Avionics Crew Chief

Location

Long Beach CA

Employment Type

Full time

Location Type

On-site

Department

Engineering

Overview

About Odys

Our mission at Odys is simple - we build safe, sustainable aircraft to cut travel time in half on the world's busiest corridors. Our flagship aircraft Alta enables travelers to skip the big-airport hassle by using city helipads and local airports to connect cities less than 1,000 miles apart (approx 40% of flights). And on average cut CO2 by 76% on tens of billions of flight miles globally. To get there, we start with our UAV called Laila for commercial logistics, medical transport, humanitarian aid, disaster relief, and defense missions. We’re deploying aircraft with launch partners (Fiji Airways, Honeywell, Aramex, US Navy) beginning in 2026 and already have firm orders for aircraft under contract. We’re a team of expert engineers from deep tech and aerospace that focus on fast iterations loops (completed transition flight faster than our peers) combined with mastery of the aircraft certification process. Previously, our team developed custom drones, brought multiple automotive platforms into production, and electrified transportation vehicles that magnetically levitate, that roll, that fly. Together, we’ve been learning, developing, building, testing, and preparing for this challenge our entire lives. Odys is looking for a highly skilled Lead Maintenance Technician with an avionics background to join our team as a Crew Chief. In this role, you will bridge the gap between development engineering and flight operations. You will be responsible for the fabrication, installation, and troubleshooting of complex avionics systems on our eVTOL aircraft, with a specific focus on integrating mission-critical payloads (sensors, cameras, communications). The ideal candidate has hands-on experience with high-voltage electric propulsion systems, has the adaptability required for a rapid-prototyping, flight-test environment, and has previous a military rotorcraft avionics technician background.

Key Responsibilities

1. Avionics & Electrical Fabrication

• Fabricate, route, and terminate complex wire harnesses according to IPC-620 standards (crimping, soldering, shielding).
• Read and interpret engineering schematics, wiring diagrams, and interconnect drawings to build and install avionics suites.
• Perform modifications and repairs to existing electrical systems during flight test campaigns.

1. Payload Integration

• Lead the mechanical and electrical integration of diverse payloads, including EO/IR cameras, LiDAR, Radar, and experimental communication links.
• Fabricate custom interface cables for non-standard payloads to interface with the aircraft's CAN bus, Ethernet, or serial (RS-232/422) networks.
• Troubleshoot data and power issues between the Flight Control System (FCS) and auxiliary payloads.
• Work with the engineering team to design temporary mounting solutions for rapid testing.

1. eVTOL & High Voltage (HV) Systems

• Safely install and maintain High Voltage (HV) distribution systems, including cabling, busbars, and connectors for electric propulsion units.
• Assist in the integration and checkout of Battery Management Systems (BMS) and motor controllers/inverters.
• Execute pre-flight and post-flight checks on avionics and electric propulsion systems.

1. Testing & Documentation

• Perform continuity checks, insulation resistance tests, and power-on system validation.
• Document all work performed, including harness build logs,...