Aircraft Maintenance Controller (Flight Test & Operations)
Stratolaunch
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Benefits offered by this job
Job summary
Stratolaunch in Mojave, CA seeks an Aircraft Maintenance Controller to coordinate maintenance for flight test programs. You will ensure airworthiness, manage scheduled and unscheduled work, and align with flight crews, program managers, and engineering.
The role emphasizes rapid config changes, high-tempo schedules, and tight documentation to meet test objectives. A&P license and flight-test experience are preferred, with strong scheduling and troubleshooting skills essential.
Qualifications
- A&P license preferred; IA certification a plus.
- Flight line or flight test experience preferred.
- Minimum 5+ years in aviation related to this role.
- Ability to interpret engineering drawings and test requirements.
Responsibilities
- Monitor and track aircraft status for Maintenance / Operations.
- Provide real‑time updates on aircraft status to programs and leadership.
- Coordinate rapid maintenance actions to support high‑tempo test schedules.
- Ensure maintenance is documented per engineering requirements and regulatory guidance.
- Assist in planning ground/test events ensuring aircraft readiness with crews and engineers.
- Coordinate planned and unplanned maintenance around evolving test schedules.
- Develop short-/mid-range maintenance forecasts aligned with milestones.
- Balance resources across multiple aircraft and facilities to maximize availability.
Skills
Education
Tools
Job description
Stratolaunch is a technology accelerator that engineers operationally realistic testing at Mach 5+. Our air‑launched, Talon testbeds are reusable, cost‑effective platforms that enable routine access to the hypersonic environment. We deliver flight data critical to validating system performance and achieving rapid technology deployment. Together with our customers, we drive innovations that are imperative to advancing national security.
The Aircraft Maintenance Controller (Flight Test & Operations) serves as the central point of coordination for all maintenance activities supporting flight test programs and special operations. This role ensures experimental and production aircraft are maintained in a safe, airworthy, and mission‑ready condition by coordinating scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, Modifications, and any other issues in real time, and maintaining close coordination with flight test crews, Program managers, and engineering teams. The controller facilitates timely execution of maintenance by supporting the organization successfully through dynamic test schedules, rapid configuration changes, and operational availability.
- Monitor and track the status of aircraft assigned to Maintenance / Operations department
- Provide real‑time Updates on aircraft status and tasking to programs and management.
- Coordinate rapid maintenance actions to support high‑tempo test schedules, including quick‑turn inspections and configuration changes.
- Ensure all maintenance performed is documented and aligned with engineering test requirements and regulatory guidance.
- Assist in planning of ground test, taxi test, and flight test events by ensuring aircraft readiness through support of Crew chiefs / Ground operations leads / Engineering
- Coordinate both planned and unscheduled maintenance around evolving test schedules.
- Develop and manage short- and mid‑range maintenance forecasts to align with program milestones.
- Balance resources across multiple test aircraft and facilities to minimize downtime and maximize availability.
- Plan and coordinate Parts ordering and delivery, tooling, and outside vendors.
- Serve as the central communication link between engineers, pilots, maintenance crews, and operations.
- Provide timely updates to leadership on aircraft readiness, discrepancies, and recovery actions.
- Coordinate with engineering for resolution of discrepancies, modifications, or test‑specific requirements.
- Work closely with supply chain/logistics to ensure parts availability for mission‑critical repairs.
- Ensure compliance with FAA experimental regulations, company policies, and engineering requirements.
- Maintain accurate and timely records of maintenance actions and configuration changes in the tracking system.
- Assist in documentation of conformity inspections and configuration control for flight test instrumentation.
- Support audits, conformity checks, and engineering review boards as required.
- Promote strict adherence to safety, FOD, and tool control practices during flight test operations.
- Participate in incident/accident investigations and contribute to root cause analysis for corrective actions.
- Support continuous improvement of maintenance processes tailored to the unique demands of test programs.
- Integrate New maintenance / repair / and overhaul (MRO) software across all aircraft as they are delivered.
- Minimum [5+] years of experience in aircraft maintenance, preferably with flight test or experimental programs.
- Strong knowledge of aircraft industry standard Maintenance scheduling practices.
- Ability to interpret engineering drawings, test requirements, and experimental work instructions.
- Excellent troubleshooting and decision‑making skills under dynamic, high‑pressure conditions.
- Proficiency in maintenance tracking systems.
- Experience in staffing assignments and deconfliction of competing priorities
- Proficiency with Microsoft project, Visio, and all other common Microsoft 365 / Microsoft office applications
- Team player with exceptional interpersonal skills
- Self motivated to accomplish tasking with a high degree of accuracy.
- This role required utmost organizational skills to maintain a standardized daily product.
- A&P license (preferred)
- IA (Preferred but not required)
- Flight line or flight test experience (Preferred)
- 5+ years in aviation field dealing with aspects of this positions responsibilities
- $58.00-$76.00
- This position is in Mojave, CA
- Paid Maternity and Parental Leave
- 50% company match per contributed dollar into 401(k) savings plan, up to $11,500
This position may involve the operation of company vehicles as part of assigned duties.
Mojave Air & Spaceport is located just outside of Lancaster/Palmdale and is only 95 miles north of Los Angeles. The area offers both affordability and central access to a variety of California's best attractions and landmarks.
Not much for the outdoors and prefer the city life? You’re within a half day’s drive or less of Los Angeles, San Diego, Las Vegas, and San Francisco where you can find a variety of live entertainment, museums, tours, and historical sight‑seeing. Theme parks are in abundance, with Six Flags Magic Mountain, Disneyland, and Knotts Berry Farm ready to meet the needs of rollercoaster thrill seekers.
Food and drink fanatics are in a haven of delectable choices. Wine aficionados will also find easy access to some of the state’s best vino in Paso Robles, Santa Ynez, and even more locally in Tehachapi and Agua Dulce. Beer fanatics will find some of the best West Coast IPAs at Bravery and Lucky Luke’s in Lancaster. Any food option you crave is covered, and we always recommend the authentic and fresh Mexican food that you won’t find anywhere else in the United States.
Stratolaunch is an equal opportunity employer that values diversity at our company. We encourage people from all walks of life to apply, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability or any other characteristic protected by law. Our management team does not tolerate discrimination or harassment at any point during our employees’ and applicants’ time with us, especially with respect to recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, training, compensation, benefits, employee activities, and general treatment during employment. For purposes of transparency, U.S. Citizenship may be required for some positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.
Certain U.S. government contracts supported by our company prohibit employment of individuals who hold citizenship (including dual citizenship) in specific countries designated by the U.S. Department of State. Please indicate whether you currently hold citizenship (including dual citizenship) in any of the following countries:
I do not hold citizenship in any of the countries listed
Central African Republic
Comoros
Cuba
Eritrea
Iran
Pakistan
People’s Republic of China
Russia
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
Turkmenistan
Vietnam
For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.
As set forth in Stratolaunch’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.
If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows:
A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service‑connected disability.
A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three‑year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.
An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.
An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.
Form CC-305
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