Head of Maintenance, Australia — Drone Ops Leader

Speedrun Talent Network; Central Coast; Hybrid; AUD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Zipline Australia is hiring a Head of Maintenance to lead aircraft and ground systems maintenance for the Australian launch sites. You will drive inspections, repairs and reliability, while building a hands-on leadership team in the start-up phase.

You will act as the CASA registered Maintenance Controller and partner with global maintenance teams to ensure safety and operational readiness. The role covers Central Coast and Lake Macquarie regions with potential expansion.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in maintenance or leadership in aviation or related fields.
• Experience leading operational teams in safety-sensitive environments.
• Proven ability to manage inspections, repairs and return-to-service workflows.
• Ability to earn Zipline Repairman certification for safety functions.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily maintenance execution and airworthiness determinations for local systems and fleet assets.
• Own asset intake, conformity checks, inspections, repairs and return-to-service coordination.
• Set maintenance schedules, shift coverage and backlog priorities to meet readiness goals.
• Plan maintenance to support airworthiness and fleet health programs.
• Hire and coach technicians and supervisors to high performance levels.
• Track asset downtime, uptime, and productivity; ensure safe operations.
• Enforce SOPs, safety protocols, and audit-ready recordkeeping.
• Collaborate with engineering and compliance to resolve issues and improve processes.
• Operate as Maintenance Controller under Zipline Australia’s ReOC with CASA.

Skills

Maintenance leadership

Airworthiness management

Regulatory compliance

Team building

On-site operations

Job description

Zipline Australia is hiring a Head of Maintenance to lead aircraft and ground systems maintenance for the Australian launch sites. You will drive inspections, repairs and reliability, while building a hands-on leadership team in the start-up phase.

You will act as the CASA registered Maintenance Controller and partner with global maintenance teams to ensure safety and operational readiness. The role covers Central Coast and Lake Macquarie regions with potential expansion.