Job Summary
The RDT&E Director provides holistic oversight and execution of all Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) activities in support of Uncrewed Surface Vehicle (USV) and Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle (UUV) programs. This position leads program support functions across vessel operations, offshore support architecture, maritime gap analysis, government coordination, and CDRL reporting in complex maritime and special operations environments.
** THIS POSITION IS CONTINGENT PENDING AWARD
Role and Responsibilities
- Provide holistic program oversight spanning vessel operations, vessel support functions, and offshore support architecture
- Direct RDT&E support architecture design, implementation, and formal reporting procedures across all program phases
- Manage launch and recovery operations and system integration activities; provide iterative feedback to support test objectives
- Ensure strict adherence to approved test plans; lead Subject Matter Expert (SME) qualification reviews
- Coordinate port and pier-side logistics, clearances, and government access requirements for both onshore and underway environments
- Conduct maritime GAP analysis and develop courses of action (COA) to address identified capability and scheduling gaps
- Validate instrumentation configurations and data collection methodologies in support of RDT&E requirements
- Manage test articles, receive and synchronize desired schedules with government counterparts
- Oversee all program deliverables including Contract Data Requirements List (CDRL) reporting and Weekly Situation Reports (SITREPs)
- Consolidate and synthesize testing data across all product lines into coherent program-level reporting products
- This position carries supervisory responsibility for all contractor personnel assigned to program RDT&E support functions, including vessel operations staff, offshore support teams, instrumentation specialists, and data reporting personnel.
- Minimum 15 years of experience supporting special operations and offshore maritime operations, with demonstrated emphasis on subsurface and unmanned operations
- Proven experience supporting uncrewed systems programs including Uncrewed Surface Vehicles (USV), Uncrewed Underwater Vehicles (UUV), and Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV) in complex mission integration environments
- Demonstrated familiarity with Dynamic Positioning 2 (DP2) vessel capabilities, acoustic positioning systems, and subsea operations
- Demonstrated experience with RDT&E program management including test plan execution, CDRL management, and structured reporting (SITREPs, data consolidation products)
- Experience coordinating maritime operations across both onshore/pierside and underway environments
- Proven ability to conduct maritime GAP analysis and develop actionable COAs in support of special operations requirements
- Working knowledge of offshore support architecture and maritime instrumentation and data collection systems
- Active Top Secret / SCI clearance required; STO / SAP eligibility required
- Prior military service in Naval Special Warfare, USSOCOM, or equivalent special operations maritime community
- Experience as a program director or senior technical lead on Government-sponsored maritime RDT&E programs
- Familiarity with DoD acquisition and test frameworks (DT&E, OT&E, TEMP) as applied to uncrewed maritime systems
- Experience with acoustic positioning systems (USBL, LBL) and subsea communications architectures
- Background in ROV operations, underwater vehicle integration, or manned-unmanned teaming in maritime environments
- PMP or equivalent program management certification
Work authorization/security clearance requirements
- This position requires an active Top Secret clearance with Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) access. Candidates must be eligible for Special Technical Operations (STO) and Special Access Program (SAP) access. U.S. citizenship is required. Candidates holding active clearances are strongly preferred
Physical Demands/Work Environment
- This position operates across a range of maritime environments including pierside port facilities, vessel decks, and offshore/underway platforms. Candidates must be physically capable of working in dynamic shipboard environments subject to weather, sea state, and varying operational tempo.
- Environment: Maritime / Port Facility / Remote
- Equipment Used: [Computer or other technical equipment]
- Sitting: 30%
- Standing: 40%
- Walking: 30%
- Lifting: Up to 50 lbs. 20% of Time
- Hours: Full-time; schedule driven by operational requirements with weekend/evening availability expected during RDT&E phase operations
- Travel: Variable
The ideal candidate is a seasoned maritime special operations professional with a track record of leading complex RDT&E programs in austere and operationally sensitive environments. This individual brings both the technical credibility to lead SME reviews and the organizational acumen to manage contractor reporting, government relationships, and cross-functional team performance under mission-driven timelines. Candidates with prior SOCOM programmatic exposure and experience bridging the gap between operational users and acquisition or test communities will be strongly competitive.
Affirmative Action/EEO statement
F3EA, Inc. 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.
This policy applies to all employment practices within our organization, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, leave of absence, compensation, benefits, training, and apprenticeship. F3EA, Inc. makes hiring decisions based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs at the time.
Other duties
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
F3EA, Inc.
Jun 05, 2026