Founding Field Operations Lead

voltairlabs.com • Spokane, WA

7d • $58,125 - $123,125 • Onsite

About The Position

Voltair is hiring a Field Operations Lead to support nationwide utility inspection work. The position offers the opportunity to directly influence how a global field operations team is developed, managed, and scaled. Throughout all stages of growth, Voltair will need strong field operational proficiency. This role will evolve to lead and manage all field operations, first manual operations and R&D testing, and later supporting and maintaining all deployed autonomous assets. The Field Operations Lead will be responsible for overseeing the day-to-day drone operations and effectively leading and mentoring a team. The lead is expected to be a major contributor to the leadership and growth of Voltair. This position will need to display exceptional management and organizational skills to effectively plan, direct, coordinate, and measure the success of the Field Operations department. This position will be responsible for the strategic and tactical management of a significant portion of Voltair.

Requirements

• Experience leading teams.
• Experience in construction, utility operations, telecom, agriculture, forestry, military, or other field-based work.
• Comfort with technical topics such as camera settings, resolution, file formats, sensor behavior, and battery systems.
• Interest in increasing operational efficiency.
• Experience with commercial UAS industry or aviation safety experience.
• Risk-averse operating style: reliable field judgment and adherence to safety standards.
• Ability to travel frequently across the United States.
• Valid Driver’s License.
• Ability to work in volatile weather conditions.
• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds, stand/walk for 8-10 hours.

Responsibilities

• Carrying out all company policies in compliance with all laws, rules, and regulations governing drone operations and activities.
• Lead and support field execution by deploying and flying drones for power line inspections across varied terrain.
• Account for weather, terrain, airspace, and other operational constraints.
• Calculate operating expenses to deliver quotes to clients.
• Maintain consistent field documentation and follow defined safety procedures, serving as a safety leader to ensure zero incidents in the field.
• Support operations and procurement by managing equipment and identifying high ROI investments.
• Support Voltair’s hardware engineering team with operational help and field support when testing Voltair’s hardware in the field.
• Participate in the hiring, onboarding, and training of future drone pilots, technicians, and remote pilots - and exercise discretion and independent judgment with matters of significance and have the authority to recommend hiring, firing, advancement, or any other change in employee status.
• Strategize with the executive team on ideal per diem and other compensation policies for full time or contract labor.
• Handle pilot disciplinary matters, including terminations, and conduct performance evaluations.
• Contribute to establishing standards, workflows, and best practices for a scalable, nationwide drone operations organization.
• Work closely with internal software teams to automate work products, minimizing costs and maximizing efficiency.
• Refine how inspection data is delivered.
• Coordinate with customer operations teams regarding inspection schedules, on-sites, and day-of logistics.
• Communicate quickly and professionally with all power utility operations stakeholders to provide situational awareness for ongoing inspection activities.
• Stay calm and composed when engaging curious rate payers during on-sites.

Benefits

• Gold PPO plan, plus Dental and Vision coverage. Voltair covers 80% of costs for individuals and 70% for families.
• 401(k) with up to 3.5% match
• 5 days of PTO provided at start. PTO accrues at a rate of 0.5 days per 2-week pay period.

What This Job Offers

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