Flight Operations Associate (Temporary, 6 months)

About Pyka
Pyka’s goal is to provide society with a new form of safe, clean, and cost-effective transportation enabled by autonomous electric aviation.

To get there, we’re taking a different approach than most. We're applying our technologies to every industry where autonomous electric aircraft can be useful, starting with the highest value and most dangerous jobs. In doing so, we're building game-changing products manufactured at scale, while perfecting the safety, reliability, and capabilities of our autonomy engine and electric propulsion systems.

We design, develop and manufacture an ecosystem of technologies including proprietary flight control software, avionics, high power density motors, motor controllers, batteries, and custom carbon-fiber composite airframes.

Today, we supply autonomous electric aircraft for cargo transport and crop protection to real-world customers across four separate continents and have secured industry-first regulatory approvals from the FAA. Our cargo aircraft enables remote connectivity, enhances express delivery networks, and ensures fast and reliable shipping of critical supplies to areas in need. Our crop protection aircraft offers agricultural services providers and farmers an autonomous tool to make aerial application safer, more precise, and less harmful to surrounding environments. Both vehicles are highly economical to operate, easy to deploy, and significantly reduce C02 emissions in their respective industries.

What you work on at Pyka makes people’s lives better now and brings the future of electric aviation one step closer each day.

Role Overview:

Pyka is looking for a Flight Operations Associate to join our experienced and enthusiastic flight operations team for the next six months with the possibility of extension. In this full time role, you will contribute to day-to-day flight test operations at our test sites across the Bay Area.

The flight operations team supports flight testing across many organizations at Pyka so your roles and responsibilities can vary from one week to the next. Candidates with an unparalleled work ethic and an interest in starting a career in UAV operations would excel in this role.

Responsibilities

• Drive a truck and trailer between headquarters and test sites located throughout the Bay Area to deliver planes, tools, and equipment. Average driving time of 1-2 hours between test sites and headquarters
• Follow safe operational processes to load and unload airplanes on trailers
• Clean and maintain supplies, tools and equipment and storage areas
• Maintain a safe, clean, and organized work space
• Communicate effectively across multiple levels of the organization using Slack, Asana, and email to address any test or flight-blocking issues
• Opportunity to be cross-trained to help fill other roles and responsibilities - Unmanned Aerial Vehicle flight and testing, UAV maintenance
  
  
  
  

Required Qualifications

• Valid driver's license and ability to pass a motor vehicle records check with a clean driving background
• Experience driving trailers
• Organized, thorough, and rigorous when following checklists and instructions
• 2 years of work experience
• High School diploma or equivalent
• Ability to lift, push, pull and carry up to 60 lbs
• Ability to work flexible hours to support business needs, including overtime, weekend, and evening calls as needed
• Comfortable working in a busy and rapidly changing environment — propensity to bring order to chaos
  
  
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Commercial driver’s license
• Associate's Degree
• Interest in learning how to fly UAS/experience flying UAS
• We understand that candidates bring different strengths and experiences, and you don’t need to meet every qualification to be considered. If this role excites you, we’d love to learn more about you. You may be a great fit even if your background doesn’t align perfectly with the list
  
  
  
  

Compensation And Benefits

• $28 - 34/hr. Compensation will vary depending on location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Hourly wage ranges are subject to change
• Employer-sponsored health, dental and vision insurance
• FSA with employer matching
• 401(k)
• Paid holidays, generous PTO, and additional unpaid time off
• Pre-tax commuter benefits
• Free catered lunch and plenty of snacks
  
  
  
  

Export Control Requirements
This position requires access to technology, software and other information that is subject to governmental access control restrictions, due to export controls. Employment in this position is conditioned on the continued availability of government authorization to authorize release of such items, to the extent required, including without limitation an export license, or other documentation required to establish authorization to receive access to such items.

Company may delay commencement of employment, rescind an offer of employment, terminate employment, and/or may modify job responsibilities, compensation, benefits, and/or access to Company facilities and information systems, as Company deems appropriate, in order to ensure compliance with applicable government access control restrictions.

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We do not work with external recruiters; if you are an external recruiter, please do not reach out.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans.