Mission Operations Specialist (UAS Pilot)

ODys; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Odys is seeking a highly skilled UAV Pilot to join our Flight Test & Operations team as a Mission Operations Specialist. You will serve as the primary Remote Pilot in Command (RPIC) for our developmental eVTOL UAV platforms, piloting complex aircraft from the Ground Control Station during live test events.

Beyond piloting, you will handle the operational groundwork, secure flight authorizations, draft CONOPS, and collaborate with engineering to translate test objectives into safe mission

Qualifications

• Active FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate with significant RPIC flight hours.
• Hands-on piloting of complex UAVs (multi-rotor or thrust-vectored) in R&D or test environments.
• Bachelor’s degree in a technical field (Aerospace, Systems, Aviation).
• Experience in experimental, R&D, or certification flight test programs.
• Experience with BVLOS operations under FAA Part 107/108 and EASA JARUS SORA processes.
• GCS integration, C2 link validation, and datalink testing in flight tests.

Responsibilities

• Serve as primary RPIC at GCS during live test flights, executing mission profiles.
• Translate engineering objectives into safe, executable flight test plans.
• Develop CONOPS and perform operational risk assessments; secure flight authorizations and waivers.
• Lead GCS integration, testing, and troubleshooting for C2 and datalinks.
• Manage deployment and testing of flight test payloads (telemetry, sensors, ballast).
• Apply UAS flight test methodologies to improve safety and efficiency.
• Collaborate with R&D to analyze telemetry and refine vehicle design.

Skills

RPIC hours

Complex UAV piloting

GCS integration

C2/datalinks

BVLOS operations

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering

Tools

GCS hardware

Telemetry/Video links

Job description

About Odys

At Odys, we’re mobilizing power, with Hybrid Power Systems developed for aerospace and in-demand everywhere. It’s the kind of mission diversity that demands a fresh way of thinking.

We began with an early bet on hybrid, when the mobility industry was focused on batteries. We designed, tested, and validated our first 1 MW high-speed generator in 12 months. And then we pushed further, developing systems with greater power density in less time. Today, our Hybrid Power Systems offer outputs ranging from 20 kW to 4 MW, with applications in the air or on the ground.

One of those applications is Laila, an unmanned drone designed for critical logistics and defense missions. With its 100 kW-class onboard Hybrid Power System, Laila can support medical cold-chain transport or serve as an aerial platform for counter-UAS measures.

The market interest has been overwhelming: Over 30 inbound requests from leading US and global manufacturers, and 14+ DoD contracts.

Our team comes from deep tech and aerospace, with backgrounds spanning drone and aircraft development, high-volume production, and electrified mobility.

We operate with urgency and ownership at every level. We validated high-speed generator technology faster than our peers, not because we skipped steps, but because we've been doing this long enough to know which ones matter most.

Creating the future of power, in the air and on the ground, is a challenge we’ve been training our entire lives for. If that sounds like you, this is the opportunity you’ve been waiting for.

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:

  • Command and Control (C2) link architecture and performance validation.

  • Datalink integration (telemetry, video, and command streams).

  • Hardware and software payload integration.

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.