# Drones Operations Manager **Company**: Deliveroo, part of DoorDash **Location**: Dublin, Ireland **Work arrangement**: onsite **Experience**: senior **Job type**: full-time **Category**: Logistics & Supply Chain **Industry**: Technology **Apply**: https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/deliveroo/jobs/8325069?utm_source=yubhub.co&utm_medium=jobs_feed&utm_campaign=apply **Canonical**: https://yubhub.co/jobs/job_420922af-f1e ## Description As the Drone Operations Manager for UK & Ireland, you are a player-coach who will stand up our drone delivery operation in the region from nothing. You will personally fly on a regular basis, as a working pilot, while you build the team, find and fit out the operating sites, and help take us through UK CAA and/or Irish Aviation Authority (IAA)/EASA authorisation. ## Responsibilities ### Fly and Operate - Fly as a pilot in command on a regular rota: aircraft acceptance and commissioning flights, proving flights for the regulator, and live delivery operations. - Run pre-flight and post-flight checks, site and airspace checks, weather go/no-go decisions, battery and payload handling, and flight logging in line with the Operations Manual. - Act as visual observer, payload operator or flight supervisor as needed, and be on the ground at launch and landing sites during operations. - Keep your own pilot competency, currency, recurrent training and flight records up to date, to the standard you set for the team. - Lead incident, accident and occurrence response in the field and file regulator reports (CAA mandatory occurrence reporting / IAA-EASA equivalent) and run the follow-up investigation. ### Build the Team - Recruit, hire and onboard the first pilots, ops technicians, visual observers, maintenance staff and the nominated safety/compliance post-holders. - Write the training syllabus and run initial and recurrent training, including practical flight checks, competency assessments, emergency drills and currency tracking. - Build the duty roster, flight-time and fatigue limits, and on-call coverage. ### Find and Build the Sites - Scout and secure launch/landing sites, hubs and maintenance space near merchant partners. Walk the sites, survey obstacles, flight paths, ground risk and operational suitability, and negotiate access, leases and landowner permissions. - Oversee on-site fit-out: workshop space, battery charging and storage (including fire protection and lithium battery storage rules), power and connectivity, security, landing pads, signage, first aid and fire equipment. - Own the launch plan, budget, vendors and timeline for each site. - Lead local community and stakeholder engagement for each site (neighbours, local authorities), including noise and privacy concerns. - Work with the aircraft provider and engineering on site layout, charging, battery swap and loading equipment. ### Regulatory Authorisation and Compliance - Run the Safety Management System (SMS): hazard reporting, risk assessments, safety reviews, audits and corrective actions. - Be the day-to-day contact for the CAA, IAA and air navigation service providers, including audits, inspections and flight demonstrations. ### Scale the Operation - Track flight, delivery and reliability metrics and use them to improve procedures, rotas and site layouts. - Work with the commercial operations lead to match merchant demand to flight capacity. - Work with the US drone operations team to adapt proven processes to the UK/Ireland regulatory environment. ## Requirements - Current remote pilot qualifications and significant hands-on UAS flight experience (including BVLOS or complex operations), with a CAA or EASA-recognised pilot competency (e.g. A2 CofC, GVC/OSC-level, or national equivalent). - Experience holding or managing UK CAA Operational Authorisations and/or EASA Specific category authorisations (or LUC). - Proven ability to write and enforce SOPs, checklists and Operations Manuals. - Working knowledge of UK CAA / IAA / EASA regulations, SORA, airspace and compliance frameworks. - Experience leading and training pilots, and starting up or scaling flight operations. - Practical experience setting up an operating site: finding space, working with landlords, contractors and local authorities, and handling battery storage and site safety. - Background in risk assessment, SMS, and emergency response. - Willingness to work in the field in all weather, including early mornings, evenings and weekends, as operations require. ## Skills ### Required - UAS flight experience - CAA or EASA-recognised pilot competency - UK CAA Operational Authorisations - EASA Specific category authorisations - SOPs - checklists - Operations Manuals - UK CAA / IAA / EASA regulations - SORA - airspace and compliance frameworks - leadership - training pilots - flight operations - risk assessment - SMS - emergency response ### Nice to have - commercial drone delivery or logistics experience - prior involvement in obtaining BVLOS authorisations in the UK or EU - technical understanding of autonomous flight systems - aircraft maintenance - aviation software - existing relationships with the UK CAA, IAA, NATS or AirNav Ireland --- Source: [Apply at job-boards.greenhouse.io](https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/deliveroo/jobs/8325069?utm_source=yubhub.co&utm_medium=jobs_feed&utm_campaign=apply)