Title: Clinical Operations Manager

Job Description:

Your Mission at Virgin Galactic

Join our medical team in Las Cruces, New Mexico, where the safety of our pilots, astronauts, and teammates supporting flight operations is our highest priority.

This role is responsible for the oversight, coordination, and integration of medical operations into spaceflight missions, ensuring medical requirements, clinical processes, and operational activities are executed safely, consistently, and with precision. The position plays a key role in the astronaut medical journey, astronaut and pilot medical readiness, flight-week execution, and the integration of Medical across mission operations.

The role serves as a central operational point of coordination across Medical, Astronaut Training, Customer Operations, Mission Operations, Safety, Security, and external partners. Responsibilities include overseeing clinical workflows, medical scheduling and readiness requirements, pharmacy operations and regulatory compliance, medical staff credentialing, medical records and systems, vendor relationships, emergency response planning, and medical policy and process development.

Success in this position requires strong operational judgment, attention to detail, cross-functional collaboration, customer service, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a highly dynamic human spaceflight environment.

Responsibilities

Medical Operations & Mission Integration

Oversee day-to-day medical operations, including clinical workflows, resource allocation, scheduling requirements, and operational readiness.
Integrate medical requirements and functions into spaceflight mission planning and execution, ensuring safe, efficient, and human-centered operations.
Own the operational execution and integration of the astronaut medical journey, coordinating requirements across Medical, Astronaut Training, Customer Operations, Mission Operations, and other key stakeholders.
Establish and maintain medical operational requirements, workflows, processes, and performance expectations that support astronaut, pilot, and mission readiness.
Facilitate flight-week medical operations in collaboration with Astronaut Training, Customer Operations, Mission Operations, and other cross-functional teams.
Represent the Medical team in cross-functional planning, operational readiness, and interdepartmental meetings.
Serve as a company ambassador to astronauts, researchers, external partners, and industry stakeholders.

Clinical Operations & Medical Readiness

Oversee clinical workflows and medical scheduling requirements to support astronaut and pilot readiness.
Lead physical and mental health assessments, screenings, examinations, and other required medical readiness activities.
Oversee pilot medical and FAA examination processes, including scheduling, documentation, record maintenance, and medical currency tracking.
Ensure medical staff certifications, credentials, and required qualifications are current, accurately documented, and maintained.
Maintain all required personal medical and clinical certifications and credentials.
Provide medical technician support, as appropriate, for examinations, specimen collection, documentation, and other clinical activities.
Manage the collection, processing, and coordination of human and vehicle flight data used in medical and operational activities.

Pharmacy, Equipment & Regulatory Oversight

Oversee pharmacy operations, inventory controls, and regulatory compliance, including required inspections, documentation, and corrective actions.
Ensure medical supplies, equipment, and readiness inventories are appropriately maintained to support clinical and mission requirements.
Establish and maintain processes for monitoring medical equipment, supplies, certifications, and other operational readiness requirements.
Partner with internal and external stakeholders to ensure applicable medical, pharmacy, and operational requirements are met.

Medical Systems, Records & Policy

Ensure the integrity, confidentiality, and appropriate management of medical and clinical records.
Serve as an alternate Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system administrator and support effective utilization of the system.
Develop, draft, review, maintain, and support deployment of medical policies, procedures, and operational processes.
Identify opportunities to strengthen medical workflows, processes, documentation, and operational effectiveness.
Ensure established medical processes and documentation support regulatory, operational, and mission requirements.

Emergency Preparedness & Risk Management

Lead and participate in medical emergency response and contingency planning, exercises, and execution.
Partner with Safety, Security, Mission Operations, and other stakeholders to integrate medical considerations into emergency preparedness and operational risk-management activities.
Support the identification and resolution of medical operational risks that could impact astronaut, pilot, teammate, or mission readiness.

Vendor, Contract & Stakeholder Management

Manage and coordinate relationships with external medical vendors, affiliate physicians, and service providers.
Manage contract development, administration, performance monitoring, and ongoing vendor relationship management.
Serve as a key point of coordination between Medical and internal/external stakeholders to ensure services and operational requirements are delivered effectively.
Direct medical-related services, activities, and resources required to support astronaut, pilot, and mission operations.

Training & Development

Mentor and support aerospace medical residents, students, and other medical trainees.
Contribute to the development and continuous improvement of medical training, operational practices, and readiness processes.
Own additional training and certifications as required to support evolving medical and spaceflight operations.
Manage required medical training, screenings, and readiness activities.
Perform other duties as assigned.

Education

Bachelor’s degree in science, healthcare administration, business administration, or a related field.

Required Experience

3 – 5 years of experience in business operations or relevant field.
2 plus years of experience in medical operations, clinical administration, healthcare operations, business administration, aviation operations, or a related environment.
Experience coordinating complex workflows, schedules, records, and operational requirements.
Experience managing confidential medical, clinical, legal, or similarly sensitive records.

Required Qualifications

Strong customer service orientation with the ability to support high-touch customer and stakeholder experiences.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Strong organizational, planning, and problem-solving capabilities.
Demonstrated ability to work effectively across multiple functions and organizational levels.
Ability to manage multiple priorities with a high degree of accuracy, discretion, accountability, and attention to detail.
Demonstrated ability to operate effectively in a dynamic, safety-critical environment.
Advanced computer skills, including scheduling, records management, data management, and Microsoft Office applications.

Preferred Experience and Qualifications

Experience with FAA medical certification processes and requirements.
Experience within aviation, aerospace, spaceflight, or another safety-critical operational environment.
Experience with medical operations, clinical program coordination, or healthcare administration.
Experience with Electronic Medical Record (EMR/EHR) systems.
Experience with pharmacy operations and applicable regulatory requirements.
Experience with budget development and execution.
Clinical or medical paraprofessional certification with 2+ years of relevant experience.
Experience in medical research, research operations, data collection, or publishing.
Additional certifications or advanced education in science, medicine, healthcare administration, business, aerospace, or a related discipline.
Vendor and contract management experience.
Project or program management experience.
Process improvement training or certification, such as Lean Six Sigma.

Physical and Additional Requirements

Ability to travel up to 10% of the time.
Ability to stoop, bend, crawl, and maneuver in confined or restricted spaces.
Ability to lift and handle items weighing up to 40 pounds.
Willingness to pursue additional training and certifications necessary to support evolving medical and spaceflight operational requirements.
Ability to work flexible or non-standard hours as required to support flight and mission operations.

#LI-LN1

The annual U.S. base salary range for this full-time position is $81,650.00–$124,600.00. The base pay actually offered will vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, location, and experience and take into account internal equity. Other forms of pay (e.g., bonus or long term incentive) may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to a full range of medical, financial, and other benefits, dependent on the position offered. For more information regarding Virgin Galactic benefits, please visit https://vgcareers.virgingalactic.com/global/en/benefits

Who We Are

Virgin Galactic is an aerospace and space travel company, pioneering human spaceflight for private individuals and researchers with its advanced air and space vehicles. We are making the dream of space travel a reality, delivering spaceflight at an unprecedented frequency, with the development of next generation space vehicles.

Export Requirements
To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. Person (either a U.S. citizen, a lawful permanent resident or a protected individual as defined 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3) or be able to obtain the required authorization from either the U.S. Department of State or the U.S. Department of Commerce. The applicant must also not be included in the list of Specifically Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons maintained by the Office of Foreign Assets Control. See list here.

EEO Statement
Virgin Galactic is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Virgin Galactic is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.

Drug Free Workplace
Virgin Galactic is committed to a Drug Free Workplace. All applicants post offer and active teammates are subject to testing for marijuana, cocaine, opioids, amphetamines, PCP, and alcohol when criteria is met as outlined in our policies. This can include pre-employment, random, reasonable suspicion, and accident related drug and alcohol testing.

Phoenix Employment Requirements
For individuals seeking employment at our Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport facility, employment is contingent upon you obtaining and maintaining a TSA authorized security badge. This includes initial and annual mandatory background checks that are governed by TSA, and conducted by the Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport badging office.

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