AST SpaceMobile and our global partners are building the first and only space-based cellular broadband network to be accessible by standard smartphones. Called SpaceMobile, this ultra-powerful network is being designed to provide connectivity at 4G/5G speeds everywhere on the planet – on land, at sea and in flight.

Position Overview

AST SpaceMobile is seeking an AI Data Operations Manager based in Midland, TX to operate, secure, and run the day-to-day operations of the on-site AI Lab supporting the AI & Autonomy division. You will be the single point of accountability for the lab’s physical security, IT and server infrastructure, and the part-time image-labeling workforce that produces the labeled datasets feeding our computer-vision and robotics models. You will enforce strict lab access and information-security rules — no personal phones, photography, personal electronics, or removable storage media inside the lab — and ensure all workstations, GPU servers, storage, and network equipment are properly maintained, patched, and locked down.

You will hire, train, schedule, and supervise a part-time labeling workforce on AST’s in-house labeling software, partnering daily with quality inspectors and manufacturing engineers to capture, log, and curate the imagery that trains spacecraft inspection and robotic computer-vision models. This is a hands-on role for a computer-literate, security-conscious operator who is comfortable owning both people and infrastructure.

What You’ll Be Doing

Manage the day-to-day operation of the on-site AI Lab in Midland, including opening, securing, and closing the facility and ensuring the lab is locked at all non-operating hours
Enforce lab access and information-security rules — no personal cell phones, cameras, photography, personal electronics, or removable storage media (USB sticks, SD cards, external drives) inside the lab — and maintain visitor logs and badge access controls
Hire, onboard, schedule, and supervise a part-time computer-vision image-labeling workforce, ensuring consistent shift coverage and adequate throughput on labeling queues
Train labelers on AST’s in-house image-labeling software, including labeling conventions, ontology updates, quality standards, escalation paths, and productivity expectations
Monitor labeling output for accuracy and consistency, run calibration and inter-rater agreement checks, and provide ongoing coaching and corrective feedback to the labeling team
Partner daily with manufacturing quality inspectors and engineers to plan, capture, log, and ingest images and short-form video of spacecraft components and assembly steps used to train computer-vision and robotics models
Maintain the lab’s image- and video-capture workflow: managing camera rigs, lighting, fixtures, capture protocols, file naming, metadata, and chain-of-custody from the factory floor into lab storage
Manage and maintain lab compute resources including workstations, GPU servers, storage arrays, networking equipment, and backup systems; coordinate with Corporate IT on patching, imaging, account provisioning, and ticket resolution
Track and audit lab assets, software licenses, peripherals, and consumables; maintain accurate inventory and asset-tag records
Own lab safety, ESD, and housekeeping standards, ensuring the workspace meets manufacturing-floor cleanliness and electrical-safety expectations
Maintain operational runbooks, standard operating procedures, training materials, and security policies for the lab; lead periodic security reviews and access audits
Report on lab utilization, labeling throughput, dataset growth, security incidents, and infrastructure health to the Chief of AI and Autonomy

What You Bring

3+ years of experience managing a lab, secure operations area, IT/data center, or other controlled-access environment
Demonstrated security-conscious mindset with experience enforcing access-control, information-security, or export-controlled workspace rules
Strong computer literacy: comfortable administering Windows and/or Linux workstations, identity tooling (Active Directory or equivalent), basic networking, and standard productivity tools