Remote Sensing & Drone/UAS Program Manager

At PGE, our work involves dreaming about, planning for, and realizing a smarter, cleaner, more enduring Oregon neighborhood. Its core to our DNA and we haven't stopped since we started in 1888. We energize lives, strengthen communities and drive advancements in energy that promote social, economic and environmental progress. We're always on the lookout for people passionate about leading and being a part of teams that are advancing innovative clean energy solutions that are also affordable and accessible to all.

Job Function Summary

The Remote Sensing & Drone/UAS Program Manager will oversee, coordinate, and optimize all remote sensing activities across the electric utility, including LiDAR, imagery, drone/UAS operations, and related geospatial data workflows. The role is responsible for delivering accurate, timely, and actionable data products to support asset management, vegetation management, grid reliability, risk assessment, and planning, while developing strategy, policies, and governance for drone/UAS operations. This role also develops and supports business cases, monitors benefits realization, and defines and tracks performance metrics, KPIs, SLAs, and governance dashboards. This position may manage internal teams and/or external partners, drive project prioritization, ensure data quality and governance, and advocate for the strategic value of remote sensing and UAV operations within the organization.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership and Governance

Assists leadership in developing Remote Sensing program and UAV program vision and strategy. Maintains and communicates the strategic vision and roadmap for PGE's remote sensing and drone/UAS operations aligned with company objectives, regulatory requirements, and safety standards. Leads the facilitation and development of policies, procedures, governance frameworks, analysis, and business cases associated with Remote Sensing and UAV programs. Assists Chief Helicopter Pilot in developing, updating and implementing operational processes and procedures associated with drone flights, licensing, and training. Establishes executive-level dashboards and KPIs to track Remote Sensing and UAV program performance, safety metrics, data outcomes, and benefits realization.

Program Development and Management

Leads the end-to-end remote sensing and UAV program, including strategy development, roadmaps, budgets, resource planning, and performance measurement. Responsible for leading various program initiatives including geospatial data integration, imagery analysis process improvement, remote sensing strategy implementation, training programs, feasibility studies, and pilot initiatives. Serves as a subject matter expert on Remote Sensing and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) initiatives while developing organizational best practices.

Project Planning and Execution

Serves as project manager for large-scale Remote Sensing acquisition projects with responsibility for defining objectives, scoping, budgeting, funding presentations, procurement, closeout and data discrimination. Develops or oversees development of project plans, including work breakdown structure, schedule and cost baselines, overall budget management, dependencies, and resource requirements. Identifies project risks and develops mitigation strategies while ensuring projects deliver quality and value to customers while meeting environmental, cultural and community requirements.

Business Case Development and Benefits Realization

Works with project sponsors to define remote sensing objectives and scope while developing business case justifications for Remote Sensing projects. Leads cost-benefit analyses, ROI calculations, and tracks potential and realized benefits such as risk reduction, cost savings, reliability improvements, and safety enhancements. Develops business case templates, approver gates, and post-implementation reviews to ensure realization of expected benefits.

Drone/UAS Operations Management

Oversees planning, authorization, and execution of drone flights for LiDAR, imagery, inspection, and other geospatial data collection needs. Ensures compliance with aviation regulations, safety management systems, pilot qualifications, and airspace waivers while managing risk assessments and incident reporting. Coordinates with field operations for safe and efficient payload deployment, mission planning, and data validation.

Technical Oversight and Data Governance

Oversees acquisition, processing, storage, analysis, and dissemination of LiDAR, hyperspectral, multispectral imagery, UAV imagery, and other geospatial data. Establishes and enforces data standards, metadata, provenance, QA/QC, and governance for collected datasets. Ensures integration with GIS platforms, asset management systems, and enterprise data warehouses while evaluating and adopting advanced sensing technologies aligned with program goals.

Project Controls and Risk Management

Establishes and maintains formal controls to manage and monitor project budget, scope, quality, schedule and risks across the portfolio. Negotiates necessary project changes with managers and sponsors while maintaining and updating overall project plans. Determines appropriate project controls, integrates processes between various organizational units, and identifies critical cost and schedule issues for resolution.

Stakeholder Engagement and Communication

Develops communication plans and strategies; coordinates with project managers and business unit leaders to provide timely, accurate communication of program plans and project status to stakeholders. Reports accurately on program status, schedules, financials, problems, and risks while promoting adherence to communication standards to reduce inefficiencies and potential inaccuracies.

Process Improvement and Innovation

Leads and facilitates program and process improvement activities, assisting managers to identify, understand and improve processes, practices and policies. Establishes process controls to measure baseline and post-improvement performance while acting as a change agent driving continuous improvement. Continuously improves data workflows, automation, and processing pipelines while championing the adoption of open standards and interoperability with enterprise systems.

Vendor and Contract Management

Partners with Supply Chain, Legal, IT, Fleet, and project sponsors on vendor contract negotiations related to remote sensing technologies and services. Manages vendor selection, performance monitoring, and compliance with safety, security, and regulatory requirements. Develops technical specifications, prepares requests for proposals (RFPs) and evaluates bids.

Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing

Develops and maintains key relationships across the business, including with senior executives, while providing subject matter expertise. Collaborates with, mentors and assists in training other project managers to improve standards and methodology. Partners with customers and other utilities to strengthen and create opportunities to share best practices.

Operational Support and Analytics

Translates remote sensing and UAV data into actionable insights for vegetation management, line clearance planning, asset inspection, and outage risk assessment. Supports analytics workflows leveraging geospatial capabilities while producing management-ready reports, dashboards, and executive summaries that monitor realized benefits and value delivery.

Education/Experience/Certifications

Education Bachelor's degree in Geospatial Science, Geography, Engineering, Computer Science, Environmental Science, or a related field. Master's degree preferred.

Experience

7+ years of experience in remote sensing, GIS, geospatial data management, UAV operations, or a related field; leading programs or large projects preferred.

Prefer demonstrated experience managing remote sensing and UAV programs in large operational environments (utility, government, or similar).

Prefer experience with LiDAR data processing (e.g., normalization, classification, feature extraction, canopy height models) and imagery processing (orthomosaics, change detection, classification); UAV data workflows.

Prefer UAV pilot certifications and/or aviation experience; flight operation management with a track record of safe operations.

Certifications, Licenses and Training Project management certification or equivalent experience (PMP, PgMP, or equivalent) is a plus. FAA Part 107

Competencies (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities)

Knowledge

Remote sensing technologies: LiDAR (static, mobile, airborne), photogrammetry, UAV imaging, hyperspectral/multispectral sensing, radar (optional/scoped), and satellite imagery.

UAV/drone operations: flight planning, payload integration, UAS safety management, flight data management, and post-processing workflows.

Geospatial data concepts: coordinate systems, raster/vector data, 3D modeling, point cloud processing, terrain/vegetation classification.

GIS platforms and tools (e.g., ArcGIS Pro/Online, QGIS), and database concepts (spatial databases, SQL).

Data governance, QA/QC, metadata standards, provenance, and data lineage.

Utility domain knowledge: transmission & distribution networks, asset management, vegetation management, right-of-way practices, line clearance, grid reliability.

Regulatory frameworks: FAA UAS rules, waivers/Certificates of Authorization, NERC CIP as applicable, data privacy and security requirements.

Privacy, civil aviation, and community impact considerations related to UAV operations.

Project and program management principles (PMBOK/PRINCE2) and agile/scrum practices as applicable.

Data security and information protection concepts relevant to geospatial data.

Skills

Strategic thinking and program leadership with proven ability to build and execute a multi-year remote sensing and UAV roadmap.

Strong data storytelling and the ability to translate technical results into business insights for non-technical stakeholders.

Drone program management, flight operations planning, and vendor management.

Advanced spatial analysis, 3D visualization, feature extraction, change detection, and workflow automation.

Data integration skills: connecting remote sensing outputs to GIS, asset management systems, ERP/CMDBs, and analytics platforms.

Benefit realization planning and tracking, including developing, monitoring, and communicating business case outcomes.

Excellent communication, collaboration, and stakeholder management across multiple organizations.

Change management and capability-building: training teams, developing best practices, and fostering a data-driven culture.

Problem-solving mindset with attention to detail and quality under tight deadlines.

Abilities

Ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously with competing priorities.

Ability to work independently and lead cross-functional teams, including field personnel, data scientists, IT, and operations staff.

Ability to simplify complex technical concepts for executives and field operations.

Ability to scale processes, automate repetitive tasks, and implement repeatable workflows.

Ability to develop, monitor, and optimize performance metrics, KPIs, SLAs, and service delivery against business expectations.

Ability to forge strong partnerships with business units and external partners; adept at stakeholder negotiation and alignment.

Ability to adapt to evolving technology landscapes, regulatory environments, and airspace rules.

Functional Competencies

Advanced knowledge of project management science, methodologies and standards.

Advanced knowledge of and ability to integrate project management knowledge areas, including project scope, quality, time, cost, communication, procurement, human resources and risk management.

Advanced knowledge of and skill in using software applications such as MS Project, PowerPoint, Word, Excel spreadsheets and graphing, Access, Visio, Maximo and Power Plant.

Advanced knowledge of Project Profile system and PGE email system.

Advanced knowledge of business process reengineering and continuous improvement methods and concepts.

Advanced knowledge of systems thinking concepts and principles.

Advanced knowledge of group problem-solving methods and techniques, including problem analysis, nominal group and brainstorming techniques and consensus building.

Advanced listening skills, including the ability to draw information out and to see things from another's perspective.

Advanced skills in writing technical and business requirements.

Advanced communication skills, both written and oral, including negotiation, persuasion and presentation skills.

General Competencies

Advanced consulting skills

Advanced decision-making skills

Intermediate enterprise/business awareness skills

Advanced negotiation skills

Advanced organization and prioritization skills

Advanced presentation/facilitation skills

Advanced team-building skills

Advanced written and oral communication skills

Physical and Cognitive Demands

Cognitive

Ability to adhere to set response times, deadlines and time-sensitive tasks

Ability to follow accuracy standards

Ability to follow through on decision-making tasks

Ability to interact effectively and collaboratively within a team environment

Ability to communicate and problem solve when under stress

Ability to respond and adapt to frequent change

Ability to accept and demonstrate self-awareness when provided constructive feedback

Ability to discern feedback and acknowledge ownership of areas of improvement

Ability to avoid future mistakes by applying reasonable skills to new but similar work situations or tasks

Ability to successfully collaborate with peers, managers and others within the organization Demonstrates sound memory

Ability to process new information to be applied consistently to work tasks

Schedule/Attendance

Ability to adhere to pre-established schedule, including start/stop time and break/lunch schedule

Ability to work long hours

Ability to work a variable schedule

Ability to report to work and perform work during periods of severe inclement weather

Ability to consistently meet attendance standards for regular, reliable, predictable, full-time attendance

Ability to work on-call schedule

Physical Capabilities

Driver's license required

Travel occasionally (Two to three times a month or less)

Computer use (use computer regularly for entire work shift)

Environment

Office environment - Hybrid - 3 days per week in office or field

#hybrid

Compensation Range:

Actual total compensation, including a performance based incentive bonus, is commensurate with experience, skills, qualifications, education, training, and internal equity. While we anticipate the selected candidate for this position will fall towards the middle or entry point of the compensation range, the decision will be made on a case-by-case basis.

PGE believes in rewarding dedicated performance. We provide a total rewards package that is designed to reward your contributions to the company, and, at the same time, support your well-being and professional development, both now and into the future. To find out more, click here.

Join us today and power your potential!

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PGE is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to fostering a workplace where employees feel connected, valued, and empowered to thrive. PGE will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, religion, disability, protected veteran status, or other characteristics protected by law.

PGE does not discriminate on the basis of disability. We recognize individuals have a variety of abilities to offer and we believe there is much to value and celebrate by incorporating different abilities into the work we do. One very important way we live this out is in our application and interview process. We work hard to support individuals who may need an accommodation to fully participate in these processes. If you feel you may need an accommodation, or would like to request one, please notify the Recruiter associated with the job posting. You may also make this request by contacting talentacquisition@pgn.comor by calling 503-464-7250. The Recruiter will provide information and next steps for the accommodation process.

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