Director of Flight Operations

About the Company

PRECISION MILITARY UAS

At Soaring, we design and manufacture uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) built for military operations and life-saving commercial applications.

Our autonomous heavy-lift drones are used for aerial resupply missions, delivering advanced capabilities where they matter most. Built for ultimate versatility, our UAS support defense, emergency response, and commercial applications.

WHY SOARING TECHNOLOGIES?

Join us in pushing the boundaries of UAS innovation. Be part of a team driving real-world impact through cutting-edge drone technology.

At Soaring, you'll work alongside top-tier engineers, developers, and mission-focused professionals in an environment that fosters creativity, problem-solving, and technological excellence.

About the Job

The Director of Flight Operations at a drone company working with military-adjacent aviation units is responsible for overseeing the planning, coordination, and execution of all unmanned flight missions in support of defense-related clients. This role requires a deep understanding of military operational standards, airspace regulations, and unmanned aerial system (UAS) protocols, often gained through prior military or defense industry experience. Key responsibilities include ensuring mission readiness, maintaining compliance with Department of Defense (DoD) and FAA guidelines, managing pilot and ground crew training, and interfacing with military liaisons to align flight operations with client objectives.

Strong leadership, risk management, and strategic planning skills are essential, along with the ability to operate in complex and security-sensitive environments. Candidates should bring a background in drone operations, mission planning, and a proven ability to lead technical teams in high-stakes settings.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

▸ The Director of Flight Operations (DFO) holds responsibility and accountability for the collection of flight test data to support verification & validation of all drone variances. In addition, overseeing ground and flight operations, remote-piloting, and conducting flight demonstrations.

▸ Lead all flight military demonstrations and act as the military liaison for Soaring and the military flight teams.

▸ Responsible for leading Soaring's flight training for the military.

▸ DFO shall oversee pilot activities related to R&D flight testing, maintenance manual development, customer training material, product inspection, and ensuring all regulatory requirements are within compliance.

▸ DFO shall grow, train, and mentor the team as Soaring embarks on maturing the capabilities of our autonomous heavy lift drone.

▸ Conducting reconnaissance and targeting missions, as well as pre-flight, in-flight, and post-flight checks.

▸ Develop and maintain safety protocols & policies for internal and external demonstrations. Promote a strong safety culture and manage/understand risk in a drone certification environment.

▸ Support requirements development from an operational and test perspective, feeding requirements into product development and systems engineering

▸ Provide technical and managerial oversight for flight testing at all Soaring sites, setting developmental and certification test strategy, and execution approach.

▸ Lead the development of standard operating procedures (SOPs) and emergency response plans.

▸ Maintain operational readiness and ensure adherence to safety standards.

▸ Manage flight operations, scheduling, and logistics for drone deliveries.

▸ Oversee training programs for pilots and operations personnel.

▸ Work with industry leaders in delivery, logistics and autonomous aviation.

▸ Support with the assembly, maintenance, and post-production inspections.

In addition to the above duties and responsibilities, all employees are required to regularly complete documentation of their work in company systems to retain institutional knowledge. This must be completed in the manner designated by the company. In addition, all employees must complete any safety or compliance training as assigned by the due date. This document is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of this position. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice.

Experience

▸ 12+ years of experience in flight and/or systems integration and test, including leading test planning, execution, and reporting, both in developmental and certification environments.

▸ Have engaged agencies, military, and local officials relating to certification testing and means/methods of compliance.

▸ Experience testing and integrating complex flight control, power management, and avionics systems.

▸ Communicates effectively with company leadership, peers, your team, and external suppliers/authorities.

▸ BS in Mechanical, Electrical, or Aerospace Engineering or related field

▸ Experience in certification test programs (civil or military)

▸ Background in risk assessment, safety management systems (SMS), and emergency response planning.

▸ Experience leading team, managing pilots, and scaling flight operations organizations.

Requirements

▸ Military background, prior UAS pilot.

▸ Very personable and able to seamlessly interact and integrate with military personnel.

▸ FAA Part 135 operational experience, including leadership in commercial and military aviation of UAS environment.

▸ Part 107 certification and extensive UAS flight experience logged flight hours preferred but not required).

▸ Thorough knowledge of the contents of Part 135 documentation and experience with writing and revising General Operations Manual (GOM) and Training Manuals

At Soaring we strongly believe that diversity drives innovation. We have created a multi-disciplinary environment that embraces the power of diverse perspectives to create elegant solutions for complex problems. We are committed to growing our network of people, programs, and resources to nurture an inclusive culture.

As such, we do not make hiring or other employment related decisions on the basis of an applicant or employee's race, color, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), pregnancy, gender, gender identity or expression, age, religion, disability status, sexual orientation, marital status, medical conditions, genetic information or characteristics, veteran, military or family status, or other classifications protected by applicable federal, state or local anti-discrimination laws.

Salary $165-190K