Mission Operations SME

Residency

All applicants must currently reside in the United States

Overview

BigBear.ai is seeking Mission Operations SME to support mission-critical initiatives within the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) environment. This role will serve as a senior subject matter expert, leveraging extensive operational experience across CBP mission areas to bridge the gap between frontline operations, business requirements, technology teams, and government stakeholders.

The ideal candidate brings deep knowledge of CBP operations, border security, targeting, traveler processing, immigration and customs enforcement, and the operational needs of frontline personnel. This individual will use their firsthand mission experience to help define business and operational requirements, evaluate existing and emerging capabilities, and ensure technology solutions effectively support CBP's mission.

The sME will work closely with government stakeholders, program leadership, technical teams, and frontline users to translate complex operational challenges into actionable requirements and recommendations. This position requires strong communication skills, sound judgment, and the ability to operate effectively in a dynamic federal environment.

What you will do

• Serve as a senior subject matter expert on CBP mission operations, policies, procedures, and frontline workflows
• Provide operational expertise and guidance to government and program leadership on mission requirements, operational challenges, and potential technology solutions
• Collaborate with frontline users and government stakeholders to identify, document, and validate business and operational requirements
• Translate mission and user needs into clear, actionable requirements for software, data, and technology development teams
• Evaluate existing and proposed systems and capabilities to determine their effectiveness in supporting CBP operational workflows and mission objectives
• Provide subject matter expertise related to passenger processing, targeting, trusted traveler programs, simplified arrival, and other CBP operational capabilities
• Support requirements development, process analysis, user acceptance activities, demonstrations, and validation of technology solutions
• Identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency, user experience, and mission effectiveness through technology and process improvements
• Analyze complex operational issues and develop recommendations for government stakeholders and program leadership
• Facilitate communication between operational personnel, technical teams, program managers, and government leadership
• Support the development of briefings, presentations, process documentation, requirements documentation, and other program deliverables
• Participate in stakeholder meetings, working groups, demonstrations, and operational assessments
• Apply firsthand CBP experience and institutional knowledge to anticipate operational impacts, identify risks, and recommend practical solutions
• Support cross-functional initiatives involving multiple CBP offices, mission stakeholders, and technology teams
• Leverage data, program management tools, and operational reporting to identify trends and inform recommendations
• Ensure proposed solutions remain aligned with CBP mission objectives, operational realities, and frontline user needs

What you need to have

• Bachelor's Degree and 10 to 12 years of experience; Master's Degree and 8 to 10 years of experience
• 10+ years of professional experience supporting CBP, DHS, federal law enforcement, border security, immigration, customs, targeting, or closely related mission areas
• Extensive firsthand knowledge of CBP operations, policies, procedures, and frontline workflows
• Demonstrated experience translating operational needs and user feedback into business, functional, or system requirements
• Experience working directly with government stakeholders, operational personnel, technology teams, and senior leadership
• Demonstrated ability to analyze complex operational problems and develop practical, mission-focused recommendations
• Strong understanding of federal government environments and the challenges associated with implementing technology within operational organizations
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate complex operational concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences
• Ability to work independently, exercise sound professional judgment, and manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment
• U.S. Citizenship required

What we'd like you to have

• Prior experience serving in a senior or supervisory CBP operational role
• Experience supporting the National Targeting Center (NTC) or other national-level CBP mission organizations
• Experience supporting passenger targeting, traveler processing, trusted traveler programs, simplified arrival, or related CBP modernization initiatives
• Experience providing frontline user feedback and operational requirements to CBP technology or Office of Information and Technology (OIT) organizations
• Experience supporting systems such as Unified Processing (UPRO), Trusted Traveler, Simplified Arrival, or similar CBP mission applications
• Experience with requirements management, process improvement, Agile development environments, or technology modernization initiatives
• Experience using tools such as JIRA and Microsoft Office Suite to support program management, analysis, requirements development, and stakeholder communication
• Previous experience working with intelligence-driven operations, targeting, threat analysis, or counter-terrorism mission areas
• Supervisory, program management, or operational leadership experience

Pay transparency

Please note the targeted compensation range is provided as an estimate, and any actual compensation offer may vary depending on the needs of the company, or an applicant's skillset, competencies, experience, education, certifications, location, or other factors. The estimated range does not include the value of any benefits offered.

About BigBear.ai

BigBear.ai is a leading provider of AI-powered decision intelligence solutions for national security, supply chain management, and digital identity. Customers and partners rely on Bigbear.ai's predictive analytics capabilities in highly complex, distributed, mission-based operating environments. Headquartered in McLean, Virginia, BigBear.ai is a public company traded on the NYSE under the symbol BBAI. For more information, visit https://bigbear.ai/ and follow BigBear.ai on LinkedIn: @BigBear.ai and X: @BigBearai.

BigBear.ai is an Equal opportunity employer all protected groups, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.