Job Specifications
Regulatory Operations Lead (Aero and Robotics)
Cambridge, UK | Hybrid across office, operational sites and Network Operations Centre
Full-time, Permanent
About the Role
We are seeking a Regulatory Operations Lead to act as the bridge between regulation, operational reality and air vehicle and robotics delivery in a fast-growing unmanned aircraft systems company. You will be the operational and regulatory voice embedded within the Aero and Robotics Product teams, ensuring engineering outputs translate into a system that is authorised, evidenced and scalable.
In the short term, you will convert engineering designs into the process assets needed for new Operational Authorisations and drive requirements and verification activities so products are demonstrably safe and compliant for pilot operations. Over time, you will support the scaling of UK flight operations through change management, document control and staffing and rostering design aligned with growth plans.
Key Responsibilities
Act as the operational customer for Aero and Robotics teams, defining workflows, edge cases, abnormal scenarios and what ready-for-operations means
Lead new and amended Operational Authorisations for UK operations, liaising with regulators and internal stakeholders
Translate engineering outputs into operational processes, procedures, training impacts, competence expectations, emergency handling, maintenance interfaces and operational limitations
Convert operational mitigations and limitations into clear, testable requirements for engineering development and integration
Define verification strategies with engineering, including ground and flight tests, simulations, rehearsals and operational scenario exercises
Implement and maintain change control and document management systems for operational processes
Advise on staffing, rostering and operational structure to support scalable UK flight operations
What Success Looks Like
Operational authorisations delivered with credible evidence and clear submissions
Engineering designs are operationally safe by design, reducing late-stage blockers
Operational limitations and mitigations are captured as requirements and verified with traceable evidence
Change management and document control scale with system evolution
UK flight operations scaling plans are executable and actionable
Requirements
Essential
Five to ten years plus experience in regulated aviation or unmanned aerial systems environments with approvals, assurance and evidence experience
Demonstrable experience developing operational approvals or safety/assurance cases with regulators or designated bodies
Strong knowledge of UAS operational risk and safety methods (e.g. SORA) and how engineering decisions map to operational mitigations
Ability to translate engineering/system behaviour into operational procedures, limitations, training impacts and verification needs
Proven track record driving requirements and verification with traceability and configuration control in safety-critical contexts
Confident self-starter able to create direction in ambiguous regulatory environments
Strong communication and stakeholder management across Engineering, Operations, Customer teams and external authorities
Right to work in the UK with willingness to travel nationally and occasional on-call support
Desirable
Experience with BVLOS approvals, complex airspace integration or multi-stakeholder operational trials
Familiarity with airworthiness and continued airworthiness interfaces (defect management, limitations, maintenance procedures)
Experience building repeatable mobilisation and acceptance processes for new sites or operating areas
Exposure to NOC or operations control concepts and operational scenario exercising
Why Join
Competitive salary and equity
Pension and paid leave
Equipment provided
Training and professional development budget including regulatory programmes
Hybrid working with travel to sites as required
Opportunity to shape the future of UK drone operations