Developmental & Test Mechanic

Position Responsibilities

• Fabricate, install, maintain and repair hydraulic systems, hardware and equipment
• Fabricate and assemble instrumentation probes for engineering projects and testing
• Travel to plant locations to perform testing
• Receive personal safety gear for face/eye, respiration, ears and feet
• Exposure to moving parts and machinery, tight places, heights, high voltage electricity, high-pressure air, steam, hydraulics, and explosive ordinance
• Exposure to confined spaces, wet fuel cells or on live aircraft, inclement weather, adverse conditions at remote locations with minimum support
• Support engineers and work with technicians in sequencing work operations, troubleshooting and problem resolution
• Develop methods for pneumatic, hydraulic and mechanical tests, when procedures have not been established
• Select and use proper hand and power tools (e.g., screwdrivers, pliers, cutters, rivet guns, drills) needed to perform a given operation
• Use precision measurement tools (e.g., micrometer, calipers) to measure dimensions per drawing, sketches, and engineer requirements
• Lay out, drill and ream close tolerance holes, as required
• Construct hydraulic, low/high pressure and steam plumbing to operate test equipment
• Flare, cut, and silver solder tubing
• Operate pendant cranes and mechanical lifts to facilitate movement, installation, removal and maintenance of test equipment, modules, parts and assemblies
• Perform required rigging, as required
• Construct, assemble or disassemble any necessary test structures, parts and shop aids required to perform a test function utilizing various shop equipment (e.g., drill press, shear, break form, band saw)
• Hook up auxiliary support equipment (e.g., hoses, lines, thermocouples, pumps)
• Weld thermocouples and install and test for proper operation, as required
• Use sealant in fuel cells and other assemblies to be tested
• Assemble, disassemble, rebuild, and test hydraulic pumps, actuators, accumulators, valves, and hose assemblies
• Lockout, tagout and tryout systems for safety before performing tests, as required
• Perform service and maintenance on test structures, equipment and components (e.g., hydraulic systems, pumps and other support equipment)
• Operate and maintain high and low pressure/volume compressors and methyl chlorine chillers
• Control and monitor systems using computer programs and periodic onsite observations
• Prepare wind tunnel and nozzle test cells by performing balance pull tests, installing parts/models and associated apparatus in order to assist engineering in obtaining test data
• Perform flammability test on airplane parts (e.g., seats, wastebaskets, ducting, and firewalls) per FAA and engineering standards
• Bag, label and route hazardous material for disposal
• Fill and drain aircraft fuel tanks to measure trapped residual fuel using instrumentation (e.g., flow meters) and mathematical calculations
• Operate pump equipment, explosive vapor tester and enter the wet fuel cell tanks, as required, to execute tests
• Make prototypes and modify airframes per BCA/BDS documents and engineering requirements (e.g., cut, build, install new parts) for research and development

Basic Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience reading and working from blueprints, sketches and plans
• 5+ years of experience using hand tools and/or hand-held power tools
• 5+ years of experience using precision measuring tools and equipment such as micrometers, calipers and dial indicators, etc.
• 5+ years of experience with sheet metal assemblies, drilling, countersinking, riveting, and fastener installation
• 5+ years of experience in Aircraft Maintenance/Aircraft Structural Repair

Preferred Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience with any of the following: power-feed drilling, hand drilling, drill equipment, drill bits, cutters, cutter design, drill bushings, and/or drill nosepieces
• 3+ years of experience with structural repairs in the field and in a manufacturing environment
• 3+ years of experience in aircraft structures manufacturing processes
• 3+ years of experience with aircraft fuselage or wing structures assembly, maintenance or repair
• 3+ years of experience in aerospace materials and structures used on commercial and/or military aircraft
• 3+ years of experience testing and diagnosing hydraulic, pneumatic, electromechanical components, and test equipment