Sr. Avionics Instrumentation Engineer

About the Company

Virgin Galactic is an aerospace and space travel company, pioneering human spaceflight for private individuals and researchers with its advanced air and space vehicles. We are making the dream of space travel a reality, delivering spaceflight at an unprecedented frequency, with the development of next generation space vehicles.

About the Role

Virgin Galactic is seeking a Sr. Avionics Instrumentation Engineer responsible for assisting in the development, integration, installation and analysis of Avionics Instrumentation systems and equipment on new vehicles and spaceships. The position includes both avionics systems tasks and hands-on design, development, and test tasks. The scope of the avionics instrumentation position includes evaluation of flight avionics hardware, a good understanding of signal conditioning, data acquisition concepts, and actuator control/monitoring, RF communication and wire harness elements. The avionics instrumentation engineer will also be involved in the testing and checkout of flight software including hardware interface, vehicle guidance, navigation, control, fault tolerance, ground-support electronics hardware and software, and integrated vehicle health monitoring.

Responsibilities

• Designs and develops flight test instrumentation systems in close collaboration with Avionics and other engineering disciplines.
• Plans designs of telemetry systems for flight test data and live HD video streams.
• Conducts selection of sensors for flight test instrumentation including Strain gauges, thermocouples, pressure transducers, load cells, string pots, and accelerometers.
• Creates installation definition for flight test instrumentation.
• Develops and lead sensor and system level functional checks.
• Supports other departments regarding flight test instrumentation sensor integration.
• Sets flight test instrumentation specifications and ensures equipment compliance.
• Implements and troubleshoots solutions to address hardware and software obsolescence.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering and/or combination of education and work experience is required.

Required Skills and Experience

• Experience with data acquisition hardware including Acra Controls and/or TTC.
• Experience with mission control room software such as IADS.
• Experience with video encoding hardware such as Vitech.
• Ability to read and generate wiring schematics and installation diagrams using CAD software.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision and able to work across organizational teams.
• Working knowledge of sensors for strain, thermodynamics, pressure, and vibration.
• Excellent organizational skills and problem-solving skills.
• Strong computer skills, including Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint and Visio.

Preferred Skills

• 10+ years’ experience as a Flight Test Instrumentation or Avionics/Electrical Engineer preferred.
• Experience with the design of flight vehicles or vehicle systems to a set of requirements or standards such as CFR 14, Part 400, Part 23 and 25, military or NASA are highly desired.

Pay range and compensation package

The annual U.S. base salary range for this full-time position is $108,871.00–$166,036.00. The base pay actually offered will vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, location, and experience and take into account internal equity. Other forms of pay (e.g., bonus or long term incentive) may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to a full range of medical, financial, and other benefits, dependent on the position offered. For more information regarding Virgin Galactic benefits, please visit https://vgcareers.virgingalactic.com/global/en/benefits.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Virgin Galactic is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Virgin Galactic is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.

Drug Free Workplace

Virgin Galactic is committed to a Drug Free Workplace. All applicants post offer and active teammates are subject to testing for marijuana, cocaine, opioids, amphetamines, PCP, and alcohol when criteria is met as outlined in our policies. This can include pre-employment, random, reasonable suspicion, and accident related drug and alcohol testing.

Export Requirements

To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. Person (either a U.S. citizen, a lawful permanent resident or a protected individual as defined 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3) or be able to obtain the required authorization from either the U.S. Department of State or the U.S. Department of Commerce. The applicant must also not be included in the list of Specifically Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons maintained by the Office of Foreign Assets Control. See list here.