Sr. Test Instrumentation Engineer

Senior Test Instrumentation Engineer

Virgin Galactic is seeking a talented and motivated engineer to execute a variety of Test & Evaluation instrumentation activities for our next generation of Spaceships. Guided by our values, "Safety Above All", we proactively manage the risks inherent in human spaceflight through our daily actions.

Responsibilities:

• Engage in Virgin Galactic's ground testing instrumentation and test equipment for the verification of complex mechanical, electronic and/or structural components and systems
• Drive and support the execution of entire instrumentation project cycles from concept through completion
• Define the scope and verifiable requirements of test instrumentation efforts
• Design instrumentation and associated equipment
• Design and develop instrumentation software
• Integrate test instrumentation systems
• Verify as-built systems meet requirements
• Maintain test instrumentation after deployment to active testing
• Participate in the test engineering review, approval, and release processes
• Participate in the continuous improvement of test instrumentation practices, including processes, procedures, technology implementation, capital projects, standardization efforts and training activities
• Ensure common best practices are integrated across test instrumentation
• Engage in internal instrumentation user groups to foster share learning with teammates
• Ensure that all decisions of your team are driven by safety: be the safety focal for Test Instrumentation - drive the adoption of Job Hazard Analyses (JHAs), safety audits for all roles and work functions, and maintain a safety-first culture
• With support from senior management, foster an inclusive work environment that values diversity, sharing, creative problem solving, and strategic thinking
• Execute other duties as required by Virgin Galactic senior leadership to support company and program objectives
• Continuously practice safety behavior and Foreign Object Debris (FOD) awareness/prevention; adhere to regulatory protocols and rules
• Work collaboratively to achieve goals and/or complete assigned tasks
• Adhere to set directions and guidelines from team leader to support collaboration across teams to complete projects.

Required Skills and Experience:

• Bachelors degree from an accredited institution with a concentration in a relevant engineering discipline, or equivalent industry experience
• 8+ years of experience in test instrumentation including test software, fixtures and/or racks used for component acceptance/qualification, structural test, materials test, or environmental test
• Demonstrated experience of Instrumentation selection, signal conditioning and data acquisition
• Experience instrumenting strain gages, string potentiometers, thermocouples, accelerometers, load cells, LVDTs and pressure transducers
• 3+ years of National Instruments PXI, cRIO or cDAQ data acquisition experience
• 5+ years of LabVIEW development experience in industry (Certified LabVIEW Developer accreditation or equivalent)
• Electrical engineering experience, as applied to data acquisition and control (e.g. analog, digital, high speed data signal integrity)
• Hardware system build and integration experience
• Working knowledge of integration tools (DMM, scope, function generator, power supply, loads, hand tools)
• Working knowledge of mechanical and electrical build tools (wire cutter/stripper/crimper, soldering iron)
• Engineering analytical skills in test-relevant engineering areas
• Demonstrated organizational skills, capable of juggling and completing multiple tasks across different disciplines and programs
• Demonstrate willingness to adjust thinking and behavior.
• Ability to communicate in a manner that is timely, respectful, and open to other ideas

Preferred Skills and Experience:

• Experience with component testing in a DO-160 and/or SMC-S-016 (or similar) environment
• Experience with environmental testing of mechanical and/or avionics components and systems
• Experience with mechanical and physical testing of materials, with an emphasis on metallic and/or composite materials
• Practical knowledge of test processes, including requirements gathering, design creation, integrity in build execution, and reporting skills
• Working knowledge of PLM systems
• Working knowledge of DQMH and/or JKISM
• Working knowledge of UML including Class, Object, Activity, Use Case and Sequence diagrams
• Working knowledge of Continuous Integration system usage
• Experienced Confluence/Jira user
• SharePoint familiarity
• Successful execution of projects and tasks in an Agile environment
• Demonstrated delegation skills
• EIM integration knowledge
• Working knowledge of Continuous Integration system setup and management