UAV Operations Engineer / Pilot – Data Operations

You own our data-collection flights. When the perception team needs a specific dataset — a new camera at a new angle, a lidar over specific terrain, a thermal sensor at dusk — you plan the campaign, configure and tune the platform, fly the mission, and bring clean data home. This is a role for someone with real stick time and real PX4/ArduPilot depth: not a desk job with occasional field trips, but the other way around.

What you'll do

• Plan and execute field data-collection campaigns across Europe: flight planning, site assessment, pre-flight checks, piloting, logging, and post-flight data offload
• Configure, tune, and troubleshoot PX4/ArduPilot flight stacks for stable, repeatable data-collection flights
• Analyze flight logs to diagnose issues and continuously improve platform reliability
• Operate sensor payloads (cameras, gimbals, lidar, GNSS/IMU) during missions and verify recordings on-site
• Keep the fleet mission-ready: maintenance, repairs, spare parts, battery management, and configuration control
• Work with our hardware and robotics engineers on payload integration — you define what the platform needs to fly well
• Maintain flight logs and campaign documentation so every flight produces usable, traceable data
• Ensure operations comply with aviation regulations (EU drone rules) and internal safety procedures

What you'll need

• Confident, experienced drone pilot with substantial real-world flight hours (multirotor; fixed-wing a plus), holding an EU A2/A3 certificate or willing to obtain quickly
• Solid practical knowledge of PX4 and/or ArduPilot: configuration, parameter tuning, log analysis, MAVLink basics
• Hands-on experience assembling, repairing, and maintaining drones — comfortable with soldering, wiring, and multimeter debugging
• Experience operating sensor payloads and ground control stations in the field
• Practical, structured, and safety-conscious — you find the loose cable before it becomes a crash
• Willingness to travel regularly for field campaigns and work outdoors in various conditions
• Good communication skills in English (German is a plus)

Nice to have

• Scripting skills (Python, Bash) for flight log processing and data offload automation
• CAD basics (Fusion 360, SolidWorks) and 3D-printing experience
• Experience with ROS/ROS2 recording setups or companion computers (Jetson, Raspberry Pi)
• Background in FPV, drone racing, RC modeling, competition teams, or maker culture
• German driving license class B (field campaigns)