Test Instrumentation Engineer

About Bridger Aerospace

Bridger Aerospace is an aerial firefighting company based in Belgrade, Montana, located at the Bozeman Yellowstone Airport (KBZN). It was founded in 2014 to support front-line firefighters with world-leading technology and aerial fire suppression systems. We have grown from operating a single plane to commanding a significant Air Attack and the largest Super Scooper fleet in the U.S. in less than eight years. Bridger is a leader in fighting wildfires, specializing in Air Attack, Fire Suppression, and Aerial Fire-Mapping technologies. Our focus is to provide the most effective and modern capabilities to fight fires from the air. Meeting the needs of the growing threat of economic and environmental damage caused by wildfires and supporting ground-based firefighters is our priority. 

About Flight Test & Mechanic Solutions, Inc.

Flight Test & Mechanic Solutions, Inc dba FMS Aerospace, a wholly owned subsidiary of Bridger, is a growing, flexible, customer-driven aircraft structural engineering and flight test company with manufacturing capability. We have many opportunities with a variety of types of projects with both foreign and domestic governments and commercial customers across many types of aircraft.

About the Role

Bridger Aerospace is currently seeking an experienced full-time Mid to Senior Level Test Instrumentation Engineerfor FMS in Huntsville, Alabama. This position will support the design, development, integration, and implementation of data acquisition systems, instrumentation, and associated sensors. The successful candidate will be responsible for collaborating with various engineering disciplines to define each program’s instrumentation requirements, as well as develop/modify/maintain data acquisition system hardware and software, support instrumentation planning, installation, and required calibrations.

Job Responsibilities

• Be responsible for specification, selection, design, integration, operation and maintenance of aircraft data acquisition systems, and their related components
• Collaborate with various engineering disciplines to determine what parameters will be required to be monitored, recorded, and displayed.
• Review aircraft avionics systems, maintenance manuals, and wiring manuals, to develop an instrumentation integration approach.
• Develop and maintain a Master Parameter List for each program that defines all parameters to be recorded, required sensors, range, accuracy, excitation, and sampling rates.
• Collaborate with other engineering disciplines to develop wiring diagrams that can be used to fabricate the required test instrumentation wire harnessing.
• Create a comprehensive Instrumentation Plan that documents the instrumentation system equipment and setup to be used to collect the necessary data for each test program.
• Oversee installation, checkout, and calibration of data acquisition system to ensure test data can be properly displayed, processed, and analyzed
• Troubleshoot and resolve instrumentation system, transducer, and test-related issues
• Maintains configuration control, and mission capability of the instrumentation system
• Familiar with aircraft instrumentation concepts including: Analog and digital data acquisition, calibration methods, solid-state recording and digital video recording / compression, aircraft wiring, and avionics databus protocols including MilStd-1553, ARINC429/717, PCM, and ASCB.

• Travel may be periodically required to support instrumentation installations.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Engineering Technology, Computer Science, Physics, or equivalent experience/combined education.
• Minimum of 3-5 years of relevant experience in the data acquisition and instrumentation field
• 3+ years of experience working in a lab test, flight test, or similar test environment
• Experience with data acquisition system attributes (e.g. range, accuracy, frequency responses, bandwidth) to define characteristics of measurements to be recorded
• Experience with transducer and sensor characteristics with the ability to make hardware selections appropriate to measure physical phenomena
• Ability to interpret electrical drawings and schematics.
• Experience planning and executing instrumentation activities for test programs
• Experience with electronics troubleshooting techniques and tools, including multi-meters, oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, signal generators, spectrum analyzers, and other common laboratory equipment.
• Proficiency in English (written and spoken).

Desired Skills/Experience

• Familiar with GPS and IRIG time standards.
• Familiar with GPS and IRIG time standards.
• Experience with Safran, Curtis Wright, National Instruments, or Dewesoft data acquisition hardware
• Experience with LabView, DEWEsoftX, or IADS software.
• Must be U.S. citizen.
• Must currently possess or be able to receive Department of Defense Secret clearance.

Benefits and Perks

• Competitive salary and growth opportunities
• Company performance-based bonus plan
• Equity stock-based compensation package
• Employer-funded comprehensive health, vision, and dental insurance for employees and dependents
• 401k with company match
• Employer-funded life and disability insurance coverage

This position is subject to pre-employment background check and drug screening.

Bridger Aerospace Group Holdings and its family of companies does not discriminate or permit discrimination by any member of its community against any individual on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, parental status, marital status, age, disability, citizenship status, veteran status, genetic information or any other classification protected by federal or state law in matters of employment, promotion, services or activities it operates.