Airspace & Range Lead

Icarus•El Segundo, CA

1d•$150,000 - $185,000

About The Position

Icarus is seeking an Airspace & Range Lead to identify and secure suitable airspace and test ranges for its solar-powered, high-altitude aircraft, and to manage the approvals and coordination needed for flight operations. The role owns FAA and Department of War (DoW) and military flight authorizations from end to end, translating engineering performance, command-and-control, lost-link, flight-termination, airworthiness, and safety information into defensible approval packages. The Lead works directly with regulators, range safety offices, military airspace authorities, engineering, and flight operations to obtain approvals and ensure flights stay within authorization conditions. The role also coordinates range bookings, airspace schedules, NOTAMs, briefings, and pre-mission activity; supports integration into multinational military exercises; and develops compliance processes for operational employment in active conflict areas. It builds reusable templates, checklists, and approved-package libraries, and feeds lessons learned back to engineering and flight operations. Frequent travel to test ranges and exercise locations is expected. Icarus describes the environment as a small, high-trust team with substantial ownership, close collaboration with flight crews and engineers, and fast-paced field work.

Requirements

At least 4 years of hands-on experience in airspace management, UAS flight operations, range operations, or aviation regulatory compliance; equivalent military experience as an air traffic controller, airspace manager, JTAC, Combat Controller, or UAS operator is accepted.
Working knowledge of the National Airspace System, airspace classes, special-use and restricted airspace, and FAA authorization of unmanned aircraft beyond Part 107, including COAs, waivers, and exemptions.
A track record of building authorization or approval packages from technical materials and getting them approved.
Understanding of military airspace, range scheduling, and exercise planning, including airspace control measures and the air tasking cycle.
Ability to read engineering data and ask appropriate questions of the engineers who produced it.
Ability to manage multiple ranges, regulators, and timelines against a changing flight schedule.
Must be a U.S. person and eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. Secret security clearance.
Willingness to travel frequently to test ranges and exercise locations.
Strong communication skills.
High trust, extreme ownership, and a no-ego approach.
Ability to thrive under pressure, learn quickly, and produce results in field environments.

Nice To Haves

FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate or a manned pilot certificate.
Experience with high-altitude, long-endurance, or balloon flight operations, including altitude reservations and operations in Class A airspace and above.
Planning experience at major multinational exercises such as RIMPAC, Talisman Sabre, or Balikatan, or experience in an air operations center or airspace control cell.
Deployed experience integrating UAS into theater airspace.
Active Secret or Top Secret clearance.
Prior aerospace startup or other hardware experience, including experience building while procedures are still being written.

Responsibilities

Scout and evaluate test ranges, restricted areas, military operations areas, and launch and recovery sites suitable for the aircraft’s flight profile.
Build working relationships with DoW ranges, range safety offices, FAA facilities and ARTCCs, and airport operators.
Map regulatory requirements, timelines, and approval paths for new locations and flight profiles.
Own FAA and DoW flight authorizations end to end, including Certificates of Waiver or Authorization, Airworthiness Releases, waivers, exemptions, letters of agreement, altitude reservations, and range-specific approvals.
Convert engineering materials—including aircraft performance, C2 link and lost-link behavior, flight termination, airworthiness, and safety data—into complete, defensible application packages.
Work with FAA, range safety, and military airspace authorities to address questions, close gaps, and obtain approvals.
Coordinate engineering, flight operations, and regulators so submitted materials are supported by engineering.
Book range space and airspace in line with the company’s build and flight schedule, and replan as schedules change.
Coordinate NOTAMs, range briefings, and pre-mission activity so flights are fully approved.
Track active authorizations, their conditions and expiration dates, and ensure flight crews operate within them.
Support planning for high-profile multinational military exercises, including airspace requests and integration into exercise air plans.
Work with military planners, airspace control authorities, and allied partners to integrate an unmanned, high-altitude aircraft into military airspace.
Lead compliance as the aircraft transitions to operational employment in active conflict areas, and develop theater airspace integration and military flight-clearance processes.
Develop templates, checklists, and a library of approved packages to accelerate future approvals.
Capture lessons from ranges, regulators, and exercises and share them with engineering and flight operations.