The posting
ROLE HIGHLIGHTS
- Role: Senior Operations Specialist (Flight Engineer)
- Department: HAPS
- Location: Valencia, Spain
- Working type: On site, with limited remote working
- Employment is subject to applicable security screening (incl. SUPO, where required)
THE MISSION OF THE SENIOR OPERATIONS SPECIALIST (FLIGHT ENGINEER)
As Senior Operations Specialist (Flight Engineer) on the HAPS (High Altitude Platform Station) program, you will help keep ICEYE's stratospheric, solar-powered electric aircraft safe, healthy and productive throughout its flights. In flight, you will be the crew's reference for the aircraft's technical condition: monitoring its systems, managing its energy and thermal balance, and turning what the aircraft tells you into clear, timely recommendations for the Mission Planner and the Autopilot Operator.
The role is deliberately broad. Beyond flight engineering, you will contribute across the Operations team: preparing and executing flight test campaigns, supporting ground control station operations, assessing flight results and feeding them back into the aircraft's development, and helping build the procedures and tools of an operations capability that will scale as the program grows.
WHO ARE WE?
ICEYE delivers space-based intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities to governments and allied nations. This includes sovereign and turnkey ISR missions leveraging ICEYE's world-leading synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite technology, as well as access to data from the world's largest SAR satellite constellation. These capabilities enable partners to detect and respond to critical changes anywhere on Earth with unprecedented speed and accuracy, day or night and in any weather, supported by ultra high-resolution imagery and high-frequency revisits.
As a trusted partner for defense, intelligence, security, and maritime domain awareness, ICEYE's near real-time data creates a tactical advantage for mission-critical operations. ICEYE operates internationally with offices in Finland, Poland, Spain, Japan, the UAE, Greece, Germany, and the US. The company has more than 900 employees, inspired by the shared vision of improving life on Earth by becoming the global source of truth in Earth Observation.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
FLIGHT OPERATIONS
- Monitor the health and status of the aircraft and its on-board systems in flight, detect developing anomalies or degradation early, and assess their impact on the mission.
- Manage the aircraft energy balance: battery state of charge, solar power availability and the power budget, ensuring enough stored energy to safely operate through the night.
- Monitor and manage the aircraft thermal condition to keep its systems within operating limits.
- Advise the Mission Planner and Autopilot Operator on aircraft health, available power and thermal status, and coordinate technical decisions with them throughout the flight.
WIDER OPERATIONS SUPPORT
- Contribute to the planning, preparation and execution of flight test campaigns, including site preparation, pre-flight checks, launch and recovery activities.
- Take on other crew positions or ground control station duties as operational needs require, building versatility across the Operations team.
- Analyse flight data after each flight, report results and translate findings into improvements for the aircraft, its systems and operating procedures.
- Develop and maintain operational procedures, checklists, emergency procedures and operations documentation.
- Develop and improve monitoring, analysis and planning tools used by the flight crew, such as telemetry dashboards and energy or thermal estimation tools.
- Support aircraft integration, ground testing and simulation activities, and contribute to the training and qualification of crew members.
- Support safety and risk assessments for operations and, when needed, coordination with aviation authorities and external partners.
REQUIREMENTS
MUST HAVE SKILLS
- 5+ years of relevant experience in UAS or aircraft testing and operations.
- Solid understanding of aircraft systems, in particular avionics, electrical power and propulsion.
- Experience monitoring live telemetry, interpreting system data and diagnosing anomalies under time pressure.
- Good understanding of electrical energy systems such as batteries, solar power and power budgets.
- Clear communication and the ability to work as part of a flight crew, including during long-endurance operations.
- Programming or scripting skills for data analysis and tooling (e.g. Python; C/C++ a plus).
- Ability to drive large vehicles or convoys (within limits of B license).
- Good command of the English language, both oral and written.
NICE TO HAVE SKILLS
- Aerospace, electrical or electronics/avionics engineering background, being able to debug and/or implement quick SW/HW solutions.
- Experience with solar-powered, electric or long-endurance aircraft, or with high-altitude platforms.
- Knowledge of thermal management of electronics and batteries in cold, low-pressure environments.
- Experience with safety analysis in the SORA framework.
- Good knowledge of meteorology (turbulence formation, thermal activity, etc., and how to identify it).
- Understanding of control engineering, aero or aeroelastics basics.
- Familiarity with autopilot/GPS stack calibration and ground software like QGroundControl.
- Experience with aircraft prototyping, systems integration and ground testing, including lightweight composite airframes.
- EASA-valid remote pilot license up to specific category standard scenarios.
- Proactive can-do attitude and love for aerospace are expected.
APPLICATION PROCESS
- Talent Acquisition Interview
- Hiring Manager Interview
- Technical Interview (onsite or virtual), including a Technical Challenge
- Hiring Team Interview
- Offer Decision
WORKING AT ICEYE
At ICEYE, you'll join a diverse and highly engaged team united by the ambition to make the impossible possible. As a global scale-up, we combine speed and ambition with the opportunity to take real ownership from day one. Your growth, wellbeing, and success are a priority, with continuous professional development, training opportunities, and a culture where collaboration is how we win.
HOW WE WORK (OUR VALUES)
Make the impossible possible: We set ambitious goals and stay calm under pressure. We bring grit, optimism, and ownership when things get hard, and we keep moving until we find a way.
- Be curious: Go deep, ask questions, listen carefully, and think critically. Understand the "why" behind decisions.
- See the big picture: Stay close to what's happening across the company so you can make better decisions. Consider how your work affects others.
- Drive effective teamwork: Create psychological safety, invite different perspectives, and build inclusive teams. There are no bad questions.
- Act as one team: We win together. We match tasks to the right owner and stay agile as priorities shift.
- Have fun: What we do matters, and it should be enjoyable. Celebrate progress, take pride in results, and share the wins.
BENEFITS
Our benefits are designed to support your health and wellbeing, at work and beyond. We keep improving them based on employee feedback, and offerings vary by location. Talent Acquisition will confirm what applies for this role and location during the process.
OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION
We want ICEYE to be a place where people can be themselves and do great work. Different backgrounds and perspectives make us stronger, which is why we work to create an environment where people feel included, respected, and able to speak up. Whatever your background, we want you to bring your authentic self to the table.
We're committed to fair, inclusive hiring and equal opportunity. Everyone is welcome to apply. If you need any adjustments or support during the recruitment process, tell us; we'll do our best to help.
Apply now to start your ICEYE journey, and help us continue to make the impossible possible together. Read more about ICEYE and working with us at iceye.com http://iceye.com.
