Field and Lab Electronics Technician

ARA Brand; Albuquerque (NM); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Applied Research Associates, Inc. invites a Field and Lab Electronics Technician to support field tests at Kirtland Air Force Base, AMR, and White Sands ranges. You will assist engineers with instrumentation, troubleshooting, data acquisition, and system design, including high‑speed cameras integration and high voltage work.

Applicants should have hands‑on electronics experience, be able to work in diverse environments, and communicate findings clearly. DoD access and US citizenship are required.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 1 year experience in electronics or a related field.
• Familiarity with data acquisition and instrumentation.
• Willing to obtain DoD security clearance and US citizenship.

Responsibilities

• Perform field and lab testing of instrumentation and systems.
• Troubleshoot, program, and calibrate hardware/software as needed.
• Download, interpret preliminary data and support design teams.
• Set up networking equipment and coordinate field activities.

Skills

Electronics

Troubleshooting

Data analysis

Teamwork

Communication

Tools

DAS

T&F equipment

Networking gear

CAD basics

Job description

The Test Technology Division of Applied Research Associates, Inc. (ARA) has an exciting opportunity for a Field and Lab Electronics Technician. We’re looking for an individual to support field testing with the engineering/scientific staff at Kirtland Air Force Base, Applied Moriarty Range (AMR), and White Sands Missile Range locations. The candidate will support instrumentation, troubleshooting (to include programming), triggering external devices, quality assurance and design of systems. Strong interests in innovation and problem solving as part of a team are required.

The candidate should be familiar with development, data acquisition, circuit testing and troubleshooting of legacy and new electro-mechanical systems. Items being worked on are most often prototypes. Experience integrating systems with high-speed cameras and firing sets is a plus along with medium and any high voltage work. Duties will include inputs to the design team, building circuits, field activities at a variety of test sites, downloading and interpreting preliminary data and troubleshooting existing coding.

The successful applicant will have the opportunity to work with a broad array of equipment in a multitude of environments requiring strong problem solving and communication skills.

Essential Functions:

• Ability to obtain a DoD security clearance
• US citizenship is required
• Engineering and scientific analysis
• Data analysis and interpretation
• Outdoor test site and article support at local (and remote sites as necessary)
• Purchasing with approved vendors
• Execute tasks related to R&D of instrumentation hardware and software
• Implement software and hardware engineering utilizing state-of-the-art-development tools and hardware.
• Assist in the development of CBRNE test plans
• Setup, install, and troubleshooting of networking equipment.
• Performs as a bunker operator, assists lead operators.
• Conducts planning and deploying wireless infrastructures with multiple users tied into a VPN from multiple remote testing sites
• Technical setup and calibration of measuring and application equipment, and responsible for acquiring and analyzing data.

Experience and Skills Required:

• Critical thinking and the ability to employ best troubleshooting practices
• Ability to work well within a team and achieve assignments independently
• Some experience in electronics
• Ability to be trained in electronics
• Ability to document and communicate designs and progress with MS Office etc.
• Minimum of 1 year experience

Desired Skills:

• Leadership
• Collaboration between Data Acquisition System (DAS), Timing & Firing (T&F), and Information Technology (IT) groups to successfully field, troubleshoot, and execute instrumentation objectives for large scale explosive testing
• Coordinate event planning, schedule, pretest integration of all systems, logistics, acquisitions, documentation, planning and reporting.

Detailed Description of Hard Skills:

• Install, verify, operate, maintain and troubleshoot:
• sensor transducers
• installing and setting up rack-mounted DAS and T&F equipment
• terminating coaxial, Ethernet, and fiber optic cables.
• Oscilloscopes
• logic analyzers
• CAD software
• Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EPROM) programmers
• frequency counters
• Digital Volt Meters (DVMs)
• network analyzers
• transient data recorders
• bit error rate testers
• General Purpose Interface Bus (GPIB) diagnostic hardware and software
• RS232 diagnostic hardware and software
• Intel-based PCs
• Mainframes and mini-frames