IT Operations Manager

IT Operations Manager

About Intuitive Machines

Intuitive Machines is an innovative and cutting-edge space company making cislunar space accessible to both public and private customers. Our mission is to further science and exploration, communications, and economic progress from the Earth to the Moon and beyond. With the first commercial lunar landing in history, multiple NASA lunar missions in development, and additional private missions on our manifest, we pride ourselves in supporting our customers and the nation in paving the way to return humans to the surface of the Moon. Our world-class team includes experts in all aspects of spacecraft subsystems design, development, and test, on-orbit operations, and safety.   

About The Position 

As the IT Operations Manager, you will be responsible for the day-to-day operational activities of the organization's IT infrastructure, ensuring uptime, optimizing system performance, and maintaining security for 4+ work sites. This individual will work closely with the IT Director to design, implement, and support network systems that meet the operational demands of a high-tech aerospace environment. The IT Operations Manager will lead a team of IT professionals, collaborate with other departments, and work to implement best practices for IT operations and infrastructure management. This role requires a proactive leader with a deep understanding of IT systems, the ability to manage a technical team, and a focus on ensuring IT operations align with business goals.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

• Oversee the company's IT infrastructure, including servers, networks, cloud services, and databases which support both the business and space operations environments.
• Collaborate with the IT Director to develop and implement network and infrastructure strategies aligned with business and mission objectives.
• Lead and manage a team of IT professionals, including system administrators, network engineers, and IT support staff.
• Collaborate with the cybersecurity team to ensure IT systems comply with security policies, regulatory requirements, and industry best practices.
• Implement network policies and procedures to ensure compliance with security standards, including NASA, DoD, and other regulatory requirements.
• Lead network infrastructure projects, including upgrades, expansions, and new installations, ensuring they are completed on time and within budget.
• Ensure system reliability, performance, and security by implementing robust monitoring and maintenance protocols.
• Monitor and optimize the performance of infrastructure systems, conducting regular assessments and implementing upgrades as needed per system performance metrics, ensuring efficient resource utilization and scalability.
• Develop, maintain and regularly test disaster recovery (DR) plans, ensuring readiness for potential outages, disasters and mitigation of potential loss.
• Develop and manage the IT operations budget, tracking expenditures. Forecast future needs and recommend solutions for optimization and cost savings.
• Prepare financial reports for senior management to justify IT investments.
• Work with vendors and service providers to procure, manage, and maintain IT equipment and services.
• Further develop and enforce policies related to data privacy, access control, and IT governance. Provide inputs needed for annual IT-related audit items.
• Follow and help refine IT service management (ITSM) processes, including incident, change, and problem management.
• Document infrastructure configurations, processes, and changes to ensure accurate records and knowledge sharing within the IT team.
• Stay current with industry trends and emerging technologies to maintain a robust and scalable network environment.

Desired Skills and Qualifications:

• Strong knowledge of IT infrastructure technologies, including servers, UPS systems, networking, virtualization (Hyper-V), storage, cloud computing (AWS, Azure).
• Experience with operating systems (Linux, Windows), IT security, and cybersecurity principles.
• Proven leadership experience, with the ability to manage and mentor a technical team, providing training, mentorship, and performance reviews for team members to ensure skill development and alignment with organizational goals.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to explain complex technical issues to non-technical stakeholders.
• Experience working in a high-security, mission-critical environment is a plus, particularly within the aerospace or defense sectors.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills to diagnose and resolve complex IT issues.
• Ability to work under pressure and handle multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Familiarity with IT compliance standards (e.g., NIST, FISMA) and the ability to manage security in a highly regulated environment.
• Due to the critical nature of mission support requirements, on-site activity will be required, remote work will be performed by exception.

Preferred Experience:

• 10+ years of experience in IT operations, network and/or infrastructure management, or a related role.
• Experience working with ITSM tools (e.g., ServiceNow, JIRA).
• Technical bachelor’s degree preferred.
• Proven track record of leading complex, multi-disciplinary projects.
• Experience with NIST 800-171, SPRS, CMMC 2.0, CMMi, and SOX compliance.
• Certifications such as CCNA, CCNP, or CISSP are highly preferred.

EEO Statement 

Intuitive Machines is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.