Flight Operations Technician , II, III, or Senior. Starkville LilyLifestyle

UAS Flight Operations Technician

The UAS Flight Operations Technician supports the delivery of ASSUREd Safe's national UAS training and credentialing program. This position provides instruction in both ground school and flight operations, conducts learner evaluations, and ensures all course activities comply with ASSURE, MSU, FAA, and FEMA guidance. The Flight Operations Technician I represents the program at training sites across the country and contributes subject‑matter expertise to ongoing course development, recertification, and quality improvement efforts.

The Flight Operations Technician II supports and leads delivery of ASSUREd Safe's national UAS training and credentialing programs with increased operational responsibility and independence. This role serves as a senior instructor and lead flight operator for complex training environments, supports compliance and authorization requirements, and contributes to course execution, logistics, and quality assurance across multiple training sites. The Technician II applies advanced judgment within established frameworks and supports junior technicians in safe, compliant flight operations.

The Flight Operations Technician III is a fully competent, independent professional responsible for leading ASSUREd Safe flight training operations nationwide. This role plans and executes complex training missions, ensures compliance across multiple regulatory frameworks, oversees instructor currency and performance, and serves as a primary operational interface with federal, state, and partner organizations. The Technician III exercises independent judgment and adapts standard practices to meet evolving training and operational needs.

The Senior Flight Operations Technician has full responsibility for ASSUREd Safe's aviation and training operations enterprise, including personnel, aircraft, instructional delivery, safety systems, and regulatory compliance. This role sets operational strategy, directs national training execution, oversees instructor and technician development, and ensures the safe, scalable delivery of ASSUREd Safe programs in support of federal and partner missions. The Director serves as the senior authority for flight operations and training execution across the organization.

Employees hired into Intermittent positions are limited to working no more than 720 hours per fiscal year.

Salary Grade:

Please see Staff Compensation Structure or Skilled Crafts and Service Maintenance Compensation Schedule for salary ranges. For salary grade UC, these positions are "Unclassified" and salary ranges are determined by the hiring department.

Department Profile:

Alliance for System Safety of UAS through Research Excellence is comprised of 29 of the world's leading research institutions and more than a hundred leading industry and government partners. ASSURE members are core to four FAA UAS test sites, lead four FAA research centers, and have a multitude of UAS ranging from small drones below 55 pounds to the largest UAS at any US academic institution at 1800 pounds.

This alliance features expertise across a broad spectrum of research areas, including:
Air traffic control interoperability, UAS airport ground operations, control and communications, detect and avoid, human factors, UAS noise reduction, UAS wake signatures, unmanned aircraft pilot training and certification, low altitude operations safety, spectrum management and UAS traffic management. ASSURE possesses the expertise, experience, and influence that the FAA Center of Excellence for Unmanned Aircraft Systems demands.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Deliver ground school, simulator, and flight‑operations instruction for ASSUREd Safe courses and evaluate student performance using established standards.
• Supervise and conduct safe UAS flight operations, demonstrations, and student practical exercises.
• Travel to training sites nationwide and coordinate on‑site logistics, equipment needs, and course execution.
• Maintain and manage program equipment, flight platforms, batteries, and instructional materials.
• Contribute subject‑matter expertise to course development,…