Job Title: Flight Systems Calibration Engineer
Job Summary:
The Senior Flight Systems Calibration Engineer is responsible for leading the calibration, optimization, testing, and validation of flight systems in aerospace applications. This includes flight control systems, avionics, sensors, navigation systems, and related components. The Senior Engineer will oversee and mentor a team of engineers and technicians, ensuring that all flight systems meet performance, safety, and regulatory standards (e.g., FAA, EASA). Additionally, the role involves troubleshooting complex system issues, driving continuous improvement, and implementing innovative solutions to enhance flight system performance.
Key Responsibilities:
Flight Systems Calibration and Optimization:
- Lead the design, implementation, and optimization of flight system calibration procedures for avionics, flight control systems, sensors, navigation, and communication systems.
- Oversee the calibration of critical aerospace components, ensuring that all flight systems operate with maximum accuracy, reliability, and safety.
- Drive performance optimization efforts for flight systems, utilizing data analysis, simulations, and real-time performance monitoring to improve system efficiency and reliability.
Testing and Validation:
- Manage and lead comprehensive testing and validation efforts for flight systems, ensuring they meet all operational requirements and safety standards.
- Conduct in-depth hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing, flight simulations, and in-field testing to verify system performance and compliance with specifications.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to develop and implement test plans and protocols, ensuring that flight systems are fully validated before deployment.
Troubleshooting and Complex Issue Resolution:
- Lead the troubleshooting and diagnostic efforts for complex flight system issues, ensuring the identification of root causes and the development of effective corrective actions.
- Provide expert technical guidance to junior engineers and technicians in the resolution of technical problems and system performance issues.
- Address critical failures that may affect the safety or performance of flight systems, ensuring quick resolution and minimal disruption to operations.
System Integration and Maintenance:
- Oversee the integration of new flight systems and components, ensuring they are calibrated correctly and compatible with existing systems.
- Lead the maintenance, recalibration, and system check activities for flight systems, ensuring that they continue to operate optimally over time.
- Provide oversight for preventive maintenance schedules and support the team in performing routine maintenance tasks to ensure system readiness and minimize downtime.
Documentation and Reporting:
- Ensure comprehensive documentation of calibration processes, test results, performance evaluations, and troubleshooting activities.
- Prepare detailed technical reports for senior management, clients, and regulatory bodies, summarizing calibration findings, performance results, and any issues or deviations encountered during testing.
- Maintain accurate and up-to-date records of system configurations, calibration settings, and testing procedures to ensure compliance with regulatory standards (e.g., FAA, EASA).
Regulatory Compliance and Safety:
- Ensure that all flight systems and calibration processes comply with industry regulations (e.g., FAA, EASA), safety standards, and certification requirements.
- Lead the efforts to obtain necessary certifications for flight systems and ensure all systems are fully compliant with regulatory requirements before deployment.
- Conduct safety audits and reviews of flight systems, recommending improvements and implementing corrective actions to mitigate any risks identified during audits.
Leadership and Mentorship:
- Lead, mentor, and train a team of engineers and technicians, providing technical guidance and fostering a culture of continuous improvement and innovation.
- Set clear goals for the team, provide regular feedback, and support career development by offering opportunities for professional growth and skill enhancement.
- Act as the technical lead for calibration activities, ensuring that high standards are maintained throughout all phases of the project lifecycle.
Continuous Improvement and Innovation:
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives within the flight systems calibration process, identifying areas for optimization and implementing cutting-edge technologies and methodologies.
- Stay up-to-date with the latest developments in avionics, flight control systems, and calibration technologies, bringing new ideas and innovations to improve system performance.
- Evaluate emerging technologies and make recommendations for incorporating them into existing calibration and testing processes to enhance efficiency, safety, and accuracy.
Collaboration and Stakeholder Management:
- Collaborate with engineering teams, project managers, quality assurance teams, and other stakeholders to ensure that flight systems meet operational requirements and project goals.
- Serve as the primary technical liaison for flight systems calibration, ensuring alignment between different teams and departments.
- Communicate effectively with senior management and clients, providing updates on progress, performance, and any technical challenges encountered.
Skills and Knowledge Required:
- Extensive experience in the calibration, testing, and optimization of flight systems, avionics, flight control systems, sensors, and related components in aerospace applications.
- Expertise in flight systems integration, troubleshooting, and performance optimization for complex aerospace platforms.
- Advanced knowledge of regulatory standards (e.g., FAA, EASA) and safety requirements for aerospace systems and flight control systems.
- Strong leadership and mentoring abilities, with experience leading technical teams and driving project success.
- Proficiency in flight systems testing tools, diagnostic software, and simulation platforms (e.g., MATLAB, Simulink, LabVIEW).
- Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to lead complex troubleshooting efforts and resolve issues efficiently.
- Excellent communication skills to document technical information clearly, report findings to stakeholders, and collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.
- In-depth understanding of data analysis, system performance monitoring, and calibration tools to optimize flight systems' functionality.
Educational Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical field.
- Certifications in avionics, flight systems, or aerospace technologies (e.g., FAA certifications, Six Sigma) are highly desirable.
Key Focus Areas:
- Avionics and Flight Control Systems: Leading the design, implementation, and optimization of calibration strategies for advanced avionics and flight control systems, ensuring they meet the highest standards of performance, safety, and reliability.
- Safety and Emergency Systems for Aircraft: Overseeing the calibration and validation of safety-critical and emergency systems in aircraft, ensuring compliance with global aviation safety regulations and operational readiness in all emergency scenarios.
- Precision Instrumentation for Navigation, Communications, and Control: Directing the calibration and integration of cutting-edge instrumentation for navigation, communication, and flight control systems, driving continuous improvements in precision and system performance.
- Innovation and System Optimization: Leading initiatives to innovate calibration processes, enhance system performance, and integrate emerging technologies into flight systems, optimizing operational efficiency and reliability.
- Regulatory Compliance and Industry Leadership: Ensuring all calibration procedures comply with aviation regulations (FAA, EASA) and industry standards, managing audits, certifications, and acting as a subject matter expert in regulatory affairs related to flight systems.
- Team Leadership and Mentorship: Leading and mentoring a team of calibration engineers, fostering a culture of continuous learning and technical excellence, and guiding the team in solving complex engineering challenges in avionics and flight systems.
Experience:
- 5+ years of experience in flight systems calibration, avionics, or related aerospace fields.
- Proven experience in leading flight systems calibration, testing, and troubleshooting efforts for complex aerospace systems.
- Experience with flight control systems, avionics systems, and sensors, including integration, maintenance, and performance optimization.
- Demonstrated leadership experience, including mentoring engineers and technicians and managing calibration projects from inception to completion.
Tools and Technologies:
- Expertise in flight systems testing, calibration tools, and diagnostic equipment used in aerospace applications.
- Proficiency in simulation software (e.g., MATLAB, Simulink) and data analysis tools used in flight systems testing.
- Experience with flight control systems, avionics software, and hardware used in aerospace platforms.
Other Requirements:
- Strong leadership, organizational, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to manage teams and projects effectively.
- Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously and prioritize work in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
- A strong commitment to maintaining the highest standards of safety, quality, and regulatory compliance in flight systems calibration.
- Willingness to travel to aircraft facilities, testing locations, or client sites for system calibration, troubleshooting, and optimization activities.