Puget Sound Energy is looking for a dynamic Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Program Manager to lead and grow a forward-looking enterprise drone program.
Requirements
- Collaborate with internal stakeholders to develop and lead PSE's centralized UAS program, including governance, flight safety protocols, regulatory compliance, and standardized operating procedures.
- Build the strategic roadmap for UAS operations, including program scope, long-term asset planning, pilot staffing needs, and enterprise KPIs.
- Establish policies for operation approval, risk assessment, equipment maintenance, and data governance.
- Lead and conduct UAS operations across multiple utility use cases, including, but not limited to wildfire-risk patrols, vegetation encroachment detection, infrastructure inspections, gas pipeline surveys, construction as-builds, and post-storm/PSPS outage response.
- Oversee flight planning operations: route design, environmental assessments, hazard evaluation, and pre-flight safety checks.
- Manage firmware/software updates, troubleshoot equipment, perform field testing, and validate payload sensor performance.
- Develop and maintain PSE's UAS pilot certification and training program; mentors pilots to ensure proficiency and FAA compliance.
- Maintain accurate flight logs, records, licensing, and safety documentation in accordance with regulatory and company requirements.
- Oversee the full aerial data lifecycleâacquisition, processing, storage, integrationâwithin PSE's enterprise GIS and asset management systems.
- Standardize metadata, naming conventions, quality thresholds, delivery timelines, and cross-department accessibility of UAS data.
- Collaborate with internal teams to define data requirements and ensure aerial intelligence directly supports planning, engineering, operations, and emergency response.
- Collaborate with relevant teams to prioritize operations and maximize operational value.
- Serves as PSE's main point of contact for third-party UAS vendors, ensuring alignment with PSE's standards and operational workflows.
- Represents PSE at industry forums, regulatory meetings, and utility collaboration groups to identify, benchmark and adopt best practices to accelerate program development and effectiveness.
- Develops and manages the UAS program budget, including aircraft, sensors, maintenance, software, vehicles, training investments, and use of external vendors.
- Evaluates and recommends new aerial platforms, data processing systems, and workflow improvements to increase program effectiveness and cost efficiency.
- Supports emergency response work as requested including immediate and extended restoration efforts driven by weather and other system failures.
Benefits
- Medical
- Dental
- Vision
- Basic Life
- Short- and Long-term Disability Insurance
- Supplemental Life Insurance
- Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance
- Flexible Spending Accounts for Health Care and Dependent Daycare
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- 401(k) Investment Option
- Cash Balance Retirement Plan
- Paid Time Off (PTO)
- Paid Holidays
