics necessary to support an expanding global fleet across multiple customers and geographic regions.
• Develop and evaluate scalable service delivery models such as Contractor Owned Contractor Operated (COCO) and Government Owned Contractor Operated (GOCO), establishing permanent or semi-permanent regional support centers, and deploy in-country teams positioned near major customer fleets, including locations near active military combat areas where required.
• Serve as the primary organizational bridge between operators in the field and Redwire’s product, engineering, quality, manufacturing, and business development organizations.
• Systematically capture operational lessons from Stalker and Penguin customers and translate them into improvements in reliability, maintainability, product design, training, logistics, and future product requirements.
• Support customer mission success, fleet availability, aircraft readiness, operational safety, speed of response, effectiveness of issue resolution, customer self-sufficiency, and customer confidence in Redwire Defense Tech and its UAS products.
• Translate lessons learned and customer support needs into ongoing product improvements and reliability advances.
• Assume all other responsibilities as assigned.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

The following are non-exhaustive qualifications for the position: 

• 15+ years of relevant aerospace, defense, aviation, UAS, fleet-support, sustainment or operational experience.
• Bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, systems engineering, or a related technical discipline, or equivalent military/industry experience.
• Experience working directly with US and allied military and government customers, with excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Experience managing a globally installed fleet of aircraft or similarly complex defense product deployed worldwide.
• Experience with aircraft configuration management and fleet configuration control processes.
• Experience supporting flight operations, mission execution, and operational readiness activities.
• Experience establishing 24/7 global technical-support operations.
• Experience with aviation safety systems and mishap investigations.
• Experience leading field service organizations across multiple geographic locations including remote and international operators and embedded customer-support teams.
• Experience establishing organizational processes and infrastructure supporting rapidly growing fleets.
• Experience managing technical organizations across different cultures and time zones.
• Strong understanding of aircraft operations, maintenance, logistics, field service, MRO, and lifecycle support.
• Demonstrated ability to lead organizations through urgent customer and operational events.
• Ability to rapidly resolve customers issues by working effectively across engineering, manufacturing, quality, supply-chain, program management, and business development.
• Ability and willingness to travel extensively internationally and periodically work from Redwire locations and customer sites outside the United States.
• Ability to deploy rapidly in support of significant customer fleet or operational issues.
• Ability to satisfy applicable security, export-control, and customer-access requirements.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience deploying and living in an international location to set up and manage a remote in-country aircraft support team.
• Leadership experience with Group 2-5 UAS platforms
• Current U.S. Security Clearance or eligibility to obtain one.

REDWIRE DEFENSE TECH BENEFITS

• Matching 401(k)
• Paid PTO
• Paid holidays
• Medical, vision, and dental insurance
• Group Short-Term & Long-Term Disability
• HSA and FSA Options
• Critical Care Plan
• Accident Care Plan
• Employee Stock Purchasing Program (ESPP)

CLEARANCE REQUIREMENTS

This position may require access to information that is subject to compliance with the International Traffic Arms Regulations (“ITAR”) and/or the Export Administration Regulations (“EAR”). To comply with the requirements of the ITAR and/or the EAR, applicants will be asked to provide specific documentation to verify a US person’s status under the ITAR and the EAR.

WORK ENVIRONMENT AND PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

The work environment may involve a standard office setting while also incorporating elements of a production area. Employees will use standard office equipment, including computers, and must demonstrate stamina to sit or stand while maintaining attention to detail despite potential interruptions. The role may require occasional activities such as walking, climbing, stooping, crouching, and bending. Vision is necessary for reading printed materials and a computer screen, while hearing and speech are essential for effective communication both in person and over the telephone. Additionally, the position may necessitate travel by air or automobile. Employees may be required to use personal protective equipment, including safety glasses, safety shoes, and shop coats, to ensure safety in the production environment. Employees may be able to lift up to 30 pounds as needed.

REDWIRE DEFENSE TECH IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or genetic information. Redwire Defense Tech is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. To request reasonable accommodation, contact Human Resources. Continued employment remains on an “At-Will” basis.