Lead, UAV Integration Technician

Rainmaker

El Segundo (CA)

On-site

USD 100,000 - 130,000

Full time

3 days ago

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Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

Health coverage

Relocation assistance

Unlimited PTO

Parental leave

Office perks

Job summary

Rainmaker is seeking a Lead UAV Integration Technician to keep our fleet mission-ready, coordinating integration, assembly, and test activities across mechanical and electrical domains. In a fast-paced, hands-on environment, you will mentor technicians, drive quality standards, and collaborate with engineering to resolve field challenges while ensuring safety and timely delivery.

Location is El Segundo, CA; travel to field tests may be required, and relocation support may be available for the

Qualifications

7+ years of hands-on UAV/aerospace/robotics maintenance experience.
3+ years leading a technician team.

Responsibilities

Coordinate integration efforts and assign tasks to hit production schedules.
Oversee UAV assembly from components into complete systems.
Draft and maintain assembly work instructions and wiring diagrams.
Lead electrical integration quality and sign off on work.
Communicate field and build gaps to engineering and stakeholders.
Train and develop technicians; build cross-training.
Drive QA processes to catch issues before field.
Identify inefficiencies and lead process improvement.
Manage parts and tooling with supply chain.
Escalate blockers and resolve scheduling issues.
Enforce safety standards during integration and field activities.

Skills

UAV/aerospace experience

Team leadership

Mechanical assembly

Electrical integration

Technical drawings

Troubleshooting

Documentation writing

Travel willingness

Attention to detail

Cross-functional coordination

Tools

3D printers

Torque drivers

Multimeters

Power supplies

Job description

Rainmaker is pioneering a modern cloud seeding system to solve water scarcity and inclement weather problems. We develop and incorporate radar validation, weather-resistant UAS, numerical weather modeling, and sustainable cloud seeds into an effective precipitation enhancement solution.

The Production team at Rainmaker builds our UAS platforms, assembles dispersion payloads, and integrates in-situ/remote sensing systems into every vehicle we deliver. As a Lead, UAV Integration Technician, you'll be on the front line of keeping our fleet mission-ready — executing maintenance work instructions with speed and precision to get aircraft back in the field. If you thrive in a hands-on, fast-paced environment where your work has a direct, immediate impact on mission success, this is a great opportunity.

What You'll Do

Coordinate integration efforts. Assign and sequence build tasks across the integration team to hit production schedules and delivery deadlines.
Own the build process. Oversee assembly of UAVs from individual components into complete systems, ensuring each aircraft meets quality and workmanship standards before leaving production.
Draft and maintain build procedures. Write, standardize, and update assembly work instructions, wiring diagrams, and integration checklists to ensure consistency and repeatability across builds.
Lead electrical integration quality. Set standards for wiring harness construction, electrical assemblies, and connection troubleshooting; review and sign off on completed work.
Communicate field and build gaps. Surface recurring issues, design flaws, or integration challenges seen during assembly or field testing to engineering and program stakeholders.
Train and develop technicians. Onboard new integration techs, train the team on new components, configurations, or procedures, and build cross-training across mechanical/electrical skill sets.
Drive quality inspection standards. Establish and enforce incoming parts inspection and final assembly QA processes to catch issues before aircraft reach the field.
Improve production processes. Identify inefficiencies in the build process, lead process improvement initiatives, and capture lessons learned from each build to improve future ones as production scales.
Manage parts and tooling. Coordinate with supply chain on parts availability and lead times; oversee tooling, 3D printers, machining equipment, and shop resources used in integration.
Escalate and resolve blockers. Act as the point of escalation for technical, resourcing, or scheduling issues the integration team can't resolve independently.
Enforce safety standards. Ensure all integration and field activities follow shop safety procedures and best practices for tool and equipment use.

Required Qualifications

7+ years of hands-on experience in UAV, aerospace, robotics, or similar mechanical/electrical maintenance environments
3+ years experience leading a technician team
Strong experience with mechanical assembly and electrical integration
Ability to read, interpret, and create technical drawings, wiring diagrams, and schematics
Proven experience troubleshooting complex mechanical and electrical systems
Experience writing or improving work instructions, build procedures, or assembly documentation
Willingness to travel and support field operations and flight testing
Strong attention to detail and craftsmanship, with the judgment to enforce quality standards across a team
Ability to prioritize and coordinate work across multiple technicians in a fast-paced, evolving environment
Strong communication skills, with the ability to translate field/build issues into clear feedback for engineering and leadership
Comfortable taking ownership of team output and driving accountability
Must be able to lift up to 50 lbs regularly
Familiarity with basic shop safety procedures, with experience enforcing safety standards for a team

Preferred Qualifications

Familiarity with the use of 3D printers
Familiarity with the use of torque drivers, power supplies, multimeters, and other diagnostic/hand tools
Experience machining on 3 and 5 axis machines
Experience with root cause analysis or corrective action processes
Familiarity with production tracking, quality management, or maintenance documentation systems
Experience scaling or standardizing processes in an early-stage or high-growth manufacturing environment

Benefits