UAS Operator / Maintainer

We are seeking a capable and adaptable UAS Operator / Maintainer to support the testing, demonstration, deployment, and operation of the K1000 Unmanned Aircraft.

This position combines hands-on flight operations with aircraft maintenance, troubleshooting, and direct customer support. The operator will work directly with the K1000 aircraft, ground control equipment, communications systems, and supporting field infrastructure throughout the full operational lifecycle.

The UAS Operator / Maintainer will be based in Reno, NV and will support operations at both local and remote locations. Travel may be up to 100% depending on operational requirements, with an anticipated average of approximately 25%.

Summary:

The UAS Operator / Maintainer will serve as both a pilot/operator and hands-on maintainer for the K1000.

In this role, you will support the K1000 through flight testing, customer and internal demonstrations, field operations, aircraft preparation, maintenance, troubleshooting, and post-flight activities. This is a hands-on operational position requiring an individual who is equally comfortable operating an unmanned aircraft, maintaining aircraft and ground equipment, diagnosing technical problems in the field, and working directly with customers.

The operator will interact with a diverse domestic and international customer base, including the U.S. Department of War (DoW), U.S. government organizations, foreign military partners, and domestic and international commercial customers. The successful candidate must be comfortable representing the company in customer-facing environments and adapting to different operational, technical, cultural, and mission requirements.

The ideal candidate has previous UAS operating experience and strong technical aptitude across aircraft systems, ground control systems, datalinks, and supporting communications infrastructure. An understanding of Ground Data Terminals (GDTs), RF communications, and computer networking is highly desirable.

Responsibilities:

• Serve as a qualified K1000 UAS pilot/operator during flight testing, demonstrations, training, and operational missions.
• Develop and maintain a detailed working knowledge of the K1000 aircraft, ground control system, communications architecture, and supporting equipment.
• Perform pre-flight, flight, and post-flight activities in accordance with established procedures, checklists, and safety requirements.
• Assist with mission planning, aircraft configuration, ground station setup, and operational execution.
• Prepare the K1000 and associated ground equipment for flight and verify system readiness prior to launch.
• Perform routine inspections, preventive maintenance, troubleshooting, repair, and replacement of K1000 components and subsystems.
• Support the operation and maintenance of the aircraft's fully electric propulsion and power systems, including inspection and handling of associated electrical and energy-storage components in accordance with established procedures.
• Troubleshoot aircraft, avionics, payloads, propulsion and electrical systems, ground control equipment, communications systems, and supporting hardware.
• Set up, operate, and troubleshoot Ground Data Terminals (GDTs) and associated communications equipment.
• Configure and troubleshoot basic IP networks, including network interfaces, addressing, connectivity, and communications between aircraft, ground control, and supporting systems.
• Support establishment and verification of aircraft command-and-control and telemetry links during field operations.
• Assist engineering teams with developmental and operational flight testing, including execution of test cards and collection of test data.
• Identify, document, and communicate aircraft discrepancies and unexpected system behavior to engineering and operations teams.
• Accurately document maintenance actions, aircraft configuration, flight activity, test results, and operational observations.
• Provide clear feedback to engineering teams regarding K1000 aircraft performance, maintainability, usability, and field observations.
• Support U.S. government and defense customers, foreign military partners, and domestic and international commercial customers during demonstrations, evaluations, training events, testing, and operational activities.
• Serve as a professional and technically credible company representative during customer-facing activities, including field demonstrations and operations.
• Communicate complex technical and operational information effectively to customers with varying levels of UAS experience and technical expertise.
• Adapt to different customer environments, mission requirements, operating procedures, and cultural considerations while maintaining company safety and operational standards.
• Assist with customer training and familiarization on K1000 operation, system setup, maintenance, and troubleshooting as required.
• Maintain professionalism and discretion when working with sensitive customer information, operational requirements, and controlled or proprietary technologies.
• Assist with transportation, inventory, setup, teardown, and accountability of aircraft, batteries, ground support equipment, tools, spares, and related systems.
• Follow established aviation safety, maintenance, operational, security, and company procedures.
• Work effectively in varying field environments that may involve extended hours, changing schedules, and rapidly evolving operational requirements.
• Travel domestically and internationally to test sites, customer locations, demonstration sites, and other operational locations as required.
• Travel requirement: up to 100% based on operational needs; expected to average approximately 25%.

Qualifications:

• Prior experience operating Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) is required.
• Experience operating multiple Group 2 or comparable UAS platforms is strongly preferred.
• Experience maintaining, testing, or supporting UAS platforms is strongly preferred.
• Experience with electric aircraft, electric propulsion systems, batteries, avionics, robotics, or other complex electromechanical systems is beneficial.
• Working knowledge of UAS flight operations, including pre-flight preparation, mission planning, mission execution, emergency procedures, and post-flight activities.
• Mechanical and electrical aptitude with demonstrated ability to troubleshoot technical systems in a hands-on environment.
• Understanding of Ground Data Terminals, RF communications, telemetry, datalinks, or command-and-control systems is highly desirable.
• Basic understanding of computer networking, including TCP/IP, IP addressing, Ethernet, network configuration, and connectivity troubleshooting.
• Comfortable using computers, ground control software, diagnostic tools, and technical documentation in both office and field environments.
• Ability to read and follow technical manuals, maintenance procedures, checklists, wiring diagrams, and engineering instructions.
• Comfortable working directly with a broad range of customers, including U.S. defense and government organizations, foreign militaries, and domestic and international commercial organizations.
• Strong customer-facing skills and the ability to professionally represent the company in demonstrations, evaluations, training, and operational environments.
• Ability to communicate effectively and professionally across different organizations, technical backgrounds, cultures, and operating environments.
• Ability and willingness to conduct domestic and international travel and operate for extended periods at customer and field locations.
• Strong attention to detail with a safety-first approach to aviation operations and maintenance.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to clearly communicate technical and operational issues.
• Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively with pilots, maintainers, engineers, customers, and other operational personnel.
• Ability to adapt to changing mission requirements and troubleshoot problems in time-sensitive field environments.
• Ability and willingness to travel extensively when required, including periods of travel approaching 100%.
• Ability to work outdoors and in field environments under varying weather and operating conditions.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to transport equipment as required.
• Must currently hold or be eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government SECRET security clearance.
• FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate is preferred, or ability to obtain one after hire.