UAV Operations Engineer / Pilot – Data Operations

About the role

Stark is looking for a hands‑on UAV Operations Engineer / Pilot to lead data‑collection flights for its AI‑driven autonomous systems. You will plan, execute, and document field campaigns across Europe, turning raw sensor recordings into high‑quality datasets that power perception and autonomy algorithms.

Key responsibilities

• Plan and conduct field data‑collection missions: flight planning, site assessment, pre‑flight checks, piloting, logging and post‑flight data offload.
• Configure, tune and troubleshoot PX4/ArduPilot flight stacks for repeatable, stable flights.
• Operate sensor payloads (cameras, gimbals, lidar, GNSS/IMU) and verify recordings on‑site.
• Maintain fleet readiness: routine maintenance, repairs, spare‑part management, battery handling and configuration control.
• Collaborate with hardware and robotics engineers on payload integration and platform optimisation.
• Analyse flight logs to diagnose issues and continuously improve reliability.
• Ensure compliance with EU drone regulations and internal safety procedures.

Required profile

• Experienced drone pilot with substantial real‑world flight hours (multirotor; fixed‑wing a plus).
• Holder of an EU A2/A3 drone licence or willing to obtain one quickly.
• Strong practical knowledge of PX4 and/or ArduPilot, including configuration, parameter tuning, log analysis and MAVLink communication.

Required skills

• PX4
• ArduPilot
• MAVLink
• Drone piloting
• Flight planning
• Sensor payload operation (cameras, gimbals, lidar, GNSS/IMU)
• Data offload and management
• Battery management and aircraft maintenance