Mechanical Test Engineer – Space Propulsion and Vacuum Systems Full Time

The Test Facilities Operation, Maintenance and Engineering (TFOME) team at the NASA Glenn Research Center provides engineering and technical services in the areas of aeropropulsion and space propulsion and power test facilities. TFOME management is dedicated to excellence in service and to providing outstanding technical opportunities for our employees. We specialize in providing unique products and services to NASA Glenn. We are currently seeking a candidate to join our team that will be providing facility and test mechanical engineering support to NASA’s Space Propulsion Vacuum Chamber Laboratories as part of the TFOME contract at the NASA Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field in Cleveland OH, and Armstrong Test Facility in Sandusky, OH.

Responsibilities

FUNCTION OF POSITION

Provides Engineering support and leadership in the planning, design, and technical execution of mechanical engineering/technical tasks for an assigned test or facility project at a Space Vacuum test facility.

Duties And Responsibilities

• Provides technical expertise to the users of the ground test facilities in planning test projects to ensure proper match of facility requirements with capabilities, balance of resources, and integration of schedules.
• Provide overall project management for an assigned test project including developing detailed project plan and project schedule with task list, durations and assignment of resources. When given the assignment as the lead project engineer, the engineer has the responsibility for the overall execution of the project plan.
• Support large and small scale aerospace ground testing projects, including design of mechanical systems and or test hardware, oversight of mechanical hardware fabrication, oversight of system and hardware installation, data analysis, instrumentation specifications, and final report generation. Test projects cover a wide variety of test types in many facilities including wind tunnels, air-breathing engine and engine component facilities, acoustic chambers, space propulsion (chemical and electrical) and space environment chambers (including cryogenic applications).
• Provides technical expertise and guidance in overall planning, and execution of test projects in assigned facilities as well as planning, coordination and support of maintenance activities. This will include daily coordination with the test team, generation of work instructions to the technical staff (via task orders or other approved means), and general reporting to contractor and customer management.
• Analyzes mechanical system requirements to match system capabilities with test requirements.
• Coordinates with Electrical Test Engineering and data and instrumentation lead and technicians to prepare facility to meet test and operational requirements.
• Prepares documentation supporting facility development efforts.
• Prepares specifications and purchase requisitions for facility hardware.
• Provides support for training of other engineers and technicians.
• Develops presentations, and presents at design reviews, safety reviews, and other technical presentations.
• Provide periodic status reports on each assigned task to contractor and customer management.
• Conduct design of experiments and experimental error analyses.
• Responsible for the safe operation and upgrading of test facilities (i.e. gaseous piping and system design, and hardware integration for Space Propulsion in Vacuum Chamber testing).

Qualifications

• Candidates must have a B.S. degree or higher in Mechanical or Aerospace/Aeronautical Engineering
• Experience with PC and MS products
• Communication skills (verbal and written); and the ability to work effectively in a team environment are essential
• Because of the nature of the testing, some shift and/or weekend work will occasionally need to be accommodated