Graden J. O’Leary
Trust & Safety and risk · Rotax 9 Series & LSA maintenance · Process consulting
A program and risk professional who works comfortably in the space between engineering and operations. I help organizations build safer products and tighter processes, and I bring the same systems mindset to light sport aircraft maintenance.
About
Professional
I have spent more than six years coordinating cross-functional operations, from early-stage build-out to scale, in complex multinational environments. My work centers on Trust and Safety, regulatory response, and operational risk: establishing detection signals, enforcement frameworks, and the day-to-day workflows that keep large platforms accountable.
I work closely alongside engineering, data science, legal, and policy teams, and I am most useful where those groups intersect. I care about measuring whether an intervention actually worked, not just whether it shipped.
Academic
My academic background spans international relations, global risk, and area studies. I hold an MSc in International Relations from the London School of Economics, an MA in International Public Management with a Global Risk concentration from Sciences Po Paris, and a BA in French and Middle Eastern Studies from New York University.
That training shapes how I approach problems: rigorous about evidence, comfortable with ambiguity, and attentive to how technical systems and human institutions shape one another.
Aviation Maintenance
Independent Rotax Maintenance Technician (iRMT) holding Rotax Aviation Service and Maintenance ratings, and an FAA Light Sport Repairman Maintenance – Airplane (LSRM-A) certificate. Light sport aircraft line maintenance focused on the Rotax 9 series powerplant and LSA airframes, grounded in manufacturer procedures. Local airports served include Palo Alto (KPAO), San Carlos (KSQL), Half Moon Bay (KHAF), Reid Hillview (KRHV), San Martin (KE16), Hayward Executive (KHWD), Livermore (KLVK), and others in the area. Please reach out if your area is not listed but you require iRMT services for your aircraft.
Rotax 9 Series Line Maintenance
Routine line and heavy maintenance on the Rotax 9 Series (e.g. 912 ULS, 912 iS, 914 UL, 914 iS, 925 iS, and 916 iS) including:
- Scheduled inspections per Rotax line maintenance intervals
- Oil and coolant service, filter changes
- Spark plug service and ignition checks
- Carburetor synchronization (carbureted variants)
- Fuel system and hose inspection
LSA Airframe Maintenance
Airframe line maintenance on light sport aircraft, including platforms such as the Van’s RV-12iS:
- Control system inspection and rigging checks
- Propeller inspection and torque procedures
- Landing gear and brake servicing
- Fastener and structural condition checks
- Inspection reporting and squawk documentation
Approach
How I work:
- Manufacturer maintenance manuals as the source of truth
- Torque values verified and recorded
- Clear, photographed inspection reports
- Honest scope: I refer work beyond my authorization
I hold an FAA Light Sport Repairman Maintenance – Airplane (LSRM-A) certificate and Rotax Aviation Service and Maintenance ratings as an independent Rotax Maintenance Technician (iRMT). Credentials can be verified through the Rotax Flying and Safety Club (opens in a new tab). Maintenance authority is governed by FAA regulation and the specific certificate held; please reach out to discuss your aircraft and needs.
Consulting
Process improvement and operational risk work for growth-stage and multinational organizations. I help teams turn messy operations into measurable, repeatable systems.
Process & Operations Improvement
- Workflow design and operational guideline development
- Quality assessment and data-accuracy programs
- Change management and stakeholder enablement
- Cross-functional program management
Trust, Safety & Risk
- Risk identification, assessment, and mitigation
- Detection signals and enforcement frameworks
- Product red-teaming and abuse analysis
- KPI development and policy-effectiveness measurement
Compliance & Regulatory
- Regulatory response and escalation handling
- Compliance program implementation at scale
- Business continuity planning
- Third-party and operational risk assessment
International Operations
- Multi-region product deployment
- Cross-border program coordination
- Crisis response and disaster operations
- Multilingual stakeholder engagement (FR, AR, ES)
Credentials
Licenses & Certifications
- LSRM-A — FAA Light Sport Repairman Maintenance – Airplane (2026)
- iRMT — Rotax Aviation Service & Maintenance ratings (2026)
- Private Pilot License — United States (2011)
- Remote Pilot License, Part 107 — United States (2026)
- Amateur Radio Operator, Technician — FCC (2015)
Education & Affiliations
- MSc International Relations — LSE
- MA International Public Management — Sciences Po Paris
- BA French & Middle Eastern Studies — NYU (magna cum laude)
- Fellow — Royal Anthropological Institute of Breat Britain and Ireland
- Volunteer — Team Rubicon disaster response
Start a conversation
Whether it’s a Rotax inspection, a process that needs untangling, or something else entirely, I’d be glad to hear from you. Tell me a little about what you need and I’ll get back to you.