Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Specialist

Description

Join the Leidos NISC IV program as an Eastern Service Center Operations Support Group UAS Specialist. This is an exciting opportunity to use your experience helping the NISC IV mission. We are seeking a UAS Specialist in College Park, GA, to work among some of the best and brightest UAS subject matter experts around the country in this rapidly expanding segment of the aviation community. You will work in a fast-paced and diverse environment, enjoy flexible work arrangements, and will work with a management team that encourages career development.

In this role, you will gain many intangible skills, such as time and task management, critical thinking and problem solving, the ability to communicate complicated problems in a concise manner to UAS operators as well as FAA and other stakeholders, and solve complex issues using specialized tools.

The NISC IV contract provides technical support to various Air Traffic Control Towers, Terminal Radar Approach Controls (TRACON), Air Route Traffic Control Centers (ARTCC) and FAA Air Traffic Organization Headquarters and Regional offices.

The selected candidate will support the Federal Aviation Administration, Eastern Service Area, Operations Support Group. The candidate will serve as a subject matter expert in support of a variety of systems including, but not limited to: TARGETS (Terminal Area Route Generation and Traffic Simulation), RNAV PRO (Area Navigation Simulation Tool), PDARS (Performance Data Analysis and Reporting System), SDAT (Sector Design Analysis Tool). Additional systems include: OE/AAA (Obstruction Evaluation/Airport Airspace Analysis), POET (Post-Operations Evaluation Tool), DACS (Digital Aeronautical Chart Supplement), Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs), Standard Instrument Departures (SIDs), and Area Navigation (RNAV).

This role is fully remote.

Primary Responsibilities

Operations Support: Provide support, analysis, and assistance and expertise to the Operations Support Group (OSG) in the review and procedural approval process for requests by users of Unmanned Aircraft Systems to access the National Airspace System (NAS). This requirement requires close liaison and coordination with applicable Service Center offices and field organizations. This position also requires the ability to work individually as well as in a team environment.

Specific requirements are:

• Provide subject matter expert (SME) expertise and support to the ESC and proponents for applications for Certificates of Waiver or Authorization (COA) to access the NAS with UAS. Support includes feasibility analysis in coordination with Air Traffic (AT) facilities, writing and coordinating Special Provisions to define flight operations, and review and distribution of final approved COA’s.
• Provide final review and distribution of Headquarters (HQ) UAS Air Traffic (AT) approved military UAS COA’s to proponent and field facilities.
• Provide SME support for proponent and facility inquiries regarding the COA process, requirements, and operating areas for flying military UAS in the NAS.
• Review and coordinate Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)/Department of Defense (DOD) Military Operations Area (MOA) Class D UAS operations.
• Review and coordinate FAA/DOD Class G notifications of UAS activities.
• Provide coordination between UAS proponent and facilities for operational missions as needed for active COA’s.
• Provide supporting documentation and records for all assigned ESA UAS activities.
• Provide review, recommendations, research, and analysis of UAS activities, requirements, and processes as requested by the FAA customer.
• Provide recommendations, research, and analysis of real time activities which effect ESA Air Traffic operations and the NAS.
• Participate in National UAS staff meetings; UAS workshops; facilities, proponents and UAS manufacturers meetings in support of the FAA customer.
• Provide Subject Matter Expert (SME) expertise and support on UAS policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements.

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelors degree and 8+ years of relevant experience or a Masters degree and 6+ years of relevant experience. Additional experience may be considered in leu of a degree.
• National Airspace System and FAA Directives: extensive knowledge of the NAS and FAA Directives.
• Planning: conduct efficient, organized data gathering and data analysis and must be able to develop reports, establish schedules, and conduct studies.
• Communications: must accomplish clear and concise general and technical writing, prepare and conduct effective technical presentations, provide thorough project monitoring and reporting, and tactfully coordinate with a variety of project stake holders, peers and management levels.
• Computer Applications: capable of applying MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, database management applications and know how to use the Internet as a data gathering and communicating tool.
• Administrative: provides organized documentation, and has an awareness of general documentation systems.

Desired Skills:

• Previous experience at a level 9/10/11/12 Air Traffic Control facility will receive preference. BA/BS degree from an accredited college. FAA management and/or Staff experience.

Target salary will be $120-135k.

If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo — because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 — and moving faster than anyone else dares.

Original Posting:

June 16, 2026

Pay Range:

Pay Range $92,300.00 - $166,850.00

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.

About Leidos

Leidos is an industry and technology leader serving government and commercial customers with smarter, more efficient digital and mission innovations. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, with 47,000 global employees, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $16.7 billion for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2025. For more information, visit www.Leidos.com.

Pay and Benefits

Pay and benefits are fundamental to any career decision. That's why we craft compensation packages that reflect the importance of the work we do for our customers. Employment benefits include competitive compensation, Health and Wellness programs, Income Protection, Paid Leave and Retirement. More details are available at www.leidos.com/careers/pay-benefits.

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Commitment to Non-Discrimination

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, ethnicity, age, national origin, citizenship, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, family structure, marital status, ancestry, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by law. Leidos will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with relevant laws.

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