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Director, Global Regulatory Affairs

SCALIS, Palo Alto, CA, United States


Director of Global Regulatory Affairs

At Nova Sky Stories, we create large-scale drone light shows that redefine entertainment and technology on a global stage. We are seeking a Director of Global Regulatory Affairs to lead and coordinate the complex regulatory approvals required to safely operate drone shows around the world.
This role will be responsible for owning and coordinating the permitting strategy for hundreds of drone shows annually, ensuring compliance with aviation authorities, local regulators, and other government entities across multiple jurisdictions. The ideal candidate thrives in fast-paced environments, excels at navigating complex regulatory frameworks, and builds strong working relationships with internal teams and external stakeholders. They will also be comfortable interpreting technical system documentation and collaborating closely with our engineering team to address regulatory questions and support permit applications.
This role will act as the central coordination point for global show permitting, working closely with operations, pilots, engineering, legal, and regional teams to ensure permits are secured and regulatory requirements are met for every show.
As a Director of Global Regulatory Affairs, you’ll be responsible for:
Global Show Permitting Management
Own and coordinate the global permitting process for drone light shows across multiple countries and jurisdictions.
Track and manage permitting timelines and approvals for hundreds of shows annually, ensuring all regulatory requirements are met ahead of scheduled performances.
Serve as the central point of coordination for permitting activities across internal teams and regional operators.
Identify risks or potential delays in permit approvals and proactively manage solutions to keep productions on schedule.
Regulatory & Aviation Compliance
Work with aviation authorities, regulators, and government agencies to secure approvals required for drone operations.
Coordinate with regional teams and external partners to ensure compliance with local aviation regulations, airspace permissions, and safety requirements.
Maintain awareness of regulatory updates affecting drone operations globally.
Compile and submit technical documentation required for aviation approvals in collaboration with engineering, legal, and flight operations teams.
Cross-Functional Program Management
Manage permitting workflows involving operations teams, drone pilots, legal teams, and regional stakeholders.
Maintain visibility across multiple concurrent permitting processes and production schedules.
Coordinate resources across internal teams when regulatory challenges arise, ensuring quick and effective responses.
Support crisis management when permitting issues arise, helping resolve challenges in real time.
Global Compliance Tracking
Build and maintain a centralized database of global permitting requirements, regulatory approvals, and operational compliance documentation.
Track country-specific requirements including aviation permits, municipal approvals, security clearances, and other regulatory considerations.
Document permitting processes and develop repeatable systems that improve efficiency as Nova scales.
Stakeholder Communication
Communicate clearly with internal teams regarding permitting timelines, risks, and regulatory considerations.
Serve as a professional liaison with regulators, aviation authorities, and government agencies.
Ensure communications with regulators are accurate, professional, and aligned with Nova’s operational standards.
You’ll need to have:
8+ years of experience in permitting, regulatory compliance, aviation operations, technical program management, or a related field.
Strong project or program management experience managing complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives.
Experience coordinating regulatory or permitting processes involving government agencies or aviation authorities.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to interact professionally with regulators and internal teams.
Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret complex regulatory or legal documentation.
Exceptional organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple high-priority projects simultaneously.
Ability to remain calm and solution-oriented while navigating operational challenges or regulatory delays.
High level of discretion and professionalism when handling sensitive information.
It’s a plus if you have:
Experience working with drone aviation regulations or UAV permitting.
Background in aviation, aerospace, or aviation compliance.
Experience coordinating permits across multiple international jurisdictions.
Familiarity with regulatory agencies such as aviation authorities, civil aviation agencies, or government security organizations.
Experience supporting large-scale live events, productions, or complex technical operations.
Health Insurance
401(k) Matching
Paid Time Off (PTO)
Paid Holidays
Remote Work
Vision Insurance
Test Engineer

As a Test Engineer at Nova Sky Stories, you will own the design, development, and maintenance of our manual and automated testing infrastructure. You will work closely with software, hardware, and production teams to ensure that our flight-control software, creative tools, and show-orchestration systems meet the highest standards of reliability and performance. As a Test Engineer, you’ll be working on:
Creating and maintaining automated tests (unit, integration, system-level) for our drone light show applications built with C++, Qt, and Dear ImGui.
Designing test frameworks, mock environments, and test utilities that help validate critical real-time and UI-driven functionality.
Building and improving our CI/CD test pipelines, ensuring fast, reliable, and repeatable verification for every code change.
Collaborating with software engineers, designers, and drone operators to understand feature behavior and translate it into effective test strategies.
Testing components involving real-time data processing, mission-critical control interfaces, and operator tools used in live drone show production.
Investigating issues, reproducing complex edge cases, and providing detailed feedback to help engineers maintain the highest level of software reliability.
You will be responsible for:
Develop and maintain manual and automated unit tests, integration tests, and end-to-end test suites.
Build and optimize test pipelines to support continuous integration and delivery.
Collaborate with developers to identify, diagnose, and resolve software defects.
Design test strategies for new features and system components.
Contribute to improving internal QA processes, tooling, and best practices.
Work with C++ and Qt/QML codebases to write effective, maintainable test code.
Ensure test coverage and reliability for mission-critical systems used in large-scale drone show productions.
Requirements:
Strong experience in C++ development.
Hands-on experience with automated testing (unit, integration, CI pipelines).
Ability to design clear, reliable test cases and frameworks.
Familiarity with modern development workflows (Git, CI/CD, code review culture).
Experience with Qt/QML, especially for UI-driven testing.
Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
Ability to communicate fluently in German and English.
Nice to have:
Knowledge of testing embedded, real-time, or robotics systems.
Experience in the entertainment tech, UAV, or simulation domains.
Why you’ll love working with us:
Be part of something innovative: Work on projects that combine cutting-edge technology and creativity to deliver one-of-a-kind visual experiences.
Creative freedom: Have the autonomy to take on challenges, propose solutions, and see your ideas implemented in real-world applications.
Direct impact: Your work will have a real and visible influence on the execution of massive, high-profile visual events across the globe.
Supportive environment: We’re a fun, forward-thinking team that loves solving big problems and working together to create something magical.
Exciting perks: Competitive salary, flexible hours, and front-row access to the incredible visual experiences you help bring to life.
Production Coordinator

We are seeking a Production Coordinator to help drive execution across our most complex, high-visibility U.S. productions. In this role, you’ll own the details that make shows happen—travel, ground transportation, vendor coordination, schedules, documentation, and on-the-ground readiness. You’ll take defined work-streams and run with them, ensuring nothing slips and everything moves forward. You’ll primarily support large marquee productions, acting as a force multiplier for the PM team—bringing structure, speed, and consistency to high-volume execution. When needed, you’ll also step into onsite roles for smaller or repeatable shows, gaining hands-on production experience. This role sits at the core of our operations. Our shows only feel seamless because the backend is tight—and you’ll be a key part of making that happen. If you’re someone who thrives in fast-paced environments, loves owning details, and wants a path toward running larger productions, this is a strong entry point with real growth.
You’ll be responsible for:
Marquee Show Support (Primary) - Partner with PMs to drive key work-streams across complex productions
Own logistics: travel, lodging, transportation, vendor coordination, crew onboarding
Maintain the operational “source of truth” (docs, trackers, schedules, contacts)
Keep communication tight across internal teams and external partners
Identify risks early and bring solutions
Travel & Logistics Systems - Own and maintain travel workflows (Navan and related tools)
Keep trackers accurate, clean, and aligned with budgets
Ensure bookings meet show needs and cost targets
Streamline expense tracking and documentation for Accounting
Documentation & Reporting - Keep all project documentation organized and up to date
Maintain call sheets and run-of-show schedules
Drive post-show reporting and ensure learnings are captured and shared
Onsite Execution (As Assigned) - Support onsite coordination of crew, vendors, and venue partners
Help manage timelines from load-in through strike
Own clearly defined responsibilities when onsite
Wrap Support + Continuous Improvement - Track invoices, receipts, and support actuals
Assist with post-show reporting and wrap deliverables
Capture insights and improve processes for future shows
Required Qualifications:
1–3 years of experience in live events, touring, film production, or similar fast-paced operational environments
Highly organized with strong attention to detail—able to catch what others miss and communicate it clearly
Calm under pressure and able to juggle multiple moving pieces at once
Proficient in Google Workspace and comfortable working in spreadsheets
Willing to travel and work nights/weekends during show windows
Valid driver’s license required
It’s is plus if you have:
Experience supporting senior production leads on complex shows
Hands-on experience managing travel logistics at scale
Comfortable coordinating multiple vendors simultaneously
Strong documentation habits across fast-moving teams
Exposure to aviation-adjacent or safety-sensitive operations
What Defines You:
Highly reliable, organized, and execution-focused.
Calm under pressure and effective in an onsite operating environment.
A clear, proactive communicator who escalates issues early and appropriately.
You don’t need to be the “owner of everything” to be high-impact.
You like owning your lane and making the overall machine run smoother.
Team-oriented, humble, and eager to learn.
Interested in growing into increased production ownership over time.

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