Senior UAS Flight Test & Operations Engineer

Flagship Pioneering•Boulder, CO

4d•Onsite

About The Position

We are seeking a UAS Flight Operations Engineer II to join our growing hardware team. This is a field-oriented role for someone who thrives in the operational reality of long-range UAV missions — planning and executing BVLOS flights, managing regulatory compliance, and ensuring safe, mission-ready operations in demanding environments. You will lead the operational framework for our fixed-wing UAV platform: from waiver strategy and airspace coordination to real-time mission monitoring and post-flight analysis. You will work alongside a small, highly technical team, bridging the gap between engineering development and field execution as we scale from early prototype flights to hardened, field-proven operations in complex international environments.

Requirements

Bachelor's or Master's degree in aerospace engineering, aviation, atmospheric science, or a closely related field; equivalent operational experience will be considered.
BA/BS + 5 years of experience or MS + 3 years of experience with at least 2 years, of hands-on UAV flight operations experience with fixed-wing platforms in real-mission or production contexts
FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate required
demonstrated experience with BVLOS waivers, COA applications, or international UAS regulatory frameworks is strongly preferred
Experience operating ArduPilot-based autopilot systems, including mission scripting, failsafe configuration, and GCS software (Mission Planner, QGroundControl)
Practical fixed-wing airframe flight experience, including manual RC aircraft proficiency and understanding of in-flight anomaly recognition
Familiarity with RF link monitoring, C2 spectrum compliance, and antenna management for long-range UAV operations
Strong documentation habits: flight logs, incident reports, SOPs, and post-mission summaries suitable for regulatory review and program scaling
Genuine passion for operating novel aerial platforms in service of real-world scientific or environmental missions, with comfort working at the intersection of field operations, engineering, and regulatory compliance.

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting field campaigns or flight tests in remote or international environments is highly valued
Experience with atmospheric sensing, meteorology, or operational weather forecasting is a strong plus

Responsibilities

Lead BVLOS operations planning and flight test execution, including waiver compliance, pre-flight risk assessment, and real-time mission monitoring
Lead flight testing of a custom fixed-wing airframe, from first flight and envelope expansion through iterative design validation with the engineering team
Own the FAA Part 107 waiver strategy, COA applications, and international UAS regulatory compliance across operating environments
Develop and maintain standardized operating procedures, pre-flight checklists, and emergency response protocols for field campaigns
Serve as primary pilot-in-command and/or flight test director for fixed-wing UAV missions, including manual RC proficiency during test and contingency operations
Analyze flight logs (MAVExplorer, Flight Review) to diagnose anomalies and drive iterative improvements to mission reliability and safety margins
Coordinate with meteorological resources and integrate atmospheric sensing data to support mission go/no-go decision-making
Collaborate with science and field teams to validate mission profiles, sensor data quality, and operational success criteria
Manage ground control station operations, C2 link monitoring, and spectrum compliance during live missions
Document flight operations, incident reports, and lessons learned to build a scalable operational knowledge base for the drone program