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Uas Operator Jobs in Washington (NOW HIRING)

Your work will ensure robust, encrypted communications links for UAS operating in non-cooperative and contested environments, directly supporting mission-critical operations for US customers. You ...

Management Analyst

Arlington, VA · On-site

$118K - $155K/yr

Advise, assist and support public and private sector outreach efforts to reduce UAS incidents by careless and clueless operators and enhance SLTT law enforcement and security staff response to non ...

Advise, assist and support public and private sector outreach efforts to reduce UAS incidents by careless and clueless operators and enhance SLTT law enforcement and security staff response to non ...

Showing results 21-40

Uas Operator information

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$12

$22

$33

How much do uas operator jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 9, 2026, the average hourly pay for uas operator in Washington is $22.73, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $19.04 and $25.05 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

Do Uas Operators make good money?

UAS (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) operators can earn a competitive salary, often ranging from $50,000 to $100,000 annually depending on experience, location, and industry. Certified operators with specialized skills in drone technology and regulations tend to have higher earning potential, especially in sectors like surveying, agriculture, or film production.

How to get a job as a Uas Operator?

To become a Uas (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) Operator, candidates typically need a combination of relevant education, such as a high school diploma or equivalent, and specialized training in drone operation. Obtaining a Remote Pilot Certificate from the FAA or relevant authority is often required, along with hands-on experience with drone equipment and safety protocols. Strong technical skills, attention to detail, and knowledge of airspace regulations are essential for securing employment in this field.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a UAS operator?

To thrive as a UAS Operator, you need strong piloting skills, situational awareness, and a deep understanding of drone technology, typically supported by an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate or relevant military/commercial credentials. Familiarity with ground control software, flight planning tools, GPS systems, and UAS maintenance procedures is essential. Strong attention to detail, problem-solving abilities, and effective communication skills help operators excel in both independent missions and collaborative operations. These skills and qualifications ensure safe, efficient, and compliant execution of unmanned aerial systems operations across various applications.

What does a Uas Operator do?

A UAS (Unmanned Aircraft System) Operator is responsible for flying and managing drones or unmanned aerial vehicles, often for tasks such as aerial photography, surveying, inspection, or data collection. They operate remote control systems, follow safety protocols, and may need certification or training to ensure proper and safe drone operation.

What is a UAS operator?

A UAS (Unmanned Aircraft System) Operator is responsible for piloting drones for various applications, such as aerial surveying, reconnaissance, photography, and inspections. They ensure safe and legal operation by following aviation regulations and mission-specific protocols. UAS Operators may work in industries like defense, agriculture, construction, or emergency response. Their tasks include flight planning, equipment maintenance, data collection, and reporting. Some positions require specialized training or certifications, depending on the type of drone and industry.

What are the typical daily responsibilities of a UAS operator?

As a UAS Operator, your daily responsibilities often include pre-flight checks, mission planning, navigating and piloting the drone during operations, and collecting or analyzing aerial data. You may also be responsible for troubleshooting equipment, maintaining logs, and ensuring all flights adhere to regulatory safety standards. Depending on the industry, you could collaborate closely with surveyors, engineers, public safety officials, or media teams. Flexibility is important, as tasks can vary based on client needs, weather conditions, and site locations. This dynamic work environment offers opportunities to continually develop new technical and team-based skills.

What are popular job titles related to Uas Operator jobs in Washington? For Uas Operator jobs in Washington, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Uas Operator jobs in Washington look for? The top searched job categories for Uas Operator jobs in Washington are:
What cities in Washington are hiring for Uas Operator jobs? Cities in Washington with the most Uas Operator job openings:
Infographic showing various Uas Operator job openings in Washington as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 93% Full Time, and 7% Part Time. Highlights an 87% In-person, and 13% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $47,272 per year, or $22.7 per hour.

Senior RF Engineer

Helsing

Washington, DC • On-site

Full-time

Medical, PTO

Re-posted 29 days ago


Job description

Who we are

Helsing develops artificial intelligence-enabled capabilities to protect and defend democracies. We are growing our US operations, cultivating an ambitious and committed team of mission-driven professionals to apply their skills to solve challenging problems. 

The role

AI-driven, autonomous systems cannot replace human decision making. To keep the human in the loop, communication to remote unmanned vehicles is crucial. As an RF Engineer for Communications and Networking, you will work in one of the most contested domains of the modern battlefield: the electromagnetic spectrum. 

You will design, develop, and deploy advanced datalink systems for UAS-to-ground and UAS-to-UAS communications, including point-to-point and mesh network architectures. Your work will ensure robust, encrypted communications links for UAS operating in non-cooperative and contested environments, directly supporting mission-critical operations for US customers. 

You will own radio communication end-to-end as part of new product design and iterations on existing systems. You make pragmatic decisions when to integrate available solutions and when to develop new capabilities that shape the contested environment of the frontline RF space. Working closely with systems engineers, avionics teams, and customer-facing program managers, you will be the key to ensuring the right decision can be made at the right time.

The day-to-day
  • Design and develop UAS-to-ground and UAS-to-UAS datalink architectures, including point-to-point and mesh network topologies for resilient communications  
  • Develop robust, encrypted communication links for UAS operating in non-cooperative, contested, and denied environments  
  • Integrate tactical C2 networks with UAS platforms, including systems such as IBCS (Integrated Battle Command System), Tactical Scalable Mesh (TSM), and other military communication standards  
  • Stay on top of the market and ever-changing battlefield situations to identify existing, promising, or missing RF solutions  
  • Test, validate, and integrate radio systems into newly developed and existing products, working against customer and internal requirements to build reliable radio solutions  
  • Obtain US FCC spectrum approvals and manage frequency coordination for testing and operational use in US regulatory environments 
  • Collaborate with governmental bodies to get permissions for licensed bands and power outputs to test and demonstrate modern radio systems in regulated RF domains  
  • Design and implement Software Defined Radio (SDR) solutions, working with RF frontends, modem implementations, and application interfaces  
  • Conduct RF link budget analysis and performance modeling to ensure datalink reliability across operational ranges and environments 
  • Work with external partners to access specialized equipment and build up internal lab capabilities for commonly executed tests  
  • Shape discussions inside the company as a go-to expert for radio communications and serve as a technical authority for US customer engagements  
You should apply if you
  • Hold a degree in Electrical Engineering, Telecommunications Engineering, RF Engineering, or a related field  
  • Have several years of experience designing and deploying military datalinks, mesh networks, or tactical communications systems 
  • Possess deep knowledge of military and civil communication technologies, including Software Defined Radios, data links, air-to-air and air-to-ground communications, mesh networking protocols (e.g., MANET), network management, and secure communications  
  • Have experience integrating UAS with tactical C2 networks and understand military communication architectures and interoperability standards 
  • Demonstrate strong understanding of how radio technology works and where its limitations lie  
  • Have experience with US FCC spectrum management, frequency allocation processes, and compliance with US regulatory requirements 
  • Possess knowledge of RF link design, including antenna design, propagation modeling, and link budget analysis 
  • Understand encryption and cybersecurity requirements for military communications, including AES-256 and other COMSEC standards  
  • Have strong communication skills and enjoy working with internal stakeholders and external companies, including US government agencies and defense contractors  
  • Are pragmatic and validate calculated expectations in the real world to be satisfied  

Note: We encourage you to apply even if you don't meet all the listed qualifications; ability and impact cannot be summarized in a few bullet points. 

Nice to Have
  • Designed, built, and evaluated custom antennas for airborne platforms  
  • Built, worked on, or implemented a Software Defined Radio solution  
  • Experience with specific tactical datalinks such as Link 16, JREAP, CDL (Common Data Link), or Cursor-on-Target (CoT) 
  • Familiarity with Mobile Ad-Hoc Networks (MANET) and dynamic mesh routing protocols  
  • Knowledge of Electronic Warfare (EW) techniques, anti-jam waveforms, and LPI/LPD (Low Probability of Intercept/Detection) communications 
  • Experience with spectrum analyzers and RF test equipment for pre-flight checks and interference mitigation  
  • Understanding of MIMO, OFDM, OFDMA transmission schemes and beamforming techniques  
  • Experience working with Silvus, Persistent Systems (MPU5), or similar tactical radio systems  
  • Knowledge of NATO STANAG communication standards and interoperability requirements 
  • Familiarity with ITAR/EAR export control regulations related to communications equipment 
  • Experience in the defense industry or contested RF environments  
Join Helsing and work with world-leading experts in their fields 
  • Helsing's work is important. You'll be directly contributing to the protection of democratic countries while balancing both ethical and geopolitical concerns

  • The work is unique. We operate in a domain that has highly unusual technical requirements and constraints, and where robustness, safety, and ethical considerations are vital. You will face unique Engineering and AI challenges that make a meaningful impact in the world

  • Our work frequently takes us right up to the state of the art in technical innovation, be it reinforcement learning, distributed systems, generative AI, or deployment infrastructure. The defense industry is entering the most exciting phase of the technological development curve. Advances in our field of world are not incremental: Helsing is part of, and often leading, historic leaps forward

  • In our domain, success is a matter of order-of-magnitude improvements and novel capabilities. This means we take bets, aim high, and focus on big opportunities. Despite being a relatively young company, Helsing has already been selected for multiple significant government contracts

  • We actively encourage healthy, proactive, and diverse debate internally about what we do and how we choose to do it. Teams and individual engineers are trusted (and encouraged) to practice responsible autonomy and critical thinking, and to focus on outcomes, not conformity. At Helsing you will have a say in how we (and you!) work, the opportunity to engage on what does and doesn't work, and to take ownership of aspects of our culture that you care deeply about

What we offer
  • A focus on outcomes, not time-tracking

  • A generous compensation and benefits package (in addition to base salary) that includes, but may not be limited to, insurance coverage (medical and travel), flexible paid time off, paid holidays, and remote and/or hybrid work available depending on position. All compensation and benefits are subject to the terms and conditions of the underlying plans or programs, as applicable and as may be amended, terminated or superseded from time to time.

  • Growth toward global roles in our Finance organization

The base salary offered to the successful candidate will be determined by a variety of factors including relevant experience, qualifications, education, skill level, interview performance, and the level and scope of the position.   

Helsing is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We will consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetics, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.  Please do not submit personal data revealing racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, trade union membership, data concerning your health, or data concerning your sexual orientation.