UAS / Drone Pilot and Customer Success Specialist - Defense
At WingXpand®
Locations:
Chicago (Schaumburg), IL
Type:
Full Time | Open 6/15/26 | Close 6/29/26
About WingXpand
WingXpand is Expanding What’s Possible™ with Autonomous Systems, building long-endurance, backpackable smart plane drones and robotics systems that support defense, public safety, disaster response, and commercial missions. Our platforms operate across air, ground, and maritime domains, integrating autonomy, AI-powered sensing, edge computing, and networked systems to deliver real-world intelligence and threat detection. We design, build, and deploy complete systems — hardware, software, and data — and we move fast. As WingXpand scales, we are seeking high performers to grow with our team.
Position Description
We are on the hunt for an experienced UAS / Drone Pilot to support our growing team and flight activities. If you have 5+ years of experience in flying fixed-wing UAVs or come from a military background where you've handled similar equipment, we're eager to have you on board. Your role will be pivotal in safely operating our drones for various missions and ensuring the highest standards of flight operations through development activities and customer flight demos.
Key Responsibilities:
- Flight Operations: Safely operate UAVs and VTOL systemsduring demos, training events, test operations, and customer missions.
- Customer Demonstrations: Lead live product demonstrationsand support operational evaluations.
- Training: Conduct classroom and hands on flight training foroperators and customers.
- Mission Support: Assist customers during exercises,deployments, and operational activities.
- Customer Success: Help customers successfully integrate andoperate WingXpand systems.
- Product Engagement: Provide real time operational feedbackdirectly to WingXpand’s engineering and technician teams and help shape nextgeneration products and capabilities.
- Travel: Travel regularly to customer sites, test events, andtrade shows, potentially with limited notice.
Qualifications:
- FAA Part 107 certification required prior to start
- 5+ years of experience operating UAVs, VTOL systems, orunmanned aircraft platforms.
- Military aviation or Group 1/2 UAS experience preferred.
- Preferred experience with modern battlefield TTPs (Tactics,Techniques, and Procedures).
- Strong communication, troubleshooting, and problem solvingskills.
- Ability to work independently and directly with customers inoperational environments.
- Ability to travel frequently.
Additional qualifications:
- Prefer those with desire to also support business development activities, including trade shows and proposal development
- Prefer those with a desire to collaborate with engineering and development teams to improve product
What Else You Need to Know
To conform to U.S. Government aerospace technology export regulations, applicant must be a 'U.S. Person' (U.S. Citizen or a Permanent Resident/Green Card Holder).
If you are a self-motivated, results-driven individual with a passion for innovation and technology, we want to hear from you!
