In this role you will provide full spectrum Avionics/Electrical Engineering support for the USAF Medium Altitude Unmanned Aircraft Systems (MAUAS) Division at designated government and commercial facilities in the Dayton, OH area. DCS is an employee-owned company focused on providing engineering, programmatic, and technical support services to the Department of Defense and other national security customers. Essential Job Functions: Assists the engineering team leader in developing engineering procedures and controls, assisting in the management of project efforts, and recommending problem resolution for aircraft research, development, production, and lifecycle acquisition and sustainment activities; interfaces with weapons system contractors, vendors, and Government representatives regarding the technical aspects of engineering activities; independently applies engineering principles to investigate, analyze, plan, oversee, and evaluate weapons system development and sustainment activities; reviews and prepares engineering and technical analyses, reports, change proposals, and other technical documentation; and provides engineering expertise, oversight, and participation to activities involving weapons system and associated SE hardware/software development, integration and test, configuration management, Quality Assurance testing, and acquisition and resource management. Provides advisory and draft documentation support for the development and acquisition of new capabilities and upgrades to existing capabilities to meet requirements to include Quick Reaction Capability (QRC) or other rapid fielding requirements while providing simultaneous support to multiple PMs. Analyzes operational capability requirements and provides advisory and draft documentation support for the preparation and coordination of key development, procurement, and sustainment planning documentation for efforts including, requirements definition, development of long-range plans, roadmaps, mission area plans, program plans, system integration plans, development of estimates for future budgets and program planning, contract actions (e.g., Statement of Work (SOW), Technical Requirements Documents (TRDs)), technical evaluation of proposals, status reports, briefings, test documentation, specifications, interface control documents, and other formal and informal documentation as required throughout the weapon systems life cycle. Supports the planning and design of experiments, analyses, and modeling and simulation efforts, to further include follow-on development planning, and support traceability of these efforts to identify defects and ensure requirements are met. Support program technical interchange meetings, Program Management Reviews, executive management reviews, test-related meetings such as Technical Review Board (TRB), Safety Review Board (SRB), Test Readiness Review (TRR) and Test Plan Working Group (TPWG), lab and flight test events, Integrated Product Team meetings, software/hardware design reviews including but not limited to Preliminary Design Review, Critical Design Review, and Final Design Review, platform integration meetings and meetings as otherwise required. Develops recommendations for Government consideration as to the adequacy of technical solutions relating to issues including meeting all user requirements and expectations, all aspects of the overall weapons system performance and supportability, aircraft and air-worthiness certification, and equipment readiness. Analyzes operational requirements, evolving requirements or deficiencies, investigating and recommending potential solutions, evaluating weapon system Contractor-proposed design changes and solutions, overseeing the correction of deficiencies, and in general by providing engineering support to address any technical issues affecting all aspects of overall weapons system integration, capability or performance improvements, and supportability/sustainability. Recommends the potential development of new processes and improvements to current processes for Government consideration. Provides advisory assistance in technical evaluations of weapon system contract proposals, verifies content, and identifies potential errors in work and cost estimates. Drafts documentation and prepares and coordinates program briefings, program execution reports, decision papers, and key acquisition program documentation. Makes recommendations to the Government and senior management on quality and product assurance matters. Reviews technical solutions, aircraft and ground system modifications and integration approaches, research and development approaches, and technology insertion in support of upgrade programs. This advisory technical assessment support includes Size, Weight and Power (SWaP), mechanical and electrical interfacing, environmental compatibility, reliability/maintainability system integration trade-offs, life-cycle considerations, aircraft or other platform modification analyses, special testing, simulation, and verification processes. Assesses the performance of aeronautical and ground-based systems and associated subsystems and equipment; identifies potential issues or areas for improvement and make recommendations to the Government for consideration. Supports all phases of subsystem- and system-level integration and testing, including construct and review of test plans and procedures, participation and oversight of integration and test activities, and analysis and evaluation of test results. Support also encompasses all aspects of integration and testing extending from component-level up through the fully integrated weapons system. Supports mishap ground and flight safety investigations. Advises and drafts supply and support plans and helps determine adequate provisioning for life cycle program support. Manages depot maintenance requirements for sustainment of associated systems including progression towards an organic depot and supports as required weapons system repairs, modifications, Time Compliance Technical Orders/Technical Order (TO) development, interim safety supplements for TOs, and for certification and verification activities. Ensures technical accuracy and adequacy of responses to TO 00-25-107 technical assistance requests from USAF maintenance units; available to support the week-long 24/7 Emergency Telephone Support line on a periodic basis and to commute to the General Atomics facility within 2 hours of an emergency phone call. Supports safety and accident investigations boards and act as a liaison between the USAF designated board and the system/subsystem manufacturer. Assists Government oversight of Reliability and Maintainability projects to ensure SOWs and TRDs clearly define objectives, cost estimates are reasonable, and design changes meet USAF requirements. Coordinates with AFLCMC/WII, Det 3, other agencies, and contractor specialists on all design changes to ensure maintenance, Support Equipment (SE), and TO impacts are adequately addressed. Supports the Government during the parts procurement process for all design changes by supporting procurement and fielding cost estimates and cost benefit analysis as early as possible. Reviews non-conformance reports and recommended corrective actions for technical adequacy. Provides risk assessments for the weapons system to include associated SE and further investigates measures to mitigate or eliminate risks to include working with associated peers and contractor Subject Matter Experts. Reviews and assesses weapons system contractor failure analysis reports for technical accuracy and adequacy. Assesses and monitors contractor-generated technical data, technical manuals, and engineering changes for technical accuracy and completeness, extending from component-level up through the fully integrated weapons system. Provides engineering support, data collection, and analysis, advisory and other support as may be required for Foreign Military Sales. Supports the transition of QRC capabilities through an Operational Utility Evaluation and other transition activities as required. Facilitates multispecialty teams to achieve results specified by program leadership. Provides systems engineering and integration support extending across the aircraft, sensor and ground control systems with the ability to address mechanical, electrical, power, flight control systems, data links, network architectures and information assurance/security. Identifies all single point of failure assets needed to support all deployed locations. Required Skills: Due to the sensitivity of customer related requirements, U.S. Citizenship is required. BA/BS degree and 15 years of experience in the aviation test operations field, 5 of which must be in the DoD or a MA/MS and 12 years of experience, of which 5 must be in the DoD. A fully adjudicated DoD Secret security clearance (SSBI/T5/T5R within the preceding five calendar years) is required on the First Day of employment. Knowledge of development and sustaining engineering support for Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPAs), similar vehicles, and associated systems, subsystems and Ground Control Station (GCSs); the development of long range plans, roadmaps, and mission area plans; processes required to analyze operational capability requirements and determine adequate technical solutions; the integration of radar systems, Electro-Optical/Infrared sensors, weapons, and other payloads/stores; processes necessary to support environmental requirements; and all aspects of RPAs, similar systems and associated GCSs development and supportability. Demonstrated experience with, and/or knowledge of, processes required to ensure new designs are sustainable, meet system requirements and requiring-office expectations; support the resolution of SWaP issues for RPA or similar vehicle / systems; support laboratories (i.e., Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL)) and/or special projects for new technologies; and provide technical and feasibility analyses for development, testing and fielding of RPAs or similar vehicles. Advanced knowledge, experience, and recognized ability to be considered an engineering expert. Possess the ability to perform tasks and oversee the efforts of junior and journeyman personnel within the engineering discipline. Demonstrate advanced knowledge of the engineering discipline as well as possess a comprehensive understanding and ability to apply associated security standards, procedures, and practices. Possess the knowledge, experience, and demonstrated ability to perform engineering and have a demonstrated ability to work independently and apply the proper procedures and process related to engineering. Proven ability to problem solve and troubleshoot various situations to develop successful outcomes within established program/project guidelines. Must be detail oriented and able to work within specified deadlines. Clear ability to take ownership of issues and pursue potential resolutions through to completion. Able to work both independently and in a team environment.
