Fixed Wing/Drone Pilot - Research and Development - sUAS

Arxlight • Oakland, CA

38d • Onsite

About The Position

We are seeking a highly skilled drone Pilot with advanced acro mode/fixed wing/helicopter flight experience for visual line-of-sight and FPV operation. This role focuses on hands-on drone testing and evaluation to support the development of next-generation UAS technologies. You'll work closely with systems and flight engineers to provide actionable flight data and feedback that drive design improvements and system reliability.
This position is fully on-site at our Oakland, California office, with travel to our test site in Tracy, CA.
You're excited about this opportunity because you will
Operate small and mid-size multi-rotor and fixed-wing UAS platforms in acro mode and manual mode within visual line of sight (VLOS) environments.
High degree of ownership and direct involvement with the engineering team
Prototype and assemble drones for test, including soldering, assembly, 3d printing, and some mechanical fabrication.
Conduct test flights, calibration routines, and performance evaluations under engineering supervision.
Contribute to iterative design reviews, prototype evaluations, and test readiness reviews.

Requirements

• FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate
• 1+ year of consistent acro mode and/or fixed wing flight experience under visual line of sight
• Experience with prototyping tools (soldering, assembly, 3d printing)
• Demonstrated experience with multi-rotor UAS operations (required).
• Proven FPV flying background and ability to demonstrate control precision in manual mode.
• Working knowledge of FAA small UAS regulations and operational best practices.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to translate flight behavior into engineering insights.
• Strong situational awareness and adherence to test-site safety standards.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with fixed-wing RC aircraft or helicopters.
• Familiarity with flight controller such as PX4 or ArduPilot
• Technical background in UAS systems, aerodynamics, or flight controls integration.
• Ability to record and share video footage of recent acro line-of-sight FPV flights for evaluation.
• Previous work in structured flight test environments or R&D programs.

Responsibilities

• Operate small and mid-size multi-rotor and fixed-wing UAS platforms in acro mode and manual mode within visual line of sight (VLOS) environments.
• High degree of ownership and direct involvement with the engineering team
• Prototype and assemble drones for test, including soldering, assembly, 3d printing, and some mechanical fabrication.
• Conduct test flights, calibration routines, and performance evaluations under engineering supervision.
• Contribute to iterative design reviews, prototype evaluations, and test readiness reviews.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed