ELECTRICAL ENGINEER – TURBINE ENGINE SYSTEMS, CONTROLS & TEST
Kratos Defense and Security Solutions
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Benefits offered by this job
Job summary
Kratos Defense and Security Solutions in Michigan seeks an Electrical Engineer for turbine engine systems, controls and test. You will design electrical and electronic systems, develop schematics and BOMs, and troubleshoot analog and digital circuits across engine controls, instrumentation and test stands.
The role involves embedded software support, CAN/J1939 interfaces, MATLAB/Simulink tools, and close collaboration with manufacturing, quality, and suppliers to deliver robust, production-ready
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or related field.
- Experience designing and integrating electrical systems for aerospace or defense.
- Embedded software development in C/C++ and CAN-based interfaces.
- Strong troubleshooting and documentation skills.
Responsibilities
- Design and support electrical/electronic systems for turbine engines and test equipment.
- Develop schematics, wiring diagrams, BOMs, and interface specs.
- Support engine controls, embedded systems, sensors, and actuators.
- Create and maintain test procedures, acceptance criteria, and diagnostic tools.
- Provide hands-on support to production, assembly, and test operations.
- Collaborate across engineering, manufacturing, quality, and suppliers.
Skills
Education
Tools
Job description
The Electrical Engineer – Turbine Engine Systems, Controls & Test is responsible for the design, development, integration, verification, troubleshooting, and production support of electrical and electronic systems associated with small gas turbine engines, engine accessories, controls, instrumentation, test equipment, and related aerospace and defense products.
This position supports the complete product lifecycle—from concept and prototype development through engine integration, qualification, production, test, troubleshooting, and field support.
The role requires a hands-on engineer who can move effectively between product electrical design, engine controls, embedded systems, instrumentation, test systems, manufacturing support, and technical problem solving.
The Electrical Engineer will work closely with Product Engineering, Design Engineering, Performance Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain, Program Management, suppliers, and customers to develop robust, manufacturable, testable, and reliable electrical systems.
- Design and support electrical and electronic systems for turbine engines, accessories, controllers, and test equipment.
- Develop electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, harnesses, interface-control documentation, Bills of Material, and technical specifications.
- Design and troubleshoot analog and digital circuits, signal conditioning, sensor interfaces, drivers, power supplies, and control circuits.
- Select sensors, connectors, wiring, instrumentation, controllers, power supplies, and electrical components.
- Support PCB design, component selection, prototype development, debugging, and functional testing.
- Support grounding, shielding, electrical protection, packaging, and system integration.
- Support engine electronic controls, ECUs, PCUs, ignition systems, sensors, actuators, and electrical accessories.
- Develop, modify, or troubleshoot embedded control software as required.
- Support embedded C/C++, CAN-based communications, J1939, and other system interfaces.
- Utilize MATLAB, Simulink, Python, or similar engineering tools as required.
- Troubleshoot hardware/software interface and controls-related issues.
- Design and support electrical and controls systems for turbine engine and component test stands.
- Select and integrate instrumentation for temperature, pressure, speed, vibration, flow, position, voltage, current, and other measurements.
- Develop interfaces between engines, controllers, test stands, data-acquisition systems, and facility equipment.
- Support test setup, instrumentation verification, Test Readiness Reviews, engine testing, and post-test analysis.
- Develop test procedures, acceptance criteria, automated test functions, interlocks, and diagnostic tools.
- Support bench testing, simulation, and Hardware-in-the-Loop capabilities where appropriate.
- Support PLC-based systems used for test equipment, manufacturing equipment, fixtures, and facility systems.
- Develop or troubleshoot Allen-Bradley ControlLogix, CompactLogix, Studio 5000, HMI, or SCADA systems as required.
- Support Ethernet/IP, TCP/IP, OPC, DeviceNet, CAN, and similar communication networks.
- Translate system and customer requirements into electrical design solutions.
- Work cross-functionally with Mechanical, Software, Performance, Manufacturing, Test, and Quality Engineering.
- Support prototypes, development engines, First Article builds, qualification units, and production hardware.
- Participate in design reviews, technical reviews, test readiness reviews, and production readiness activities.
- Resolve electrical, mechanical, software, controls, and test-system interface issues.
- Support suppliers with component selection, technical requirements, testing, and issue resolution.
- Support transition of development designs into stable production configurations.
- Troubleshoot electrical, electronic, controls, instrumentation, and integration issues.
- Utilize oscilloscopes, digital multimeters, power supplies, data-acquisition equipment, CAN tools, and related diagnostic equipment.
- Perform structured root-cause analysis using methods such as:
- 5-Why
- Fishbone
- Fault Tree Analysis
- Failure Mode analysis
- Comparative testing
- Data analysis
- Develop and verify corrective actions.
- Support investigation of production failures, supplier issues, engine-test failures, nonconformances, and RMA/customer-return hardware.
- Provide hands-on engineering support to engine assembly, accessory assembly, test, and production operations.
- Respond to electrical issues affecting quality, test, production flow, or customer delivery.
- Develop fixtures, diagnostic tools, test equipment, and mistake-proofing solutions.
- Support Design for Manufacturing and Assembly activities.
- Assist with electrical work instructions, test procedures, technician training, and standardized troubleshooting.
- Support prototype, rework, repair, and schedule-recovery activities.
- Create and maintain accurate:
- Electrical drawings
- Schematics
- Wiring diagrams
- Specifications
- Test procedures and reports
- Interface documentation
- Bills of Material
- Support Engineering Change Requests, ECOs, and Configuration Control Board activities.
- Ensure electrical hardware and software changes are documented, reviewed, validated, and released before production implementation.
- Maintain alignment between design requirements, drawings, BOMs, software, test configuration, and production hardware.
- Perform work in accordance with TDI/Kratos Quality Management System and AS9100D requirements.
- Support verification, validation, corrective action, configuration control, and continuous improvement.
- Follow ESD, FOD, calibration, electrical safety, and engine-test safety requirements.
- Support customer, regulatory, and internal audits as required.
- Protect proprietary, customer, Government, and export-controlled information in accordance with ITAR/EAR requirements.
- No direct supervisory responsibility is initially assigned.
- The Electrical Engineer may provide technical leadership and mentoring to technicians, junior engineers, suppliers, or contractors and may serve as the electrical technical lead on assigned programs.
- Strong electrical and electronic engineering fundamentals.
- Experience designing, integrating, and troubleshooting electrical systems.
- Experience with analog and/or digital circuits.
- Ability to develop and interpret schematics, wiring diagrams, and technical requirements.
- Experience with sensors, instrumentation, electrical test equipment, and system integration.
- Strong hands-on troubleshooting and root-cause-analysis capability.
- Ability to independently solve component, subsystem, and system-level problems.
- Ability to work effectively across engineering, manufacturing, quality, and test functions.
- Strong written and verbal technical communication.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced engineering and manufacturing environment.
- Gas turbine or aerospace propulsion systems
- Engine controls, ECU, PCU, or FADEC-related systems
- Embedded C/C++
- Analog circuit and PCB design
- CAN / J1939
- MATLAB / Simulink / Python
- Altium, OrCAD, LTspice, or similar tools
- PLC programming and Allen-Bradley controls
- HMI / SCADA
- Data-acquisition and instrumentation systems
- Engine or component test stands
- Hardware-in-the-Loop or automated test equipment
- Power electronics or power distribution
- Aerospace or defense product development
- AS9100D and formal Configuration Management
- Verification, validation, and Root Cause Corrective Action
- Applicable MIL-STD, DO-160, DO-178, or DO-254 familiarity
- Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Controls Engineering, or related engineering discipline.
- Minimum 5 years of relevant engineering experience in electrical systems, electronics, embedded systems, controls, instrumentation, test systems, aerospace, propulsion, or similar complex products.
- Master's degree in Electrical Engineering or related field.
- 8+ years of progressively responsible engineering experience.
- Experience supporting turbine engines, aerospace propulsion, or aerospace test systems.
- Experience taking products from development through validation and production.
This is a hands-on engineering position involving work in office, laboratory, manufacturing, engine assembly, and test environments. The employee must be comfortable working directly with prototype and production hardware, electrical test equipment, tooling, and instrumentation and using required PPE.
- Must meet applicable U.S. export-control requirements.
- U.S. Person status may be required based on program requirements.
- Must be eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance if required.
- Develop reliable electrical solutions for turbine engine and test applications.
- Take ownership of electrical issues from identification through verified closure.
- Rapidly diagnose and resolve electrical, controls, and instrumentation problems.
- Improve engine and test-system reliability and uptime.
- Drive problems to root cause rather than temporary fixes.
- Maintain strong engineering documentation and configuration discipline.
- Effectively support both new-product development and production execution.
- Demonstrate technical judgment, urgency, accountability, and hands-on problem solving.
- 0–25% as required to support customer engagements, test activities, or other Kratos locations.
- Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance Coverage
- Life/ADD & Short/Long Term Disability Insurance
- 401(k) Savings Plan
- Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP)
- Paid Time-Off (PTO)
- Holidays
- Education Reimbursement
Kratos Defense is an Equal Opportunity Affirmative Action Employer. EOE, Minorities, Females, Vet, Disabled, Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity or any other protected class. All qualified job seekers are encouraged to apply. Kratos Defense is committed to America's veterans by providing opportunities for them to continue contributing after service to our nation. We also work to provide reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities.
Disability Accessibility Accommodation: If you require an accommodation to navigate or apply to our careers site, please send your request to HRAccessibility@kratosdefense.com or call 858-964-2916. Any inquires not related to requesting an accommodation will be discarded.
The company will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant.
For applicants in the EU and California residents, please review our privacy notice.
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