UAV Pilot Technician

Socket.dev; Lenexa (KS); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

401(k) with company match

Comprehensive medical, dental, and vis

Paid time off and company holidays

Professional development opportunities

Job summary

GuideTech is seeking a hands-on UAV Pilot who is an experienced operator with an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate. You will support prototype builds, ground and flight testing, pre-flight checkout, and post-test troubleshooting across UAV structures, avionics, sensors, and electrical systems.

You will work on-site in Lenexa, Kansas, collaborating with engineers to ensure flight readiness, safety, and program success in a fast-paced prototype environment.

Qualifications

• Hands-on UAV operation experience and safety-focused approach.
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings and wiring schematics.
• Experience wiring, harness fabrication, crimping and soldering.

Responsibilities

• Operate UAVs during ground and flight-test activities and support pre-flight preparation.
• Build and integrate UAV structures, propulsion systems, and mounting hardware from drawings.
• Fabricate and install wiring harnesses for avionics, power, sensors, and actuators.
• Read wiring diagrams, schematics, pinouts, ICDs, and engineering drawings.
• Perform continuity and insulation resistance checks and basic electrical fault isolation.
• Assist engineers with debugging, instrumentation, system integration, and pre-flight checkout.
• Maintain as-built documentation and provide redlines to drawings and procedures.
• Operate and service 3D printers and support travel for test campaigns as required.

Skills

UAV piloting

Electrical troubleshooting

Reading engineering drawings

Wiring harness fabrication

Education

FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate

Tools

CAD packages

3D printers

Job description

Description

Location:

Lenexa, KS (On-site)

GuideTech is seeking a hands-on UAV Pilot who is first and foremost an experienced UAV operator with an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate, with the technical skills to support aircraft assembly, wiring, avionics integration, troubleshooting, and flight readiness.

You’ll support prototype builds, ground and flight testing, pre-flight checkout, and post-test troubleshooting while working directly with UAV structures, propulsion, avionics, sensors, actuators, and electrical systems.

GuideTech is a U.S.-based defense and industrial technology company that delivers embodied AI-powered collaborative autonomy solutions, advanced avionics, precision-manufactured components, UAVs, and advanced aerospace design services.

What You’ll Do

• Operate UAVs during ground and flight-test activities and support pre-flight preparation and field operations.


• Build and integrate UAV structures, propulsion systems, control surfaces, landing gear, and mounting hardware from drawings and CAD packages.


• Support prototype aircraft, flight-test articles, and ground-test rigs.


• Fabricate and install wiring harnesses for avionics, power, sensors, and actuators, including crimping, soldering, and connector termination.


• Read and interpret wiring diagrams, schematics, pinouts, ICDs, engineering drawings, and work instructions.


• Perform continuity checks, insulation resistance checks, and basic electrical fault isolation.


• Troubleshoot electro-mechanical issues involving power, grounding, signal integrity, vibration, and hardware interfaces.


• Assist engineers with debugging, instrumentation, system integration, and pre-flight checkout.


• Maintain as-built documentation, serial tracking, configuration records, and provide redlines to improve drawings and procedures.


• Operate and service 3D printers and support limited travel for test campaigns as required.

What Makes Someone Successful Here

• You are a pilot first and take a disciplined, safety-focused approach to UAV operations.


• You are equally comfortable flying, building, wiring, and troubleshooting aircraft.


• You work methodically through technical problems and pay close attention to aircraft configuration and flight readiness.


• You communicate clearly with engineers and adapt well in fast-moving prototype and test environments.

Requirements

• Current FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate.


• Hands-on experience flying UAVs.


• Technical experience supporting UAV assembly, integration, maintenance, or troubleshooting.


• Ability to read engineering drawings, wiring diagrams, schematics, connector pinouts, and technical documentation.


• Experience with wiring and harness fabrication, including crimping, soldering, and connector termination.


• Ability to perform basic electrical testing and electro-mechanical troubleshooting.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting UAV prototype development, ground testing, or flight-test programs.


• Experience integrating avionics, sensors, actuators, propulsion, or power-distribution systems.


• Experience with configuration-controlled hardware builds and as-built documentation.


• Experience operating and servicing 3D printers.

Location

This position is on-site in Lenexa, Kansas.

Benefits & Perks

• Competitive salary


• 401(k) with company match


• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage


• Paid time off and company holidays


• Professional development opportunities

Work Authorization & Clearance

This position requires the ability to work in the United States without current or future sponsorship. Depending on the nature of the work, the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance may be required. Candidates may be asked to provide additional information relevant to clearance eligibility in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.

The Fine Print

No 3rd party candidates will be accepted. It is Palladyne AI’s policy to provide equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state/provincial, local law.