Flight Test Ops Lead - Scale Drone Testing

nerostechnologies; Torrance (CA); On-site; USD 132,000 - 184,000; Full time

Job summary

Neros is a defense technology company rebuilding America's drone industrial base. We design and manufacture high-performance unmanned systems that are tested in combat, iterated at startup speed, and built at massive scale.

Neros is hiring a Flight Test Operations Lead/Manager to run the operations side of Flight Testing. You will own scheduling, staffing, facilities, and logistics for a team of pilots and technicians executing test flights on experimental FPV drones.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience leading teams in UAS, film, military, aviation, or similarly complex operations.
• Ownership of scheduling and resource allocation across multiple teams.
• Hands on ability to fly drones, or experience managing drone pilots.
• Experience managing physical assets such as facilities, vehicles, and field infrastructure.
• Willingness to stay overnight at test facilities occasionally during the week.
• Strong written communication and comfort in a fast moving environment.

Responsibilities

• Own and maintain the flight test schedule across concurrent campaigns, balancing pilot, technician, aircraft, and range availability against engineering commitments.
• Build and manage the flight test operations team, including hiring, onboarding, performance management, and career progression.
• Be responsible for flight test facilities, vehicles, and field equipment; lead requirements, timeline, and development of future test sites.
• Plan multi week testing deployments including travel, logistics, site coordination.
• Improve the repeatability, documentation, and throughput of test operations over time.

Skills

Leadership

Scheduling

Resource allocation

Drone piloting

Facilities management

Overnight travel

Job description

Neros is a defense technology company rebuilding America's drone industrial base. We design and manufacture high-performance unmanned systems that are tested in combat, iterated at startup speed, and built at massive scale.

Neros is hiring a Flight Test Operations Lead/Manager to run the operations side of Flight Testing. You will own scheduling, staffing, facilities, and logistics for a team of pilots and technicians executing test flights on experimental FPV drones.