Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems has an opening for a Principal/Sr. Principal Airborne Sensor Operator (ASO) to join our team of qualified, diverse individuals within our Test and Evaluation organization. This position will be located in Palmdale, CA.
The System Test IPT is a seeking a Principal/Sr. Principal Airborne Sensor Operator (ASO) for our Flight Test Department. This role will provide oversight and guidance to ensure safe and professional flight operations in support of flight test, demonstrations and product development of associated systems. Ensures compliance with sector policies/procedures and customer guidance.
This position requires outstanding written and oral communications skills. Individual will be required to serve as a principal subject matter focal point between maintenance, test operations - contractor and customer. Individual must be able to work without appreciable direction to develop solutions to complex problems; must be able to work both within a team environment and independently; must be self-motivated, thorough, and detail oriented.
Responsibilities
Selected candidate must provide sensor operations expertise to assigned programs; technology/research efforts to ensure man-machine interface issues and requirements are identified for new or modified System Under Test (SUT) designs. Plan, develop and execute test flights on SUT to verify airworthiness and performance capability of installed sensors; validate and verify compliance with specifications.
Engage with program IPTs and REs to ensure SUT designs/modifications are effective and suitable. Provides applicable inputs at FRR, TRRs and SRBs ensuring safe conduct of all NGAS flight test missions. Ensures best practices and lessons learned are shared with program ASOs. Provides engineering sensor operations expertise and safety guidance to flight test engineers for design definition, simulator flights, test planning, flight test techniques, test conduct, and test reporting. Provides sensor operations inputs into development of preliminary flight manuals and aircrew checklists. In conjunction with Flight Ops Manager and Program Chief Pilot, develop and maintain program specific procedures and requirements for flight test crew qualification and training to support applicable regulations and contract requirements. Maintain system under test proficiencies and currencies; also must obtain and maintain proficiencies and currencies on other aircraft as required. Complies with Corporate, Sector, and Program policy and procedures; maintains appropriate certificates and remains knowledgeable of the program system under test and current FAA rules and applicable service/customer regulations.
Typical duties include the following:
Operates sensors to determine compliance with specification and suitability during engineering tests and flight test/demonstration support through specifically prescribed tests and maneuvers.
May participate in demonstration flights with customers, government officials or other personnel to exhibit vehicle performance, flying qualities and system capabilities.
Conduct SUT ground and flight tests, as a crewmember to support the System Specification verification process and follow on testing.
Participate in briefings and debriefings, and coordinate with maintenance personnel to analyze and correct SUT discrepancies.
Define and execute complex collection plans for flight test events.
Support engineering with development of test plans, procedures, and test cards.
Assess operation of sensors and the quality of collected data.
Attend Air Vehicle and Mission System Technical Interchange Meetings, Preliminary Design Reviews, Critical Design Reviews, and Flight Readiness Reviews.
Write technical reports for ground and flight test events
Other duties as assigned
Basic Qualifications:
Principal Airborne Sys Operator: Bachelors of Science in a STEM discipline with 5 Years of relevant experience; Masters of Science in a STEM discipline with 3 Years experience; PhD of Science in a STEM discipline with 0 Years experience.
Sr. Principal Airborne Sys Operator: Bachelors of Science in a STEM discipline with 9 Years of relevant experience; Masters of Science in a STEM discipline with 7 Years experience; PhD of Science in a STEM discipline with 4 Years experience.
For both level 3/4:
Current FAA Class III Medical
Previous experience/ proficiency, and qualification on a U.S. DoD MDS (Mission Designation Series)
Current DoD Top Secret (TS) clearance
Ability to obtain and maintain a Special Program Access (SAP) and Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) access.
Role demands overtime, odd shifts, and weekend work to occasionally be required.
Preferred Qualifications:
Current SUT Top Secret SAP, and Top Secret SCI clearance
Demonstrated mentoring and coaching skills
Previous instructor experience/ proficiency, and qualification on a U.S. DoD MDS
Instructor/Evaluator experience in SUT
Experience in flight testing, with ability to work with engineering to develop solutions to integration issues, and to bridge between the customer users and Northrop Grumman designers
In depth knowledge of or test experience, to include control room monitoring