Drone Specialist - Mission Ops

Application close date:

Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the requisition is closed.

At Blue Origin, we envision millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth. We’re working to develop reusable, safe, and low-cost space vehicles and systems within a culture of safety, collaboration, and inclusion. Join our team of problem solvers as we add new chapters to the history of spaceflight! 

This role is part of Blue Origin Operations, which is comprised of Integrated Supply Chain, Test Operations, Safety, Quality, and Mission Assurance. This includes Manufacturing and Supply Chain support across all Blue Origin facilities.

At Blue Origin, we envision millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth. We’re working to develop reusable, safe, and low-cost space vehicles and systems within a culture of safety, collaboration, and inclusion. Join our team of problem solvers as we add new chapters to the history of spaceflight!  

This role supports the development and operations of New Glenn a single-configuration heavy-lift launch vehicle capable of routinely carrying people and payloads to Earth's orbit and beyond. Engineered with a reusable first stage and a seven-meter payload fairing, New Glenn is building the road to space.

As part of a hardworking team of specialists and technicians, you will work hands-on as a Drone Specialist to serve as a primary point of contact for drone operations at LC36 in Cape Canaveral, FL. This role will support New Glenn missions and testing while managing all aspects of the drone program including operations, maintenance, training, regulatory compliance, and cross-functional coordination.

This position will be responsible for aligning operators at the site to meet operational demands, and ensuring compliance with federal and enterprise-level requirements across all drone operations.

We are looking for someone to apply their technical expertise, organizational skills, and commitment to quality to positively impact safe human spaceflight. Passion for our mission and vision is required!  

Responsibilities:

• Organize and lead the execution of all New Glenn drone activities, prioritizing media events, but also developing the use of drones for additional technical operations.
• Act as a New Glenn drone operator
• Develop and conduct pilot and Visual Observer (VO) training
• Manage operator coverage
  • Develop a roster of part-time Blue operators sufficient to provide redundant 24/7 coverage of all required drone events; ensure they have the qualifications and skills to provide high quality feeds, and assign their event coverage
  • Source and hire contractor operators as required
• Implement and maintain comprehensive asset management plan:
  • Analyze and recommend proper drone assets for each mission against mission requirements
  • Track and conduct preventive maintenance on all drone systems
  • Develop and manage safety stock plan for critical components
• Coordinate with operations and media teams to support mission coverage and strategy:
  • Evaluate and commit to all media requirements, including all technical requirements to deliver drone feeds to requested endpoints
  • Operationalize all nominal drone activities by building repeatable timelines, coding all operations into Jules workorders, and executing all nominal drone ops through Jules
  • Develop flight plans to meet coverage needs
  • Organize and execute all test runs and pre-event meetings
  • Work with media POCs to develop evolving drone capabilities
• Manage FAA coordination, Range coordination, and all regulatory compliance:
  • Coordinate with FAA and Range for specialty waivers/permissions
  • Ensure all operations meet regulatory requirements

Minimum Qualifications:

• Current FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certification with evidence of professional drone piloting experience
• Demonstrated experience managing drone operations in complex environments
• Demonstrated experience creating schedules for complex operations and meeting deadlines
• Strong understanding of FAA drone regulations and waiver processes
• Knowledge of drone maintenance procedures and asset management
• Excellent project management and organizational skills
• Strong communication and interpersonal abilities for cross-functional coordination
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with changing priorities
• Willingness to frequently flex work hours to nights and weekends as needed to support missions

Preferred Qualifications:

• Coding skills, including the use of AI to create simple apps and perform data analysis
• Experience developing and implementing training programs
• Experience in aerospace operations, particularly in test environments

Culture Statement

Don’t meet all desired requirements? Studies have shown that some people are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single desired qualification. At Blue Origin, we are dedicated to building an authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every desired qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

Export Control Regulations

Applicants for employment at Blue Origin must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (i.e. current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum.

Background Check

• Required for all positions: Blue’s Standard Background Check
• Required for Certain Job Profiles:  Defense Biometric Identification System (DBIDS) background check if at any time the role requires one to be on a military installation
• Required for Certain Job Profiles: Drivers who operate Commercial Motor Vehicles with a Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW), Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) or combination of power unit and trailer that meets or exceeds 10,001 lbs. and/or transports placardable amounts of hazardous materials by ground in any vehicle on a public road while in commerce, may be subject to additional Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations including: Driver Qualification Files, Medical Certification (obtained before onboarding), Road Test, Hours of Service, Drug and Alcohol Testing, vehicle inspection requirements, CDL requirements (if applicable) and hazardous materials transportation/shipping training.
• Required for certain Job Profiles: Ability to obtain and maintain Merchant Mariner Credential, which includes pre-employment and random drug testing as well as DOT physical

Benefits

• Benefits include:  Medical, dental, vision, basic and supplemental life insurance, paid parental leave, short and long-term disability, 401(k) with a company match of up to 5%, and an Education Support Program.
• Stock Options for all regular employees (working at least 20 hours/week)
• Paid Time Off:  Up to four (4) weeks per year based on weekly scheduled hours, and up to 14 company-paid holidays.
• Dependent on role type and job level, employees may be eligible for benefits and bonuses based on the company's intent to reward individual contributions and enable them to share in the company's results, or other factors at the company's sole discretion. Bonus amounts and eligibility are not guaranteed and subject to change and cancellation. Please check with your recruiter for more details.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Blue Origin is proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and is committed to attracting, retaining, and developing a highly qualified and dedicated work force. Blue Origin hires and promotes people on the basis of their qualifications, performance, and abilities. We support the establishment and maintenance of a workplace that fosters trust, equality, and teamwork. We provide all qualified applicants for employment and employees with equal opportunities for hire, promotion, and other terms and conditions of employment, regardless of their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin/ethnicity, age, physical or mental disability, genetic factors, military/veteran status, or any other status or characteristic protected by federal, state, and/or local law. Blue Origin will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with applicable federal, state, and local laws, including the Washington Fair Chance Act, the California Fair Chance Act, the Los Angeles Fair Chance in Hiring Ordinance, and other applicable laws. For more information on “Know Your Rights,” please see here.

Affirmative Action and Disability Accommodation

Applicants wishing to receive information on Blue Origin’s Affirmative Action Plans, or applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in the application and/or interview process, please contact us at [email protected]. Please note this is a publicly managed inbox. Please do not include any personal medical information in your request.