Mission Operations Specialist (UAS Pilot)

Odys; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Odys in Long Beach, CA seeks a seasoned UAV Pilot to join the Flight Test & Operations team as a Mission Operations Specialist. You will act as RPIC for developmental eVTOL platforms, piloting from the Ground Control Station during live tests.

Responsibilities include CONOPS development, regulatory authorizations, and close collaboration with engineering to translate test objectives into safe mission profiles using FAA Part 107/108 and EASA JARUS SORA compliance.

Qualifications

• Active FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate with significant RPIC flight hours.
• Hands-on experience piloting complex multi-rotor or thrust-vectored UAVs in R&D/test.
• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, Aviation, or related field.
• Experience in experimental, R&D, or certification flight test programs.
• Experience with EASA JARUS SORA and FAA Part 107/108 for BVLOS operations.
• GCS integration experience and telemetry handling.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary pilot at the Ground Control Station during live experimental flight tests.
• Translate engineering objectives into safe, executable flight test plans.
• Lead CONOPS development and risk assessments; secure flight authorizations and waivers.
• Own integration, testing, and troubleshooting of Ground Control Stations and links.
• Manage integration and deployment of test payloads (telemetry, sensors, ballast).
• Apply flight test methodologies to improve safety and efficiency of autonomous UAVs.
• Collaborate with R&D to analyze telemetry and refine vehicle design.

Skills

RPIC experience

Complex UAV piloting

GCS integration

Flight test planning

Education

Bachelor's degree in Aerospace/Systems/Aviation

Tools

MATLAB

Python

IADS

Job description

About Odys

Our mission at Odys is simple - we build safe, sustainable aircraft to cut travel time in half on the world’s busiest corridors. Our flagship aircraft Alta enables travelers to skip the big-airport hassle by using city helipads and local airports to connect cities less than 1,000 miles apart (approx 40% of flights). And on average cut CO2 by 76% on tens of billions of flight miles globally.

To get there, we start with our UAV called Laila for commercial logistics, medical transport, humanitarian aid, disaster relief, and defense missions. We’re deploying aircraft with launch partners (Fiji Airways, Honeywell, Aramex, US Navy) beginning in 2026 and already have firm orders for aircraft under contract.

We’re a team of expert engineers from deep tech and aerospace that focus on fast iterations loops (completed transition flight faster than our peers) combined with mastery of the aircraft certification process. Previously, our team developed custom drones, brought multiple automotive platforms into production, and electrified transportation vehicles that magnetically levitate, that roll, that fly. Together, we’ve been learning, developing, building, testing, and preparing for this challenge our entire lives.

We are seeking a highly skilled UAV Pilot to join our Flight Test & Operations team as a Mission Operations Specialist. In this role, you will serve as the primary Remote Pilot in Command (RPIC) for our developmental eVTOL Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) platforms, piloting complex, novel aircraft from the Ground Control Station (GCS) during live test events.

Beyond the stick, you will own the operational and regulatory groundwork that makes each flight possible — integrating the GCS, drafting Concepts of Operations (CONOPS), securing flight authorizations, and partnering with engineering to translate test objectives into safe, executable mission profiles. You will leverage your flight test background and deep knowledge of EASA JARUS SORA and FAA Part 107/108 regulations to safely advance our aircraft from early R&D testing through to commercial certification.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary pilot at the Ground Control Station (GCS) during live experimental flight tests, safely executing mission profiles on complex, novel eVTOL UAV architectures.

• Translate engineering objectives into safe, executable flight test plans and pilot them dynamically within a rapid prototyping and testing environment.

• Lead the development of Concept of Operations (CONOPS) and operational risk assessments. Secure flight authorizations and waivers by applying the EASA JARUS SORA framework alongside FAA Part 107 and FAA Part 108 (BVLOS) regulations.

• Take ownership of the integration, testing, and troubleshooting of Ground Control Stations (GCS). Ensure seamless command, control, and telemetry flow between the GCS and aircraft via C2 links and high-bandwidth datalinks.

• Manage the integration, functional testing, and operational deployment of various R&D flight test payloads (e.g., telemetry equipment, optical sensors, ballast systems).

• Apply established UAS flight test methodologies to optimize test efficiency, safety, and operational procedures for our autonomous eVTOL UAV platforms.

• Collaborate closely with R&D engineering teams to analyze post-flight telemetry, evaluate handling qualities, validate C2 link robustness, and refine vehicle design based on real-world flight execution.

Required Qualifications

• Active FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate with a proven logbook demonstrating significant flight hours as an RPIC on complex UAS or developmental eVTOL UAV platforms.

• Demonstrated hands‑on experience piloting complex, multi‑rotor, or thrust‑vectored vertical lift UAVs in an R&D, experimental, or operational test environment.

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, Aviation, or a related technical field.

• Professional experience in experimental, R&D, or certification flight test programs — whether as a UAV operator/pilot, Flight Test Engineer, or both.

• Practical experience executing the EASA JARUS SORA process, coupled with deep expertise in the FAA Part 107 and FAA Part 108 frameworks for complex or Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations.

• Hands‑on experience with Ground Control Station (GCS) integration, specifically focusing on:

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with additional FAA aircraft certification frameworks (e.g., Part 21, Part 23, Part 27).

• Experience with flight test data analysis software (e.g., IADS, MATLAB, Python) to support rapid R&D iterations.

• Human Factors Evaluation Experience — pilot interface design, workload assessment, GCS ergonomics, or HMI evaluation in flight test settings.