Senior Staff Engineer, Environmental Control Systems - Ranger (R6350)
About The Position
As a Senior Staff (L5) Environmental Control System (ECS) Engineer, you will take full technical ownership of ECS architecture, analysis, design, and integration for a dedicated special access program. As the program’s sole ECS subject matter expert, you will execute trades, size systems, design hardware, manage external suppliers, support proposals and capture, and deliver flight-ready hardware in a rapid-iteration development environment. The role combines technical rigor, rapid decision-making, and hands-on engineering to transition concepts into operational capability. The ideal candidate is comfortable solving complex problems, taking ownership, working in an accelerated aircraft development environment, and getting meaningful capability to operators quickly.
Requirements
- 7 to 12 years of direct experience in aerospace Environmental Control System and vehicle thermal/fluid system development.
- B.S. or M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
- Deep mastery of thermodynamics, fluid dynamics, and heat transfer applied to aircraft or defense systems.
- Demonstrated capability with 1D system modeling, such as Amesim, Flowmaster, or Python/MATLAB fluid networks.
- Ability to size systems spanning inlets, ram circuits, liquid cooling systems, and air cooling systems.
- Experience in 3D CAD modeling, routing, drawing release, and PLM workflows; Siemens NX preferred, or equivalent such as CATIA or Creo.
- Proven track record sourcing commercial off-the-shelf or custom aerospace components, driving suppliers to schedule, and assembling benchtop or vehicle-level test setups.
- Ability to self-direct, prioritize technical tasks without oversight, and deliver functional hardware under tight timelines.
- Eligible for clearance.
Nice To Haves
- Familiarity with aerospace environmental requirements and test standards, such as MIL-STD-810, MIL-HDBK-310, RTCA DO-160, and SAE AIR/ARP standards.
Responsibilities
- Lead ECS architecture definition and trade studies, including evaluating vapor-cycle, air-cycle, passive, and ram-air systems against vehicle thermal, electrical, mass, and volume constraints.
- Design and analyze vehicle air inlets, scoops, ducting networks, and ram-air cooling circuits to ensure adequate flow across flight envelopes.
- Perform first-principles thermodynamic and heat-transfer calculations, supported by 1D fluid-thermal network modeling.
- Write technical specifications and statements of work for ECS hardware such as heat exchangers, fans, valves, compressors, and sensors; evaluate vendors and drive supplier technical execution.
- Define qualification and verification test plans, design test rigs, support instrumentation and data-acquisition setup, and execute test campaigns to validate performance against requirements.
- Process flight-test thermal and fluid data, identify discrepancies, investigate root causes, resolve anomalies, and implement rapid design changes.
- Support proposals and capture, and deliver flight-ready ECS hardware.
Benefits
- Bonus
- Benefits
- Equity
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
