**JOB NO:** 538227 **WORK TYPE:** Staff Full\-Time **LOCATION:** Marion **CATEGORIES:** Agricultural Sciences, Agriculture Operations, Engineering **DEPARTMENT:** 60040000 \- AG\-DEAN FOR RESEARCH **CLASSIFICATION TITLE:** Engineering \& Research Technologist **CLASSIFICATION MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:** Bachelor’s degree in an appropriate area and one year of relevant experience. **JOB DESCRIPTION:** **Daily IFAS UAS Fleet Operations** * 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. **EXPECTED 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:** * 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 to obtain them. **SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS TO APPLICANTS:** In order to be considered, you must upload your 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. **HEALTH ASSESSMENT REQUIRED:** Yes **ADVERTISED:** 18 Dec 2025 Eastern Standard Time **APPLICATIONS CLOSE:** 18 Jan 2026 Eastern Standard Time