Unmanned Aircraft Systems Specialist

ASRC Federal•Arlington, VA

1d•$112,000 - $150,000

About The Position

This senior-level strategist role pivots the ARNG UAS program toward long-term drone dominance. The position focuses exclusively on securing critical airspace access, shaping national and Department of War (DoW) drone policy, and architecting the future operational strategy for the ARNG UAS portfolio. This position has a primary focus dealing with Small Unmanned Aircraft (SUAS).

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree or equivalent experience.
Fifteen years of Unmanned Aircraft Systems strategic or operational experience, including planning, training, and executing Army or Joint DoD unmanned operations.
Extensive experience at the Headquarters, Department of the Army (HQDA) and Pentagon level (or commensurate agency), with a proven record of shaping, interpreting, and implementing enterprise‑wide UAS policies, guidance, and governance.
Direct involvement in strategic policy development, cross‑functional coordination, and oversight of UAS programs across Army, Joint, and DoD organizations.
Candidates should demonstrate a strong understanding of UAS capability integration, requirements management, and organizational impacts at the service and enterprise level.
Experience working with Army Corps elements or comparable agencies responsible for technical, operational, or regulatory UAS oversight.
Experience navigating senior‑level stakeholder environments and delivering coherent, actionable policy recommendations is essential.
Secret security clearance required.

Nice To Haves

Preferred background includes Joint DoD UAS operator and payload operations experience with qualifications on UAS Groups 1 through 5.

Responsibilities

Lead ARNG efforts to secure and expand National Airspace System (NAS) access.
Collaborate with the FAA, DoW, and interagency partners to develop frameworks for unrestricted, beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) operations.
Author and influence high-level aviation policy, doctrine, and regulatory guidelines.
Ensure ARNG strategic interests are embedded in future autonomous systems and drone governance at the national and international levels.
Architect the 5-to-15-year strategic roadmap for ARNG UAS operations.
Anticipate future battlefield requirements and guide the conceptual integration of next-generation autonomous platforms and AI-driven airspace deconfliction tools.
Track and store information which identifies ARNG UAS unit readiness, in conjunction with instruction for Joint Assessment.
Develop options that allow the ARNG-AVN government official to accurately forecast capabilities and identify available resources such as: Flying Hours (Air OPTEMPO), training seats allocation, training days, Additional Flight Training Periods (AFTP), and manning.