UAS Operations Specialist, Labs

DoorDash•San Francisco, CA

3d•Onsite

About The Position

As a UAS Operations Specialist -Maintenance, you’ll support commercial drone delivery under Part 107 & 135 through scheduled and unscheduled fleet maintenance, inspection, and troubleshooting, while working alongside Flight Operations. All hires complete internal maintenance qualification, aircraft rating checks, and applicable pilot training to maintain operational readiness and safety. Based on technical expertise, aviation background, and fleet requirements, specialists can also be appointed as Maintenance Technicians. These roles require formal company authorization along with FAA approval when mandated. You’ll also perform aircraft rigging, component replacements, routine bench testing, and support Part 107 maintenance test flights and system validation alongside Flight Test and Engineering teams within FAA operating limitations and safety controls.

Requirements

Hold an FAA Remote Pilot Certificate (Part 107)
Practical experience in UAS assembly, maintenance, troubleshooting, or equivalent technical background.
Proficient with hand tools, multimeter testing, soldering, telemetry log analysis, and component-level repairs of complex electromechanical systems.
Ability to successfully complete required training, knowledge and competency evaluations, recurrent checks, and standardization requirements and maintain eligibility for assigned maintenance duties.
Consistently apply manuals, checklists, SOPs, operating limitations, and flight test procedures, and exercise sound judgment when conditions change.
Ability to execute defined test objectives, communicate observations clearly, and work effectively with Flight Test and cross-functional teams while maintaining pilot responsibilities and established safety controls.
Maintain accurate flight, training, qualification, and operational records and provide clear reporting that supports traceability, compliance, and continuous improvement.

Nice To Haves

Combine hands-on UAS maintenance and technical troubleshooting with active drone piloting responsibilities.
Maintain airworthiness for a cutting-edge commercial fleet operating under FAA Part 107 & 135 regulations.
Apply aviation fundamentals across commercial operations and Part 107 flight testing.
Work alongside flight test personnel and technical teams to evaluate aircraft systems, procedures, and future capabilities.
Contribute directly to safe, scalable, and repeatable drone delivery operations.

Responsibilities

Perform scheduled and unscheduled aircraft maintenance, preventative maintenance, inspections, and repairs across the commercial UAS fleet according to manufacturer procedures and Part 135 specs.
Diagnose and troubleshoot avionic, electrical, mechanical, and software system faults, telemetry logs, and maintenance software.
Maintain detailed aircraft logs, component history records, airworthiness tracking, and maintenance documentation in compliance with company SOPs and FAA regulations.
Conduct preflight inspection, airworthiness verification, post-maintenance test flights, and ground engine/motor runs prior to returning aircraft to active service.
Manage spare parts inventory, tool control, Ground Support Equipment (GSE), and battery management systems to support high-availability flight schedules.
Collaborate with Flight Test and Reliability Engineering to evaluate hardware failures, recommend design modifications, and refine maintenance procedures.
Work with flight test personnel and cross-functional teams to execute approved test plans, flight test cards, procedures, and data collection objectives within the scope of assigned pilot duties to gain aircraft knowledge and experience.
Provide structured feedback on aircraft behavior, system performance, pilot interfaces, procedures, and operational limitations observed during commercial and test operations.
Identify hazards, aircraft discrepancies, abnormal conditions, and emerging risks through established channels.
Participate in standardization and safety reporting, and contribute operational expertise to SOPs, manuals, checklists, training materials, and flight procedures.
Support aircraft staging, equipment preparation, site setup, repositioning, and mission coordination as needed to conduct flight operations.
Operate in outdoor environments involving extended standing, equipment handling, and varying weather conditions, while adhering to company safety practices and operating limits.
Maintain schedule flexibility for commercial operations, training, and testing, including day, evening, and weekend shifts as required by program needs.
Participate in the company’s FAA/DOT drug and alcohol testing program, including pre-employment drug screening and ongoing testing as required for assigned safety-sensitive duties under 14 CFR Part 120 and 49 CFR Part 40.