Test & Maintenance Lead

Llandanwg

1 month ago

Applications closed

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Location: Wales (Llanbedr Airfield)

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a highly skilled and motivated Ground Test & Maintenance Lead to support the operation, testing, modification, and maintenance of ULTRA Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV). This role is based at an airfield in Wales and will be central to ensuring safe, efficient, and high‑quality flying operations.

Role Overview

You will plan and lead ground testing, air-test support, and maintenance activities for UAV platforms. You will manage spares, ground equipment, fleet vehicles, and act as the key liaison with local airfield management. Working closely with deployed technicians and cross-functional teams, you will ensure the successful delivery of modification, maintenance, and rectification tasks.

Key Responsibilities

Planning, Leading & Conducting

Embodiment of planned fleet modifications
Scheduled maintenance activities
Diagnosis, planning, and delivery of unscheduled maintenance and repairs
Delivery of special-to-role post-manufacture modifications
Ground testing for quality assurance, system validation and fault confirmation
Fault rectification identified during testing
Ground handling, refuelling, and maintenance support to flying operations
Providing feedback on system issues to engineering and availability teams
Management and repair coordination for fleet support vehicles and ground support equipment
Procurement liaison for third-party maintenance and equipment servicing
Spares management for all modification, maintenance, and repair (MMRO) activity
Use of electronic inventory management systems (ERP)
Spares disposition for deployed aircraft operations
Maintaining accurate electronic records for aircraft and equipment
Ensuring workspace tidiness, cleanliness, and safe operation
Managing relationships with airfield management for facilities and logistics
Oversight of facilities within leased areas

Leadership Responsibilities

Supervise and approve work carried out by technicians
Mentor and support the MMRO team on-site
Promote continuous learning and professional development
Encourage a safety-first culture with transparency and open reporting
Lead by example with adherence to organisational values and policies

Managerial Responsibilities

Operational Delivery

Set clear objectives aligned with organisational strategy
Oversee day-to-day operations and project delivery
Manage resources, risks, and timelines within a fast-paced, agile environment

Functional Ownership

Lead delivery of technical, safety, and compliance outcomes
Act as subject matter expert across MMRO domains
Provide technical leadership and coordination across teams

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Work closely with Flight Operations, Engineering, Customer Success, and other teams
Ensure seamless communication and alignment of priorities

Standards & Continuous Improvement

Maintain documentation, quality, and compliance standards
Recommend and drive process improvements
Identify opportunities to improve tools, systems, and workflows
Foster innovation within a growing organisation

People Leadership

Set goals for direct reports and support their development
Build an inclusive, respectful, high-performance culture

Qualifications & Experience

Essential

Experience leading and supervising vehicle technicians (air, automotive, marine, or rail)
Experience supervising mechanical or electrical/electronic vehicle fault diagnosis
Strong communication and interpersonal skills
Ability to interpret engineering drawings and modification packs
Ability to learn new systems, tools, and software
Proficiency in Microsoft Office
Right to work in the UK
Ability to obtain vetting or security clearance as requiredDesirable

Experience supervising both mechanical and electrical/electronic diagnostics
Willingness to operate periodically from remote locations (UK or overseas)
Experience using specialised fleet management or progress management systems
Ability to read MCAD and ECAD drawings

Professional Development

The role supports ongoing professional development. You will be encouraged to keep current with industry practices and undertake relevant continuing professional education.

Additional Information

This description reflects the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, but duties may evolve with the needs of the organisation. You may be asked to undertake other reasonable tasks as required

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