Can you fly a drone? Amazon is hiring drone pilots

Calling all drone pilots.

Amazon is looking for engineers to help test and develop Prime Air, its drone delivery service. 

 According to the job posting, candidates should have at least five years of experience flying drones. It helps if you can fly actual airplanes. The company lists a pilot's certificate among the "preferred qualifications" for the job. 

Amazon first announced that it was working on delivering packages via drones last year. 

The type of drones proposed by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos are currently not allowed for private use under federal law. 

But federal aviation rules are slated to change in 2015 and the company has suggested that it could start testing its "octocopters" -- as its drones are called -- to deliver small packages. 

Amazon is also looking for candidates who are knowledgeable about laws governing the use of unmanned aircraft. 

"We're looking for aerospace, systems, or other engineers with extensive UAS flight experience, and preferably experience in working with authorities on UAS certification," the job description states. 

Story, comments and video:  http://money.cnn.com

Flight Operations Engineer - Prime Air 

(ID 289867)
Amazon Corporate LLC

at Retail Systems Tech
US, WA, Seattle
Job Description

We’re working on the future. If you are seeking an iterative fast-paced environment where you can drive innovation, apply state-of-the-art technologies to solve extreme-scale real world challenges, and provide visible benefit to end-users, this is your opportunity.

Come work on the Amazon Prime Air Team!

Amazon Prime Air is looking for flight operations and certification personnel for flight testing our UAS technologies. You can expect to collaborate on test plans, plan the test evolution, and execute the flights while working closely with our flight engineering and flight test teams in Seattle. You will also be working closely with local certifying authorities to plan and execute the testing that works our way towards our full operational deployment. We're looking for aerospace, systems, or other engineers with extensive UAS flight experience, and preferably experience in working with authorities on UAS certification. Aviation safety experience is a definite plus, as is a current fixed-wing or rotorcraft pilot certificate. Success will require attention to detail, a safety-oriented attitude, flexibility, and creative problem solving to obtain the data we need as we iterate our vehicle and sensor technologies.

Qualifications

· 5+ (lead) 3+ (backup) years flight test experience
· Bachelor’s degree in aeronautical engineering or related field required (will take other types of engineers if they have the flight test experience)
· Experience with flight test planning, coordination, and execution
· Excellent communications skills

Preferred Qualifications

· Experience in aircraft certification and working with regulatory agencies
· Demonstrated ability to brief upper management
· Aviation Safety experience as a Safety Officer, mishap investigator, etc.

- Current fixed-wing or rotorcraft pilot's certificate.