Flight Test Operator, Esparto at Zipline in Esparto, CA

Summary: Zipline is on a mission to transform the way goods move, aiming to solve complex access challenges through innovative logistics systems. The Flight Test Operator will be responsible for testing and maintaining unmanned aircraft systems, ensuring safety and reliability while supporting the scaling of operations globally. Responsibilities: - Fly - Assembling, preflighting, launching, and recovering unmanned aircraft in order to test and optimize Zipline's operational systems and validate new engineering changes as well as software and hardware in the early stages of development - Maintain - Maintaining the existing fleet of aircraft and ground equipment, as well as maintaining new systems we are building for function-specific flight tests - Test - Running tests to validate system improvements, new technology for performance and design validation, and new processes - Certify - Performing tests and demonstrations related to US FAA Type Certification - Improve - Looking for opportunities to continuously improve our processes, safety protocols, our hardware and software, and make operations easier and more efficient for operations centers around the world. You will be called upon to provide detailed feedback to design engineers - Grow - Supporting Zipline's efforts to scale our operations to hundreds of distribution centers around the world - Travel - Supporting flight operations at different test sites as needed. You may also do up to 25% domestic and international travel, surveying sites or training new flight operators on best practices - Schedule - Flexibility to work an array of schedule structures including, but not limited to: day, swing, nights, weekends, rotational Required Qualifications: - Experience in commercial aviation or aviation maintenance (an A&P is not required but nice to have) - Prior flight test or hobbyist flight experience with Unmanned Aerial Systems (drones, remote control aircraft, etc) - Enjoy troubleshooting and are comfortable with electromechanical build and repair projects - Excited to work outdoors, at an open-air hangar in the rugged foothills of Northern California, and would be happy doing so for about 85% of the day - Thrive in an autonomous, unpredictable, and dynamic environment where you identify what needs to happen and get it done with very little oversight - Vigilance and focus to conduct extended daily flight operations in a safe manner and with a focus on optimizing on a daily basis - Lead by example, and enjoy the satisfaction of collaborating with a dedicated team on a common goal - Great writing skills and don't let failures or progress go undocumented - Meticulous and process-oriented by nature - Able to lift up to 25kg objects regularly - Must be willing to work some nights/weekends - Must be a US citizen or Permanent Resident - Must be able to relocate to Yolo County, CA Preferred Qualifications: - Experience with Unix/Linux based operating systems (command line experience is a strong plus) - Experience with camera systems, surveying, and aerial photography - Excited about regularly traveling domestically and internationally Required Skills: Flight testing, Aviation maintenance, Unmanned Aerial Systems Important Skills: Unix/Linux experience, Camera systems Nice-to-Have Skills: Troubleshooting, Process-oriented Benefits: Equity compensation, Overtime pay, Discretionary annual or performance bonuses, Sales incentives, Benefits such as medical, dental and vision insurance, Paid time off, And more.