Flight Operations Coordinator — Middle East
About RAAD
RAAD operates a global aerial intelligence network. Clients order high-resolution site imagery, thermal inspections, and 3D data through our platform; our pilot network captures it; and our processing and vision-model pipeline turns raw imagery into structured, georeferenced answers — often within hours. We run our own hardware end to end: capture fleets in the field, GPU processing clusters we built ourselves, and deployments that span public cloud, our own data centers, and secure on-prem environments inside client facilities.
We're growing fast across every region we operate in, and we're hiring people who want to help scale systems and operations that already work — and make them work at ten times the volume.
The role
The Gulf is a strategic growth region for RAAD, led by oil & gas, energy, and large-scale construction clients. Operating here means mastering a distinct regulatory landscape — GCAA and Dubai's DCAA in the UAE, plus coordination into Saudi Arabia (GACA) and the wider GCC — and understanding the operational realities of the region's energy industry: vast facilities, strict security, extreme heat windows, and clients for whom downtime is measured in millions.
What you'll do
- Coordinate missions across the UAE and wider Gulf: pilot scheduling, NOTAM and airspace deconfliction, and capture windows planned around heat and prayer/work schedules on client sites.
- Manage drone operation permits and approvals with GCAA, DCAA, and regional authorities, including security clearances for sensitive sites.
- Build deep fluency in the needs of oil & gas clients — refineries, tank farms, offshore support yards, flare and pipeline inspection programs — including permit-to-work systems, ATEX/hazardous-area awareness, and client HSE standards (ADNOC, Aramco contractor requirements).
- Serve as the trusted operational face of RAAD for regional clients, from kickoff through recurring monitoring programs.
- Grow the regional pilot network with the certifications and site inductions Gulf operations demand.
What you'll bring
- 4+ years in UAV/flight operations, oil & gas field coordination, or aviation operations in the Gulf region.
- Direct experience with UAE drone regulation (GCAA/DCAA) and familiarity with GCC-wide frameworks; existing relationships with regulators are a major plus.
- Understanding of energy-sector operational culture: permits to work, HSE inductions, security escorts, and the patience to schedule around them.
- Professional fluency in English; Arabic is a strong plus.
Benefits & perks
Competitive pay & equity
Strong base salary plus meaningful equity — everyone shares in what we're building.
Health, dental & vision
Comprehensive coverage for you and your dependents, tailored to your country.
Remote-first
Work from anywhere in your role's region. Async-friendly, documentation-driven culture.
Gear & home office budget
Top-spec hardware and a budget to build a workspace you actually enjoy.
Generous time off
Flexible PTO plus your local public holidays. We expect you to use it.
Learning & travel
Annual learning budget and team offsites — plus real field time with the operations your work powers.