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Field Operations Manager

Fort Collins, CO

Meet Slingshot 

At Slingshot Aerospace, we’re on a mission to make space safer and more secure for everyone. Our work directly impacts global security, disaster response, climate monitoring, and the critical infrastructure that connects our world. We’re a team of builders, thinkers, and problem-solvers who believe that the next generation of space operations will be powered by better data and smarter software. 

What You’ll Be Launching 

As the Field Operations Manager, you will be a foundational team member for our space surveillance business, leading a team of telescope technicians to ensure successful installations, operations, and sustainability of electro-optical systems for the Slingshot Global Sensor Network. This role will include managing lab assembly, testing, monitoring, and troubleshooting of electro-optical equipment, as well as planning and executing on-site installations at observatory sites worldwide.  Throughout this work, you will be a safety champion for your team and actively improve upon our processes to promote the continuous maturation of our products. Your impact will span the team, the data production for our customers, and even the safety of the space environment. 

Slingshot Aerospace cares deeply about our commitment to company values, mission, and purpose. The core competencies we will be looking to identify include intellectual agility, the ability to develop innovative solutions, leadership, performance orientation, and industry expertise. 

Your Mission (Should you choose to accept it) 

  • Lead, coach, and develop a team of field technicians responsible for building, deploying, maintaining, and troubleshooting Slingshot’s fielded sensor systems. 
  • Own field operations execution for the Global Sensor Network, including lab assembly, equipment readiness, site deployments, commissioning, preventive maintenance, corrective maintenance, and field upgrades. 
  • Serve as the primary operational point of contact for sensor hardware installations, fielded system readiness, and equipment sustainment. 
  • Plan and coordinate domestic and international deployments, including site readiness, logistics, equipment staging, installation plans, safety planning, and post-installation handoff. 
  • Establish and maintain installation procedures, maintenance work instructions, safety protocols, field checklists, and system documentation. 
  • Drive operational reliability by reducing downtime, improving maintenance practices, tracking recurring issues, and coordinating corrective actions with engineering and network operations teams. 
  • Build and execute preventive maintenance plans, spare parts strategies, and tooling readiness plans to reduce operational risk across the network. 
  • Champion a strong safety culture by ensuring facilities, equipment, job sites, and field activities are properly prepared, maintained, and executed. 
  • Supervise assembly, integration, and test activities in Slingshot facilities, ensuring consistent quality, traceability, and process adherence. 
  • Partner cross-functionally with engineering, operations, procurement, facilities, program, and product stakeholders to improve system reliability, maintainability, and deployment velocity. 
  • Perform other duties as assigned, not to exceed 10% of the role. 

Pre-flight Checklist 

  • Bachelor’s degree in engineering, astronomy, operations, or a related technical field, or equivalent technical field operations experience. 
  • 7+ years of experience supporting complex electromechanical, electro-optical, industrial, aerospace, observatory, telecom, robotics, or other fielded technical systems. 
  • 3+ years of experience leading, supervising, or managing technical teams. 
  • Experience managing assembly, installation, maintenance, or sustainment of complex hardware systems. 
  • Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot technical systems and coordinate resolution across engineering, operations, vendors, and field teams. 
  • Experience creating or maintaining SOPs, work instructions, safety procedures, maintenance plans, or installation documentation. 
  • Familiarity with electrical and mechanical safety practices, including AC power systems, lockout/tagout concepts, and safe use of tools and test equipment. 
  • OSHA 10 certification or ability to obtain within 90 days of hire. 
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to document technical work clearly. 
  • Proficiency with Microsoft Office or equivalent productivity tools. 
  • Ability to travel up to 25%, including international travel to observatory or remote technical sites. 
  • Must be eligible to obtain or maintain a U.S. Government security clearance. 

Bonus Cargo 

  • Experience with optical telescopes, robotic enclosures, camera systems, observatory equipment, compute hardware, or remote sensing systems. 
  • Experience supporting remote, distributed, or unmanned technical infrastructure. 
  • Familiarity with site surveys, site readiness assessments, installation planning, commissioning, and acceptance testing. 
  • Experience with preventive maintenance programs, spare parts planning, inventory control, or field service operations. 
  • Experience in aerospace, defense, space domain awareness, observatory operations, industrial automation, telecom, or other high-reliability technical environments. 
  • Familiarity with ISO, AS9100, or other quality/manufacturing compliance frameworks. 
  • OSHA 30 certification. 
  • PMP, Lean, Six Sigma, or similar project/process management certification. 
  • Experience in a startup, scale-up, or rapidly evolving technical operations environment. 

We're building a constellation here, not looking for identical satellites. Every member of the team brings different capabilities to the same mission. If your orbit intersects with ours and you're mission-ready, send it. 

Location: Fort Collins, CO 

Relocation: Relocation assistance available for qualified candidates

Salary: $115,000-$150,000

Classification: Full-Time Exempt 

US-based Candidates: we are currently only able to hire residents of the following U.S. states: AL, AZ, CA, CO, DC, FL, GA, HI, IL, IN, KS, MA, MD, MI, MN, MO, MT, NC, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, RI, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WI, WV We are unable to consider candidates residing in other U.S. states at this time.

Internationally-based Candidates: we are currently only able to hire residents of the following locations: United Kingdom. We are unable to consider candidates residing in other countries at this time.

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion are key to our success. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and our employees are people with different strengths, experiences, and backgrounds, who share a passion for creating a safer, more connected world. Diversity not only includes race and gender identity, but also national origin, citizenship, sex, color, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic that is part of one’s identity. All of our employees’ points of view are key to our success, and we embrace individuality.

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