Flight Test Engineer - Principal

Overview:

Modern Technology Solutions, Inc. (MTSI) is seeking a highly experienced Flight Test Engineer to provide oversight of developmental and operations test and evaluation activities for ACAT-like low-cost air-to-surface missile system programs.

In this role, you will initially focus on overseeing test activities conducted by industry partners, ensuring they align with government program objectives and the delivery of actionable recommendations to the partners to improve their test plans, test execution, and capability development. Over the course of the program, you will take on a more proactive role by collaborating with stakeholders to refine and develop test plans, comprehensive strategies, and processes that support system evaluation throughout its lifecycle. Additionally, you will deliver written assessments of test events to government leadership to inform decision-making and guide program advancement. 

You will work with cross-functional teams to ensure that test programs are technically sound, risk-informed, and well-aligned with warfighter mission requirements. Your contributions will ensure rigorous assessments of system performance, driving successful outcomes for this critical capability development effort. 

You must be prepared to push the boundaries of traditional acquisition approaches by adopting the Department of War (DoW) Acquisition Transformation Strategy, which emphasizes speed, innovation, and results through a streamlined “Warfighting Acquisition System” (WAS). Core focus areas of this strategy include:

1. Delivering capabilities rapidly to the warfighter 
2. Tailoring to identify and implement only critical and value-added processes or deliverables 
3. Prioritizing early prototyping 
4. Facilitating collaboration with warfighters to secure early and frequent performance feedback 
5. Driving rapid decision-making

This will require deep understanding of the established acquisition process and thus expert judgment of areas of acceptable risk to tailor out.

Roles and Responsibilities: 

• Provide direct oversight of tests conducted by industry vendors, ensuring alignment with program priorities and mission objectives. 
• Offer actionable technical and strategic recommendations for improvements to vendors’ testing approaches, system capabilities, and supporting test plans. 
• Author comprehensive written summaries of test events for government customer reviews and decision-making. 
• Support the implementation of a standardized Test and Evaluation (T&E) database for program-wide use. 
• Lead the integration of early and continuous test processes across program stages. 
• Mature data-driven test strategies to enable test data reuse and application throughout the development lifecycle. 
• Participate in and support T&E reviews, audits, Integrated Product Teams (IPTs), Deficiency Review Boards (DRBs), Materiel Improvement Process Review Boards (MIPRBs), and Technical Interchange Meetings (TIMs). 
• Support capacity planning and reporting initiatives to ensure resource prioritization for critical testing efforts. 
• Collect and analyze data from integration events and provide actionable insights to stakeholders. 
• Apply expertise in risk management to advise senior government officials on test readiness and assess the technical readiness of test venues, systems, or technology projects. 
• Collaborate with government stakeholders, prime contractors, and cross-functional engineering teams to ensure test objectives are met 
• Ensure requisite reviews, certifications, approvals, analyses, and test range readiness for flight test events are accomplished to keep program schedules on time.
• Occasionally travel in support of test events on site and program reviews.

Qualifications Required: 

• Bachelor of Science degree in engineering, mathematics, physics, or a similar field
• 15+ years of relevant experience in Air Force acquisitions, multi-faceted tests and test project teams, to include oversight of scheduling with a focus on developmental test or operational test (DT/OT). 
• Top Secret clearance
• Eligible for Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) and Special Access Programs (SAP)

Qualifications Desired:

• Master of Science/Master of Engineering (MS/ME) degree in engineering, mathematics, physics, or a similar field
• 25+ years of relevant experience. 
• Graduate of a Government Test Pilot School program

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