Range Operations Officer (R6193)

Posted 3 Hours Ago
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Wichita, KS, USA
In-Office
Mid level
Aerospace • Artificial Intelligence • Machine Learning • Robotics • Software • Defense Technology
Our mission is to protect service members and civilians with intelligent systems.
The Role
Supports daily flight-test range readiness, safety, facilities, equipment, access controls, NOTAMs, supplies, vendors, and operational records. Conducts inspections, coordinates fuel and contractor services, maintains inventories and documentation, supports test-day briefings and emergency response, and may serve as a delegated Range Safety Officer. Escalates issues to the Range Operations Manager and helps ensure safe, orderly, and timely aviation operations.
Summary Generated by Built In
Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include Hivemind autonomy software, V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, and Aechelon simulation and synthetic reality technologies. With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Shield AI’s technology actively supports operations worldwide. For more information, visit www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and YouTube. 

Job Description:

The Range Operations Officer supports the daily operation, readiness, and sustainment of Shield AI’s flight-test ranges . The role ensures that range, facilities, equipment, consumables, access controls, required notifications, and operational records are prepared and maintained for safe range operations.

Reporting to the Range Operations Manager, the Officer performs day-to-day range support and site-readiness activities. The role does not hold flight-release, airworthiness, test-director, or airport-authority responsibility. It escalates operational issues, safety concerns, resource constraints, and external coordination needs to the Range Operations Manager.

What you'll do:

  • Open, inspect, configure, and close the range for scheduled test activity; maintain daily readiness, operating, and closeout logs.
  • ·Verify that required NOTAMs, airport coordination, site access, weather information, safety equipment, emergency contacts, exclusion-zone controls, and operational signage are in place before testing.
  • Coordinate routine daily requirements with Airport Operations, the Flight Test Director, Maintenance, Engineering, FTI, Security, suppliers, contractors, and visitors.
  • Maintain the NOTAM tracker, verify active NOTAM status, retain NOTAM records, and alert the Range Operations Manager of upcoming, missing, conflicting, or expired NOTAMs.
  • Monitor and maintain readiness of range vehicles, fuel , POL, consumables, towing/recovery equipment, radios, and assigned ground-support equipment; identify shortfalls and coordinate replenishment or repair before they affect planned operations.
  • Coordinate fuel deliveries, vehicle servicing, range-equipment rentals, operational vendors, and contractor support required for scheduled flight-test activity; maintain status of orders, deliveries, and open operational issues.
  • Conduct routine inspections of the test areas/facilities, hangar, access roads, fencing, gates, signage, lighting, storage areas, utilities, GSE, and operational support equipment; document discrepancies and track corrective actions.
  • Support test-day briefs by confirming range status, weather, personnel access, emergency readiness, communications, and changes affecting the planned operation.
  • Maintain range maps, emergency contact lists, site layouts, equipment inventories, supplier lists, service records, inspection records, and controlled operational templates.
  • Serve as Range Safety Officer (RSO) under delegated authority from the Range Operations Manager when required.
  • ·upport emergency-response readiness through equipment checks, contact-list verification, responder access coordination, and maintenance of recovery/spill-response resources.
  • During an event, support the Range Operations Manager, Flight Test Director, and responding agencies with access control, personnel accountability, event logging, documentation, and resource coordination.
  • Identify recurring operational issues and recommend practical improvements to site readiness, facilities, inventory levels, procedures, vendor support, and test-day efficiency.
  • Daily range-operations positions commonly include readiness inspections, safety/access control, operational documentation, equipment issue and tracking, weather communication, range opening/closing, and emergency-response support; aviation operations Officers similarly coordinate the services, resources, documentation, and external stakeholders needed for safe operations.

Required qualifications:

  • 3+ years of experience in aviation operations, airport operations, flight test, UAS operations, military range operations, maintenance operations, logistics, or a comparable high-tempo technical environment.
  • Working knowledge of aviation safety, airfield operations, weather, NOTAM coordination, aircraft ground operations, hazardous-material awareness, and operational documentation.
  • Ability to work independently, prioritize competing test-day requirements, communicate clearly by radio and phone, and maintain disciplined records.
  • Comfortable working outdoors around aircraft, fuel, GSE, high-noise operations, contractors, and changing weather conditions.
  • Valid driver’s license and ability to operate site vehicles, trailers, and approved GSE after training.
  • Ability to obtain airport access credentials and pass applicable background/security requirements.
  • Willingness to support nonstandard hours, including early mornings, evenings, weekends, and time-sensitive test operations.

Preferred qualifications:

  • Experience supporting flight-test, UAS, VTOL, military, aerospace, or airport operations.
  • Familiarity with FAA NOTAM processes, airport operating procedures, and airside vehicle/access controls.
  • Experience with fuel and hazardous-material handling, spill-response readiness, inventory control, vendor management, and contractor coordination.
  • Current or prior training in OSHA 10/30, HAZWOPER awareness, first aid/CPR/AED, fire-extinguisher use, incident command system, or airfield-driver safety.
  • Experience with Excel-based trackers, asset/inventory systems, maintenance/work-order tools, document control, and operational readiness checklists.

Success measures:

  • All planned tests begin with completed range-readiness checks, current required notifications, required access controls, and no preventable site-readiness delay.
  • Fuel, consumables, safety equipment, emergency supplies, and operational equipment remain available, inspected, and within defined reorder limits.
  • NOTAMs, range logs, inspections, visitor records, and corrective-action trackers are current and audit-ready.
  • Safety, facility, access, and vendor issues are identified early, communicated clearly, and closed on schedule.
  • The Range Operations Manager receives a concise daily status update covering test readiness, open actions, upcoming coordination needs, inventory concerns, and escalations.
  • The Flight Test Range Operations Officer is a hands-on, highly organized role for someone who enjoys turning complex flight-test requirements into an orderly, safe, and ready-to-operate test environment. The successful candidate will be the day-to-day operational backbone of the Newton range, enabling the Range Operations Manager and flight-test team to focus on safe, disciplined execution of advanced aviation programs.

#LI-JM1
#LB

Full-time regular employee offer package:
Pay within range listed + Bonus + Benefits + Equity
 
Temporary employee offer package:
Pay within range listed above + temporary benefits package (applicable after 60 days of employment)
 
Salary compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, licenses and certifications, and specific work location. All offers are contingent on a cleared background and possible reference check. Military fellows and part-time employees are not eligible for benefits. Please speak to your talent acquisition representative for more information.
 
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Shield AI is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know. 

Skills Required

  • 3+ years of experience in aviation operations, airport operations, flight test, UAS operations, military range operations, maintenance operations, logistics, or a comparable high-tempo technical environment
  • Working knowledge of aviation safety, airfield operations, weather, NOTAM coordination, aircraft ground operations, hazardous-material awareness, and operational documentation
  • Ability to work independently, prioritize competing test-day requirements, communicate clearly by radio and phone, and maintain disciplined records
  • Ability to work outdoors around aircraft, fuel, ground support equipment, contractors, high-noise operations, and changing weather conditions
  • Valid driver's license and ability to operate site vehicles, trailers, and approved ground support equipment after training
  • Ability to obtain airport access credentials and pass applicable background and security requirements
  • Willingness to support nonstandard hours, including early mornings, evenings, weekends, and time-sensitive test operations
  • Experience supporting flight-test, UAS, VTOL, military, aerospace, or airport operations
  • Familiarity with FAA NOTAM processes, airport operating procedures, and airside vehicle and access controls
  • Experience with fuel and hazardous-material handling, spill-response readiness, inventory control, vendor management, and contractor coordination
  • Training in OSHA 10/30, HAZWOPER awareness, first aid/CPR/AED, fire-extinguisher use, incident command system, or airfield-driver safety
  • Experience with Excel-based trackers, asset/inventory systems, maintenance/work-order tools, document control, and operational readiness checklists

What the Team is Saying

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Shield AI Compensation & Benefits Highlights

  • Healthcare Strength — Company materials highlight comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with mental-health support and an EAP. Third-party benefits summaries also portray health coverage as a strong component of the package.
  • Retirement Support — Offerings include a 401(k) with employer matching, cited on the careers page and independent benefits directories. Multiple sources indicate a match exists, though exact formulas have varied over time and warrant confirmation.
  • Equity Value & Accessibility — Company communications describe equity for all full-time hires and stock benefits as part of total rewards. Independent listings also note company equity/RSUs as a standard element.

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The Company
HQ: San Diego, CA
Year Founded: 2015

What We Do

At Shield AI, you won't wait years to see your work reach the field. You'll build hardware and software that operates in the real world right now, in the hands of the people who depend on it. Hivemind, our AI pilot, has been flying since 2018. It has flown more than 30 platforms, including an F-16, and it now sits under a U.S. Air Force production contract for Collaborative Combat Aircraft. When you write code or shape a system here, you contribute to technology with a proven flight record and a clear production future. V-BAT flies intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions with an operational record that stretches from Ukraine to the Indo-Pacific. It delivers eyes where they matter most, in the most demanding conditions on earth. The teams behind it watch their work get tested where the stakes are real. X-BAT takes its first flight this year. It's an AI-piloted fighter that needs no runway, built to operate where traditional aircraft can't. Join now and you help shape a program at its earliest, most formative stage. That's the kind of ground-floor work that defines a career. Do the most impactful work of your life, on problems that matter. Autonomy at this level asks a lot of you. You'll take on problems in perception, planning, and control that few teams anywhere are equipped to solve. You'll work across disciplines, from aerospace and robotics to machine learning and systems engineering, alongside people who hold themselves to an exacting standard and expect the same from you. Our mission is clear: protect service members and civilians with intelligent systems. That purpose runs through every decision, every design review, and every deployment. It's why the work here carries a weight you can feel. Ready to join our mission? Explore our open roles and find where you fit.

Why Work With Us

Founded in 2015 by a former Navy SEAL, Shield AI builds AI pilots and uncrewed aircraft. Veterans aren't an afterthought here, they're at every level. It's why the work carries weight: AI pilots and uncrewed aircraft flying real missions, from Ukraine to the Indo-Pacific, protecting service members and civilians.

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