Drone Pilot (Contractor)

The team you'll join:

You will join an extremely talented team of incredibly passionate, high-energy people. We go the extra mile while having the best time of our lives. We are expanding our US field capability and building a vetted network of independent pilots engaged directly for work in their region, backed by an experienced, multinational team and a platform trusted across the solar industry. Joining puts you at the center of that network, with the opportunity to work on operations across the US. This is an open call for that network, not a single opening.

How we operate:

We care deeply about our customers and the problems we solve for them.

We move fast, keep things simple, and focus on what matters.

We keep our quality bar high by staying lean and hiring only the best.

Tasks
What you'll do:

This is hands-on work for pilots who love being in the field. You run your own drone operation and Sitemark brings you the missions: you will fly real solar sites across the US, work with the equipment you know best, and see your data go straight into the reports the largest solar owners rely on to build and run their plants. You will not be a number in a queue. You join a vetted network and work directly with an experienced, multinational team that matches missions to your region, your gear, and your schedule. Take on more, grow into higher-value surveys and construction work, and build a steady stream of assignments as a trusted part of the network. When you accept a mission, we give you a clear brief, an agreed scope, and a rate confirmed in writing before you fly, and the detailed flight and delivery standards are covered in onboarding and your contractor agreement so you always know exactly what each mission needs.

Equipment and Positioning You Provide

Sitemark does not supply, ship, rent, or reimburse equipment. What you bring determines the work you can take on, so tell us plainly what you have: we would rather match you to the right missions than send you to a site with the wrong tools.

A commercially maintained sUAS with a radiometric thermal sensor and high-resolution RGB. Dual-camera platforms are strongly recommended.

Your aircraft and payload must be on Sitemark's compatible hardware list, which is organized by data product: https://support.sitemark.com/en/articles/4240592-what-drone-hardware-is-compatible-with-sitemark. If your sensor is not listed, ask before assuming; do not plan a mission around unlisted equipment without written confirmation.

Enough batteries, charging, storage, and field power to complete large sites in a single mobilization.

A computer capable of offloading and reviewing large datasets in the field. Single missions commonly produce hundreds of gigabytes.

Reliable high-bandwidth internet for uploading. Remote sites, hotel Wi-Fi, and data caps are not accepted reasons for a missed window.

Reliable transportation, standard site PPE, and environmental measurement tools such as an irradiance meter and anemometer.

Survey-grade positioning where a mission calls for it, such as a GNSS base station, a CORS network subscription, or an NTRIP subscription for RTK/PPK corrections. Survey-grade capability significantly expands the missions and rates available to you.

Requirements
Current FAA Part 107 certificate in good standing with a clean enforcement history.

Documented commercial UAS experience, with two or more years operating in the field.

Experience with automated mission planning over large, repetitive sites.

Working knowledge of thermal imaging: radiometric capture, emissivity, thermal focus, palette and span, and the conditions that produce a usable dataset.

Strong data management habits and the ability to verify geotags and preserve positioning metadata.

Ability to execute a technical brief precisely and flag problems rather than improvise.

Professional conduct on active industrial sites with live electrical infrastructure.

Willingness to travel within your region, including early departures and multi-day mobilizations.

Commercial UAS liability insurance, minimum $1,000,000 per occurrence, with a COI naming Sitemark and the asset owner as additional insured.

Authorized to work in the US as an independent contractor, able to complete a W-9 Form, and able to pass a background check and client site screening.

Nice to have:

utility-scale solar PV; IEC TS 62446-3 familiarity; Level I or II Thermography certification; RTK/PPK and GNSS survey experience; photogrammetry and GIS proficiency; OSHA 10/30; multiple aircraft in fleet; bilingual English/Spanish.