Senior UAS Operator

Title: Senior UAS Operator
Company: Heven AeroTech
Location:  Winchester, VA
FLSA: Non-exempt
Reports To: Head of US Flight Operations  

About Our Company:
At Heven AeroTech (Heven), we don’t just believe in the power of people—we build our success on it. As a recognized leader in hydrogen-powered drones, we’ve earned recognition for creating a workplace where innovation thrives, collaboration is second nature, and every employee feels valued. Our culture is anchored in trust and a shared commitment to excellence.
We believe great teams are built on individuals who are humble, hungry, and smart—those who put team success first, take initiative to continuously improve, and demonstrate strong interpersonal awareness. At Heven, your voice matters, your ideas are heard, and your contributions make a tangible impact as you grow through hands-on experience and collaboration across the team.

Role Summary:
The Senior Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Operator applies their hard-earned field experience to lead a team of UAS Operators in flight operations including post-production flights, technical demonstrations, field support, and training end users on hydrogen powered Hybrid VTOL and Multirotor Unmanned Aerial Systems. This position requires automobile travel of ~2 hours each way to flight test ranges, mileage is reimbursed if a company vehicle is not available, some ground tests can be performed locally. CONUS and occasional OCONUS travel may be required for demo, training, and field support.

The Senior UAS Operator will be responsible for the overall state of health and readiness of UAS systems including the Ground Control Systems, Ground Support Equipment and Air Vehicles. This requires a working understanding of all major UAS components. The UAS Operator will own the maintenance of logbooks and other system configuration records for the systems in their custody.

The Senior UAS Operator is expected to bring a pragmatic, real-world perspective and will be relied upon as a member of the Flight Operations Department throughout the development of the system. They will be expected to provide “user perspective” feedback and improvement suggestions. This may include assisting with fine-tuning of training / instructional documentation. They may also assist with issue reproduction, data collection, configuration verification, and controlled test execution. This requires familiarity with Air Vehicles, Ground Control Systems and associated software, Ground Support Equipment, payloads, radios, and other test support systems.

Previous experience as a commercial or military UAS instructor, developmental test team member, Field Service Representative, or equivalent technical professional is preferred. Candidates with a background in manual flight control are strongly preferred. Applicants who have served in an Emergency Pilot (EP) role or who have logged significant hours flying fixed-wing RC aircraft are encouraged to highlight this experience in their application.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Lead operation of Air Vehicles, Ground Control Systems, Ground Support Equipment, payloads, radios, and associated equipment during post-production, demonstration, and training flights.
• Lead execution of approved flight plans, ground test procedures, checklists, and flight profiles for Group 2+ UAS.
• Assist in the recruitment, onboarding, and training of new operators.
• Support engineering reporting by providing operator notes, flight logs, configuration records, and factual observations.
• Support installation, checkout, and troubleshooting of approved payload, radio, harness, and electromechanical integrations under engineering direction.
• Support the development of sustainment-ready military UAS by providing product feedback to the engineering team to inform design objectives and improvements.
• Develop and implement customer use cases of the Air Vehicle.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications & Experience:

Required:

• Minimum of 8 years military or commercial UAS operations experience in deployed or testing environment.
• Minimum of 4 years experience in a leadership role within the military or commercial UAS/aviation industry.
• Experience drafting and / or maintaining logbooks, maintenance records, configuration records, and discrepancy documentation in a controlled operational or test environment.
• Ability to execute approved test cards, checklists, and flight plans while remaining within defined operational limitations and / or test parameters.
• Strong discipline in pre-flight, post-flight, configuration control, and anomaly documentation processes.
• Ability to present technical data to diverse audiences.
• Proven ability to maintain and optimize complex systems, including preventative maintenance.
• Ability to inspect, install, troubleshoot, and perform basic repairs on payload and radio integration harnesses under engineering direction.
• Commitment to maintaining and improving safety for personnel and equipment.
• Strong leadership, communication, and collaboration skills.
• Collaborative, professional, and effective in conflict resolution.
• Active DOD Secret Clearance (or ability to obtain).
• Active Class 2 FAA Medical Certification (or ability to obtain).
• Professional working proficiency in English (spoken and written) is required to perform the responsibilities of this role.
• This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States without employer sponsorship, now or in the future.
• If this role requires access to information controlled under U.S. export control laws (ITAR/EAR), applicants must also qualify as a "U.S. person" under 22 CFR §120.62 (U.S. citizen, U.S. national, lawful permanent resident, or protected individual such as an asylee or refugee).

Preferred:

• Experience with military, fixed wing VTOL or multirotor, and Group 2+ categories in operational or test environments.
• Military or civilian UAS / aviation instructor experience.
• Experience supporting developmental flight testing, ground testing, iron bird testing, or controlled system checkout activities.
• Experience with STANAG 4586 GCS with software such as Vigilant Spirit
• Experience with SOCOM Modular Payload standards.
• Experience with manual flight control.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to lift and carry equipment up to 50 lbs regularly.
• Ability to stand, walk, and work outdoors for extended periods in varying weather conditions (heat, cold, wind, dust).
• Ability to travel by vehicle for up to ~2 hours each way to flight locations.
• Ability to set up, operate, and break down flight test equipment in field environments.
• Manual dexterity to assemble, maintain, and troubleshoot mechanical and electronic systems.
• Ability to work in physically dynamic environments, including uneven terrain and remote locations.
• Visual acuity sufficient to safely operate UAS and monitor flight operations.
• Ability to comply with all safety and personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements.

Benefits Overview:
Heven AeroTech offers a competitive benefits package designed to support the health, financial security, and overall well-being of our employees and their families. Benefits in protectional, dental, and vision coverage, retirement plans, paid time off/sick, and additional protections such as critical illness, hospital indemnity, accident coverage, and short- and long-term disability.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:
Heven AeroTech is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.