Unmanned Aircrew Systems (UAS) Chief Pilot

Electus Recruitment
Bournemouth, United Kingdom
Today
£70,000 – £80,000 pa

Salary

£70,000 – £80,000 pa

Job Type
Permanent
Work Pattern
Full-time
Work Location
Hybrid
Seniority
Senior
Education
Degree
Security Clearance
Required
Posted
5 Jun 2026 (Today)

Benefits

Competitive pension scheme with employer contribution matching Performance related bonuses Private medical cover options Wellbeing initiatives Salary sacrifice schemes including electric vehicle options Support for ongoing professional development
A leading aerospace organisation operating at the forefront of uncrewed aviation and advanced operational training is expanding its UAS capability and seeking a senior flight operations leader to shape its next phase of delivery.

Salary: Up to £80,000
Make an impact on the development of uncrewed aviation capability while progressing your career in advanced aerospace operations.

Essential requirements
  • British Citizen, with eligibility to obtain and maintain UK security clearance
  • Proven Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLoS) operational experience in a commercial environment
  • Strong understanding of UK civil UAS and airspace regulatory frameworks
  • Demonstrable leadership experience within aviation operations or flight delivery teams
  • Experience working in regulated environments with safety critical procedures and compliance oversight
Your role
  • Lead safe, standardised and compliant UAS flight operations across live and trial environments
  • Act as the subject matter expert for uncrewed aviation operations, providing guidance to internal teams and stakeholders
  • Oversee regulatory engagement with the CAA and support approval processes for operational activity
  • Develop, implement and maintain operational procedures, including SOPs and safety management processes
  • Lead recruitment, development and performance management of UAS pilots and operational staff
  • Act as primary operational interface for customers, partners and internal stakeholders, supporting delivery and business development activity
Your experience
  • Strong background in BVLoS operations with hands on commercial delivery experience
  • Deep knowledge of UK aviation regulations and uncrewed aircraft systems governance
  • Proven ability to lead operational teams in complex, safety critical environments
  • Strong stakeholder management skills across technical, regulatory and commercial groups
  • High levels of integrity, resilience and structured decision making under pressure
  • Ability to manage competing priorities across operations, compliance and team development
Benefits and flexibility Rewards extend beyond pay with a competitive pension scheme with employer contribution matching, performance related bonuses, private medical cover options, wellbeing initiatives, salary sacrifice schemes including electric vehicle options, and support for ongoing professional development.
Where you will work Based in Bournemouth or Teesside with hybrid working available and frequent travel required to support operational delivery and stakeholder engagement.

Equal opportunities The employer is committed to equal opportunities and values diversity in the workplace.
These vacancies require UK security clearance. Applicants must be able to obtain and maintain relevant clearance.

This is a permanent role.

Electus Recruitment Solutions provides specialist engineering and technical recruitment solutions to high-technology industries. Thank you for your interest. If you do not hear from us within seven working days, please presume your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion. You may resubmit your CV or details in the future, and we shall assess your suitability then.

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