Staff Technician, Flight Operations & Pilot Duties (R4117)
Shield AI
Operations
San Diego, CA, USA
Posted on Nov 18, 2025
Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed deep-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include the V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, Hivemind Enterprise, and the Hivemind Vision product lines. With nine offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific, Shield AI’s technology actively supports operations worldwide. For more information, visit www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and YouTube.
Job Description:
We are seeking a Flight Operations Technician to support UAV flight operations, maintenance, and pilot duties across Shield AI’s fleet of quadcopter and fixed-wing drones. This role requires a hands-on professional who can execute safe, reliable, and efficient flight operations while performing technical upkeep and supporting engineering development.
The ideal candidate has a blend of aviation technical experience and UAV flight operations expertise, with a focus on safety, precision, and mission execution.
What you'll do:
- Flight Operations & Pilot Duties
- -Serve as Remote Pilot in Command (RPIC) or Pilot in the Loop (PIL) for Shield AI UAV flight operations, including quadcopters and fixed-wing platforms.
- -Plan and conduct flight missions for testing, validation, demonstrations, and training.
- -Perform pre-flight and post-flight inspections, ensuring aircraft are flight-ready and mission-compliant.
- -Operate Ground Control Stations (GCS) to monitor aircraft telemetry, sensors, and payload systems.
- -Support mission planning, airspace coordination, and compliance with FAA Part 107 and military flight safety standards.
- -Execute field deployments for testing and demonstrations, including setup and teardown of operational sites.
- Technical Maintenance & Support
- -Conduct routine inspections, preventive maintenance, and component-level repairs for UAVs and support equipment.
- -Troubleshoot electrical, propulsion, avionics, and communication systems.
- -Assist in hardware integration, firmware updates, and sensor payload installations.
- -Maintain accurate documentation of maintenance, flight logs, and system configurations.
- -Support engineering teams in collecting and analyzing flight data for performance improvement.
- Team Collaboration & Mission Support
- -Work cross-functionally with software, mechanical, and test engineering teams to identify issues and propose solutions.
- -Participate in flight readiness reviews, safety assessments, and post-mission debriefs.
- -Contribute to flight procedure documentation and continuous process improvement efforts.
- -Serve as a technical representative during customer demos, training, and field testing events.
Required qualifications:
- Strong situational awareness and commitment to safety.
- Excellent problem-solving skills and technical curiosity.
- Ability to perform under pressure in dynamic environments.
- Clear communication and collaboration in cross-functional teams.
- Passion for advancing autonomous flight and national security missions.
- Associate’s degree or equivalent military/technical experience in aviation, electronics, robotics, or mechatronics.
- FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate (or ability to obtain within 60 days).
- 2+ years of experience operating or maintaining unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), including both rotary and fixed-wing platforms.
- Hands-on experience with flight control systems, telemetry, and ground control software.
- Familiarity with FAA regulations, airspace coordination, and operational safety best practices.
- Ability to travel frequently for field operations, testing, and demonstrations (domestic and international).
Preferred qualifications:
- Experience with autonomous or semi-autonomous UAV systems.
- Knowledge of RF communication systems, sensor payloads, and data link troubleshooting.
- Familiarity with Linux systems and scripting for test automation or flight data processing.
- Prior experience in defense, aerospace, or military UAV operations.
- Current or former military unmanned aviation background highly desirable.
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Full-time regular employee offer package:
Pay within range listed + Bonus + Benefits + Equity
Temporary employee offer package:
Pay within range listed above + temporary benefits package (applicable after 60 days of employment)
Salary compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, licenses and certifications, and specific work location. All offers are contingent on a cleared background and possible reference check. Military fellows and part-time employees are not eligible for benefits. Please speak to your talent acquisition representative for more information.
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Shield AI is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.