Sr. operations specialist – launch team

Skydio is the leading US drone company and the world leader in autonomous flight, the key technology for the future of drones and aerial mobility. The Skydio team combines deep expertise in artificial intelligence, best-in-class hardware and software product development, operational excellence, and customer obsession to empower a broader, more diverse audience of drone users, from utility inspectors to first responders, soldiers in battlefield scenarios, and beyond.

About the Role

Skydio is seeking a Readiness Specialist to get our dock customers from signed opportunity to a running program. You will own a book of accounts within a region, from large cities to small towns, and project manage each customer through everything that has to be true before a dock flies: the site, the network, the policy and approvals behind the program, the flight operation that will run it, and a clean handoff to Customer Success. Most of that work is done by other people, inside the customer and inside Skydio, and none of them report to you. The job is building the relationships that get it done, and holding the date.

This is a remote role. Travel of 50 to 60% is required to support site surveys, customer engagements, deployments, team onsites, and company events.

About the Team

The Launch Team is the operational arm of Skydio's dock business. We sit between the opportunity and the running program, and readiness means everything a customer needs to launch. We do not perform every piece of that work, but we project manage the customer to all of it and are accountable for the date.

Readiness starts before the contract is signed. Much of it runs on calendar time Skydio does not control, such as an engineering study, a purchase order, or an MOU in legal review, so the earlier it starts, the sooner the dock is in the ground. The team is measured on time-to-launch, readiness gate adherence, deployment schedule performance, and the condition of the program at handoff.

Readiness Specialists are critical members of the Skydio organization and work closely with Account Executives, Solutions Engineers, Deployment Engineering, Integrations, and Customer Success to support successful deployments, customer confidence, and the long-term success of dock programs.

How You’ll Make an Impact

• Own a book of dock accounts within your region and run the weekly customer cadence, readiness record, and risk tracking on every one, from opportunity through clean handoff to Customer Success.
• Build the working relationships that move a launch: the customer's program manager, facilities and IT staff, procurement, and legal on the outside, and Account Executives, Solutions Engineers, Deployment, and Customer Success on the inside.
• Lead site surveys and make-ready planning, including rooftop and site assessments, power and mounting, and RF, LTE, and network readiness with the customer's IT and network administrators.
• Drive the non-technical path to launch: waivers and BVLOS approvals, policy and data retention, council or board authorization, and pilot staffing and training. Name that work for the customer early so it does not surprise them later.
• Hold the line on readiness gates. Deployment prerequisites are verified before a dock ships, and when an account goes dark or a blocker exceeds your authority, escalate early through the AE, SE, or leader who can clear it.
• Cover for other specialists in your region during absence or surge, and turn what you see across launches into playbook improvements and prioritized, defensible feedback for Product and Engineering.

What Makes You a Good Fit

• 3+ years in a customer-facing project management, implementation, deployment, or operations role.
• Experience managing a portfolio of concurrent projects with timelines, dependencies, and outside stakeholders you do not control.
• Familiarity with Drone as First Responder concepts of operation and dock based remote operations. Professional experience is strongly preferred.
• Comfort working with public sector and enterprise customers, including their IT, facilities, procurement, and legal teams.
• Highly organized with strong attention to detail, and disciplined about keeping the system of record current.
• Excellent written and verbal communication. You can brief an operator, a program manager, and a chief or a city council without changing the facts.

Nice to Have

• Prior public safety service, or experience standing up a Drone as First Responder program on the agency side.
• Experience supporting an agency through a public approval process, such as council or board authorization, public comment, or privacy and data retention policy.
• Familiarity with site survey, RF and LTE assessment, and network readiness for fixed installations.
• Familiarity with grant funding pathways and cooperative purchasing vehicles used by state and local agencies.
• Working knowledge of Salesforce, Palantir, Databricks, or equivalents.

What Is Required

• FAA Part 107 Certificate, or the ability to obtain one within 60 days of hire.
• Ability to travel 50 to 60% of the time.
• Ability to lift up to 60 lbs unaided.
• Comfortable working outdoors, at height, and performing physical tasks including climbing ladders.

Compensation

At Skydio, our compensation packages for regular, full-time employees include competitive base salaries, equity in the form of stock options, and comprehensive benefits packages. Compensation will vary based on factors, including skill level, proficiencies, transferable knowledge, and experience. Relocation assistance may also be provided for eligible roles. The annual salary range for this position is $125,000 - $170,000*. Fundamentally, we believe that equity is the key to long-term financial growth, and we ensure all regular, full-time employees have the opportunity to significantly benefit from the company's success. Regular, full-time employees are eligible to enroll in the Company’s group health insurance plans. Regular, full-time employees are eligible to receive the following benefits: Paid vacation time, sick leave, holiday pay and 401K savings plan. This position and all associated benefits are subject to applicable federal, state, and local laws, as well as the Company’s policies and eligibility criteria.

*Compensation for certain positions may vary based on the position’s location.

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At Skydio we believe that diversity drives innovation. We have created a multidisciplinary environment that embraces the power of diverse perspectives to create elegant solutions for complex problems. We are committed to growing our network of people, programs, and resources to nurture an inclusive culture.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or other characteristics protected by federal, state or local anti-discrimination laws.

For positions located in the United States of America, Skydio, Inc. uses E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit https://www.e-verify.gov/