Inside Higher Ed
Job No:
538227
Work Type:
Full Time
Location:
Marion, FL
Department:
AG-DEAN FOR RESEARCH
Classification Title:
Engineering & Research Technologist
Job Description:
Daily IFAS UAS Fleet Operations involve leading UAS operations, mission planning, fleet management, compliance and risk management, administration, and experiential learning. Data Management covers processing, QA/QC, and stewardship. Research Collaboration consults with faculty and supports grant proposals.
Responsibilities:
Lead UAS operations: develop standard operational protocol, checklists, and a safety management framework; ensure compliance with FAA Part 107, airspace authorizations and waivers, and university/state/federal policies. Mission planning and execution: select platforms and payloads (RGB, multispectral, thermal, hyperspectral, lidar), coordinate with technician to design flight plans to meet spatial/spectral/temporal requirements, coordinate ground control/RTK-PPK, and conduct flights statewide as needed. Fleet management: maintain inventory, lifecycle, firmware, and maintenance logs; manage batteries and charging; standardize configurations; recommend and procure equipment to meet evolving research needs. Compliance and risk management: conduct risk assessments, site surveys and deconfliction with agricultural operations and environmental constraints; manage incident reporting and corrective actions; uphold privacy and ethical guidelines. Administration: track project metrics, timelines, and costs; provide regular updates to stakeholders; contribute to strategic planning for UAS capabilities within IFAS. Develop and deliver experiential learning opportunities for faculty, staff, and students on UAS safety, mission planning, and data processing; mentor student assistants and pilots.
Data Management:
Data processing and QA/QC: produce orthomosaics, DSM/DTM, point clouds, canopy height models, vegetation index and thermal maps; perform lidar strip alignment, classification, and accuracy assessment; generate metadata and accuracy reports suitable for publication and grant documentation. Data stewardship: implement reproducible workflows and versioning; organize storage, backup, and sharing; ensure data/metadata meet FAIR principles and UF data governance standards.
Research Collaboration:
Consult with faculty to translate research questions into collection plans; advise on sensor/flight parameters and sampling design; coordinate timelines; support grant proposals with methods language, budgets, and letters of support; co-author methods and data papers where appropriate.
Salary:
$75,000–$85,000, commensurate with education and experience.
Required Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree in an appropriate area and one year of relevant experience. Active FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate and a clean flight safety record. Valid driver's license and ability to travel within Florida. Ability to work in field conditions (hot/cold conditions, uneven terrain) and lift equipment up to 40 lbs.
Preferred Qualifications:
Graduate degree in a relevant field, or equivalent combination of education and experience. 3+ years of hands‑on UAS field operations, including mission planning, airspace authorization, and safe flight execution in diverse field conditions. Demonstrated experience conducting research with UAS‑based remote sensing in agriculture or natural resources, including experimental design and documentation. Proficiency processing UAS imagery and lidar into research‑grade deliverables using tools such as Pix4D, LAStools/Terrasolid/CloudCompare/PDAL, ArcGIS Pro/QGIS, and Python or R for workflow automation and QA/QC. Experience with GNSS RTK/PPK workflows, ground control, accuracy assessment, and metadata standards. Excellent communication and collaboration skills; ability to translate researcher needs into actionable data collection plans and clearly document methods and results. Experience with multispectral/hyperspectral sensors, thermal cameras, and research‑grade lidar payloads; familiarity with sensor calibration and boresight/lever‑arm characterization. Experience establishing a UAS safety program (operational protocols, checklists, risk assessments) and managing a multi‑platform fleet (multirotor, fixed‑wing/vertical‑take‑off‑and‑landing systems). Prior success supporting multi‑investigator projects, contributing to grant proposals, and co‑authoring peer‑reviewed publications or data papers. Familiarity with scripting and reproducible pipelines (Python, R, Bash) and handling large datasets using institutional storage or cloud environments. Relevant waivers/authorizations (night operations, ops over people) or demonstrated ability them.
Special Instructions to Applicants:
Upload cover letter, resume, and a list of three professional references. Application must be submitted by 11:55 p.m. (ET) of the posting end date.
Application Close:
18 January 2026
Equal Employment Opportunity:
The University of Florida is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. Hiring is contingent on eligibility to work in the U.S. The University of Florida is a public institution and is subject to all requirements under Florida Sunshine and Public Record laws. If an accommodation due to a disability is needed to apply for this position, please call 352‑392‑2477 or the Florida Relay System at 800‑955‑8771 (TDD) or visit Accessibility at UF.
#J-18808-Ljbffr
538227
Work Type:
Full Time
Location:
Marion, FL
Department:
AG-DEAN FOR RESEARCH
Classification Title:
Engineering & Research Technologist
Job Description:
Daily IFAS UAS Fleet Operations involve leading UAS operations, mission planning, fleet management, compliance and risk management, administration, and experiential learning. Data Management covers processing, QA/QC, and stewardship. Research Collaboration consults with faculty and supports grant proposals.
Responsibilities:
Lead UAS operations: develop standard operational protocol, checklists, and a safety management framework; ensure compliance with FAA Part 107, airspace authorizations and waivers, and university/state/federal policies. Mission planning and execution: select platforms and payloads (RGB, multispectral, thermal, hyperspectral, lidar), coordinate with technician to design flight plans to meet spatial/spectral/temporal requirements, coordinate ground control/RTK-PPK, and conduct flights statewide as needed. Fleet management: maintain inventory, lifecycle, firmware, and maintenance logs; manage batteries and charging; standardize configurations; recommend and procure equipment to meet evolving research needs. Compliance and risk management: conduct risk assessments, site surveys and deconfliction with agricultural operations and environmental constraints; manage incident reporting and corrective actions; uphold privacy and ethical guidelines. Administration: track project metrics, timelines, and costs; provide regular updates to stakeholders; contribute to strategic planning for UAS capabilities within IFAS. Develop and deliver experiential learning opportunities for faculty, staff, and students on UAS safety, mission planning, and data processing; mentor student assistants and pilots.
Data Management:
Data processing and QA/QC: produce orthomosaics, DSM/DTM, point clouds, canopy height models, vegetation index and thermal maps; perform lidar strip alignment, classification, and accuracy assessment; generate metadata and accuracy reports suitable for publication and grant documentation. Data stewardship: implement reproducible workflows and versioning; organize storage, backup, and sharing; ensure data/metadata meet FAIR principles and UF data governance standards.
Research Collaboration:
Consult with faculty to translate research questions into collection plans; advise on sensor/flight parameters and sampling design; coordinate timelines; support grant proposals with methods language, budgets, and letters of support; co-author methods and data papers where appropriate.
Salary:
$75,000–$85,000, commensurate with education and experience.
Required Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree in an appropriate area and one year of relevant experience. Active FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate and a clean flight safety record. Valid driver's license and ability to travel within Florida. Ability to work in field conditions (hot/cold conditions, uneven terrain) and lift equipment up to 40 lbs.
Preferred Qualifications:
Graduate degree in a relevant field, or equivalent combination of education and experience. 3+ years of hands‑on UAS field operations, including mission planning, airspace authorization, and safe flight execution in diverse field conditions. Demonstrated experience conducting research with UAS‑based remote sensing in agriculture or natural resources, including experimental design and documentation. Proficiency processing UAS imagery and lidar into research‑grade deliverables using tools such as Pix4D, LAStools/Terrasolid/CloudCompare/PDAL, ArcGIS Pro/QGIS, and Python or R for workflow automation and QA/QC. Experience with GNSS RTK/PPK workflows, ground control, accuracy assessment, and metadata standards. Excellent communication and collaboration skills; ability to translate researcher needs into actionable data collection plans and clearly document methods and results. Experience with multispectral/hyperspectral sensors, thermal cameras, and research‑grade lidar payloads; familiarity with sensor calibration and boresight/lever‑arm characterization. Experience establishing a UAS safety program (operational protocols, checklists, risk assessments) and managing a multi‑platform fleet (multirotor, fixed‑wing/vertical‑take‑off‑and‑landing systems). Prior success supporting multi‑investigator projects, contributing to grant proposals, and co‑authoring peer‑reviewed publications or data papers. Familiarity with scripting and reproducible pipelines (Python, R, Bash) and handling large datasets using institutional storage or cloud environments. Relevant waivers/authorizations (night operations, ops over people) or demonstrated ability them.
Special Instructions to Applicants:
Upload cover letter, resume, and a list of three professional references. Application must be submitted by 11:55 p.m. (ET) of the posting end date.
Application Close:
18 January 2026
Equal Employment Opportunity:
The University of Florida is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. Hiring is contingent on eligibility to work in the U.S. The University of Florida is a public institution and is subject to all requirements under Florida Sunshine and Public Record laws. If an accommodation due to a disability is needed to apply for this position, please call 352‑392‑2477 or the Florida Relay System at 800‑955‑8771 (TDD) or visit Accessibility at UF.
#J-18808-Ljbffr