Position Summary

The UAV Operator I is an entry-level trainee position responsible for supporting Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) operations, inspections, reality capture, and data acquisition activities under the supervision of experienced personnel. The incumbent is expected to demonstrate a strong commitment to safety, professionalism, regulatory compliance, and continuous learning. Position Details: Start Date: July 2026 Shift: Monday-Friday, 40 hours/week with opportunities for overtime available Applicants need to be local to Fort McMurray, AB

Responsibilities

Assist with RPAS operations in accordance with Transport Canada regulations, company procedures, and client requirements. Support visual inspections, reality capture missions, and data acquisition activities utilizing drones, robotics, and advanced sensor technologies. Assist in collecting imagery, LiDAR, thermal, photogrammetric, and other inspection datasets under the supervision of experienced personnel. Learn to process and review inspection, mapping, and reality capture data to ensure quality and completeness. Support the preparation of inspection reports, maps, orthomosaics, point clouds, 3D models, and other project deliverables. Participate in pre-flight planning, site hazard assessments, equipment inspections, and flight documentation activities. Assist field crews and project teams in the safe execution of drone and robotics operations. Maintain RPAS, sensors, batteries, and supporting equipment in accordance with manufacturer and company requirements. Participate in technical training, mentorship programs, and operational exercises to develop piloting and data acquisition skills. Support testing and evaluation of new drone platforms, sensors, software, and inspection technologies. Travel to industrial facilities and remote locations as required to support project execution. Maintain all required certifications, training records, and operational documentation. Demonstrate a commitment to safety, professionalism, and continuous learning

Requirements

Applicants must be local to Fort McMurray, AB. Strong communication, presentation, and client-facing skills. Ability to travel and work in remote industrial environments. Experience working in industrial environments including oil & gas, mining, utilities, power generation, or heavy industry is an asset. Experience with drone-based inspections, photogrammetry, LiDAR processing, reality capture software, confined space, rope access, NDT/NDE, or industrial inspection applications is an asset.

Benefits

The strength of Acuren lies in its outstanding people. As a rapidly growing, intensely innovative, international publicly traded company, the opportunities to pursue challenging and diverse career development paths are vast. Complemented by an attractive and comprehensive total compensation package, including paid time off, employer paid benefits, RRSP + Company match, tuition grants, discounted fitness memberships and insurance offerings, employee assistance programs and more! At Acuren we commit to the principles of a respectful workplace and offer tremendous opportunities to those who wish to succeed.

Join our team at Acuren and embark on a rewarding journey where you will contribute to the company's growth and success while advancing your career. Apply now to be part of our dedicated team of professionals.

Company Overview

As an organization, our strength comes from the ability to embody our core values - People First, Integrity Always, Pride In Our Work, and Growth Together. None of these values is more important than People First, and we are honored that our people decided the company is worthy of being included in the Forbes 2024 and 2025 List of Canada's Best Employers. Acuren is a trusted, single source provider of technology-enabled asset protection solutions used to evaluate the structural integrity of critical energy, industrial and public infrastructures. Committed to delivering a Higher Level of Reliability, Acuren provides an unrivaled spectrum of capabilities including inspection, traditional and advanced NDE/NDT, failure analysis, rope access, materials engineering, field engineering, reliability engineering, drones, robotics, V-Deck and condition-based monitoring services.

Our work is critical to the integrity and safety of industrial firms, including petroleum refinery, pipeline, power generation, pulp & paper, mining, pharmaceutical, aerospace and automotive industries. Acuren employs over 5,000 dedicated professionals supporting the mechanical integrity and inspection programs of the world’s largest industrial segments.

Acuren is a market leader. Our formula for success is straightforward: be capable locally, with certified and well-equipped personnel supported by trained, experienced leaders. Continuing to build on a strong heritage of safety, quality, and professionalism, Acuren strives to maintain incident free work environments, pursues advanced technical developments, and supports reliability programs that are valued by clients and employees.

Please note we will consider accessibility accommodations to applicants upon request. The company utilizes AI enabled tools to organize candidate responses. These tools may be used in the screening or assessment of applicants.