Founding Field Operations Lead

Company Overview

Voltair builds drones with unlimited range. We are a technology company funded by Y Combinator (W26). Our mission is to prevent wildfires by building the first persistent inspection network for America's electric grid. Our autonomous drones charge on solid state inductive charging pads installed in the field, enabling unlimited range and continuous power line inspections to solve the observability crisis for critical infrastructure.

Compensation

This is a salaried position, with a salary range of $ 58,125 /yr to $ 123,125 /yr and a 0.25-0.50% equity stake in the company.

Job Summary

Voltair is hiring a Field Operations Lead to support nationwide utility inspection work. The position offers the opportunity to directly influence how a national drone operations team is developed, managed, and scaled. Throughout all stages of growth, Voltair will need strong field operational proficiency. This role will evolve to lead and manage all field operations, first manual operations and R&D testing, and later supporting and maintaining all deployed autonomous assets.

The Field Operations Lead will be responsible for overseeing the day-to-day drone operations and effectively leading and mentoring a team. The Lead is expected to be a major contributor to the leadership and growth of Voltair. This position will need to display exceptional management and organizational skills to effectively plan, direct, coordinate, and measure the success of the Field Operations department. This position will be responsible for the strategic and tactical management of a significant portion of Voltair.

Reporting
The Field Operations Lead will report directly to the Cofounder & COO, Warren Weissbluth.

Key Responsibilities

Firstly, this role is responsible for carrying out all company policies in compliance with all laws, rules, and regulations governing drone operations and activities. Additional responsibilities include:

1. Field Operations & Mission Execution

   1. Field Operations Lead - lead and support field execution by deploying and flying drones for power line inspections across varied terrain.
   2. Mission Planning - account for weather, terrain, airspace, and other operational constraints.
   3. Expense Projections - calculate operating expenses to deliver quotes to clients.
   4. Documentation - maintain consistent field documentation and follow defined safety procedures, serving as a safety leader to ensure zero incidents in the field.
   5. Procurement - support operations and procurement by managing equipment and identifying high ROI investments.
   6. Testing - support Voltair’s hardware engineering team with operational help and field support when testing Voltair’s hardware in the field.

2. Team Leadership & Development

   1. Hiring - Participate in the hiring, onboarding, and training of future drone pilots, and exercise discretion and independent judgment with matters of significance and have the authority to recommend hiring, firing, advancement, or any other change in employee status.
   2. Workforce Compensation - Strategize with the executive team on ideal per diem and other compensation policies for full time or contract labor
   3. Disciplinary Matters & Evaluations - Handle pilot disciplinary matters, including terminations, and conduct performance evaluations.
   4. SOPs - Contribute to establishing standards, workflows, and best practices for a scalable, nationwide drone operations organization.

3. Internal Collaboration & System Improvement

   1. Mission Planning Software - Work closely with internal software teams to automate work products, minimizing costs and maximizing efficiency.
   2. Inspection Delivery Software - Refine how inspection data is delivered

    

4. Stakeholder Management & Customer Service

   1. Customer Coordination - Coordinate with customer operations teams regarding inspection schedules, on-sites, and day-of logistics.
   2. On-site Presentation - Communicate quickly and professionally with all power utility operations stakeholders to provide situational awareness for ongoing inspection activities.
   3. Rate Payer Engagement - Stay calm and composed when engaging curious rate payers during on-sites.

Travel

Voltair will service power utilities across the United States and abroad. The Field Operations Lead should expect frequent travel and deployments in remote locations for extended periods of time.

Location & Office

Voltair expects relocation to our HQ in Mission District, San Francisco, California.

Typical Qualifications

Experience:

• Experience leading teams.
• Skilled drone pilot with real-world operational experience
• Experience in construction, utility operations, telecom, agriculture, forestry, military, or other field-based work.
• Comfort with technical topics such as camera settings, resolution, file formats, sensor behavior, and battery systems.
• Interest in increasing operational efficiency.
• Experience with commercial UAS industry or aviation safety experience
• Risk-averse operating style: reliable field judgment and adherence to safety standards.

Physical/Logistical:

• Ability to travel frequently across the United States.
• Valid Driver’s License.
• Ability to work in volatile weather conditions.
• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds, stand/walk for 8-10 hours.

Benefits

• Healthcare: Gold PPO plan, plus Dental and Vision coverage. Voltair covers 80% of costs for individuals and 70% for families.
• Retirement: 401(k) with up to 3.5% match
• Paid Time Off: 5 days of PTO provided at start. PTO accrues at a rate of 0.5 days per 2-week pay period.