Fotokite develops autonomous, high-endurance tethered unmanned aerial systems to help firefighters and public safety teams save lives.
Fotokite systems allow first responders to quickly and easily gain situational awareness after arriving at emergency scenes: our autonomous one-touch launch/land system makes operation simple and safe; the dual color and thermal camera payload provides situational awareness from the system’s aerial perspective; and actively tethered flight means the system can be flown without a certified pilot, and can be left flying for as long as the situation requires.
Role Overview
We are seeking a high-energy, technically adept Sales Engineer to join our US team in Boulder, CO as an integral member of the Sales Team, reporting directly to Sales Leadership.
In this role, you will bridge the technical gap between our cutting-edge actively tethered Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS)—and the mission critical customers we serve across Public Safety (Fire, Search & Rescue, Law Enforcement) and Defense/Government sectors. Working alongside sales colleagues, engineering, and support, you will act as the primary technical subject matter expert throughout the entire sales lifecycle. You will lead live field demonstrations, evaluate complex vehicle and tactical integration specs, answer deep technical queries, and ensure seamless handoffs to post-sales deployment.
Key Responsibilities
- Technical Product Demos: Plan and deliver compelling in-person and virtual product demonstrations of Fotokite tethered UAS to public safety leadership, municipal decision-makers, defense end-users, and prime contractors.
- Solution Architecture: Partner with the Sales Team to evaluate customer mission parameters, vehicle and tactical integration requirements, camera/sensor configurations, and network software workflows, and assist customers with API integration and automation processes.
- Pilot & Field Testing: Manage hardware trials, tactical field evaluations, and technical validation testing directly with prospect agencies in real-world outdoor environments.
- RFP & Bid Support: Author technical responses for RFPs, RFIs, government tenders, and defense acquisition proposals in alignment with Sales Leadership priorities.
- Customer & Product Feedback Loop: Serve as the technical voice of the customer, capturing field data and operational feedback from sales engagements to inform internal engineering and product teams.
- Industry Representation: Represent Fotokite at defense expos, public safety trade shows, and live operational demonstration events across North America.
Qualifications
- Education: Bachelor’s degree required; preference for Engineering (Electrical, Mechanical, Systems), Robotics, Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), or a closely related technical discipline.
- 3+ years of experience in Sales Engineering, Field Application Engineering, or Technical Account Management.
- Strong hardware-meets-software background (experience with robotics, UAVs/drones, thermal/radiometric imaging, vehicle integration, communications, or defense/tactical tech).
- Proven track record of demonstrating complex hardware solutions in active outdoor and tactical environments.
- Outstanding communication skills with the ability to translate complex engineering specs into operational advantages for both municipal and defense buyers.
- Willingness and ability to travel up to 40% of the time.
- Must be based in (or willing to relocate to) the Boulder, CO region.
- Must be a US Person (US Citizen or Permanent Resident) eligible to handle defense-related technical data (ITAR/EAR compliance).
Bonus Points
- Active FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certification (or willingness to obtain within 60 days).
- Prior experience with defense procurement processes, government contracting, or a military/first responder service background.
Compensation & Benefits
- Salary Range: $85,000-$110,000 (salary to be determined by the education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities of the applicant, internal equity, and alignment with market data)
- Variable Compensation: Tied to team sales goals, government procurement, and milestones.
- This position includes a benefits package including paid holidays; paid time off; short-term and long-term disability; and paid parental leave. Medical/dental/vision insurance eligibility is dependent on the number of hours worked per week.
We require that applicants already have permission to work in the US. We will not sponsor work-related visas now or in the future. Please include both a resume and cover letter. We are looking forward to hearing from you!
Fotokite US LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, creed, color, sexual orientation and expression, age, marital status, disability, religion, national origin, military service, arrest/conviction record, victims of domestic violence, and genetics
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree
- 3+ years of experience in Sales Engineering, Field Application Engineering, or Technical Account Management
- Strong hardware-meets-software background, preferably involving robotics, UAVs/drones, thermal/radiometric imaging, vehicle integration, communications, or defense/tactical technology
- Proven experience demonstrating complex hardware solutions in active outdoor and tactical environments
- Outstanding communication skills and ability to translate engineering specifications into operational advantages
- Willingness and ability to travel up to 40% of the time
- Based in or willing to relocate to the Boulder, Colorado region
- US Person status, defined as US Citizen or Permanent Resident, eligible to handle defense-related technical data under ITAR/EAR
- Active FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certification or willingness to obtain it within 60 days
- Experience with defense procurement, government contracting, or military/first responder service
What We Do
Our team believes in a future where autonomous robotics are used in meaningful, accountable applications. Commercial UAVs have the technical capabilities to help save lives and share important stories- but they have continued to be held back by fundamental problems in safety, regulation, and flight time. By solving these fundamental issues, our team is able to offer the next generation of accountable and autonomous aerial robotics that are ready for real-world use today. Fotokite technology uses a tether combined with an onboard IMU to compute the vehicle's position relative to the user. This allows for quick deployment and controlled flight by virtually anyone and obviates the need for complex start-up protocols, GPS dependency, trained pilots, and bulky remote controls. The core algorithms were developed and refined over the course of years of research and experimentation at the world renowned Institute for Dynamic Systems and Control at ETH Zurich. With this foundation in place, the team is now working on expanding control capabilities with a keen eye on delivering intuitive user interaction, enabling expanded capabilities to teams in Firefighting and Public Safety applications.
