BVLOS UAS Flight Test Lead — Fixed-Wing Operations

Flagship Pioneering; Colorado Springs (CO); On-site; USD 115,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Flagship Pioneering is seeking a UAS Flight Operations Engineer II in Boulder, CO to lead BVLOS operations for a fixed-wing UAV platform. The role spans waiver strategy, airspace coordination, real-time monitoring, and post-flight analysis, bridging engineering with field execution as missions scale.

You will work with a small technical team to ensure safe, mission-ready operations in challenging environments while coordinating with regulatory bodies and field teams to validate sensor data and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in aerospace engineering, aviation, atmospheric science, or a closely related field.
• BA/BS + 5 years of UAV flight operations experience in real-mission or production contexts.
• FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate required; BVLOS waivers/COA applications and international frameworks preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead BVLOS operations planning and flight test execution, including waiver compliance and real-time monitoring.
• Lead flight testing of a custom fixed-wing airframe from first flight to design validation with engineering teams.
• Own the waiver strategy (Part 107/COA) and international regulatory compliance across operating environments.
• Develop and maintain SOPs, pre-flight checklists, and emergency response protocols for field campaigns.
• Serve as primary PIC/flight test director for fixed-wing UAV missions, including manual RC proficiency during tests.
• Analyze flight logs (MAVExplorer, Flight Review) to diagnose anomalies and improve reliability.
• Coordinate with meteorological resources to support go/no-go decisions and weather forecasting.
• Collaborate with science and field teams to validate mission profiles and sensor data quality.
• Manage ground control station operations, C2 link monitoring, and spectrum compliance during live missions.
• Document flight operations and incidents to build a scalable knowledge base.

Skills

BVLOS operations

ArduPilot

Mission Planner

QGroundControl

Fixed-wing UAV

Flight test

Regulatory compliance

GCS operations

Flight logs analysis

Radio-frequency monitoring

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in aerospace engineering/aviation/atmospheric science

Equivalent operational UAV flight experience

FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate

Tools

Mission Planner

QGroundControl

Job description

Flagship Pioneering is seeking a UAS Flight Operations Engineer II in Boulder, CO to lead BVLOS operations for a fixed-wing UAV platform. The role spans waiver strategy, airspace coordination, real-time monitoring, and post-flight analysis, bridging engineering with field execution as missions scale.

You will work with a small technical team to ensure safe, mission-ready operations in challenging environments while coordinating with regulatory bodies and field teams to validate sensor data and