Flight Controls / Aerodynamics / Handling Qualities Engineer

JT4; Las Vegas (NV); On-site; USD 135,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

JT4, LLC, based in the United States, seeks a Flight Controls / Aerodynamics / Handling Qualities Engineer to support airworthiness and T2 engineering on multiple aircraft platforms. The role covers modifications, external stores, instrumentation, OML changes, and control-law assessments to ensure safe flight and mission effectiveness.

The ideal candidate holds a Master of Science in engineering (16+ years experience) or a PhD (12+ years) with strong leadership and communication skills, plus a

Qualifications

• Master of Science in engineering with 16 years related experience or Doctorate with 12 years experience.
• Engineer VI must have a substantial professional reputation in technical disciplines.
• Strong verbal and written communication in project activities and customer briefings.
• Working knowledge of computer systems and engineering tools.

Responsibilities

• Provide independent technical assessment and airworthiness risk evaluation for modifications and configurations.
• Review and integrate flight-controls, aerodynamics, stability and control analyses across platforms.
• Coordinate with test pilots, engineers, TA and contractors to support airworthiness decisions.
• Develop and review aerodynamic models, loads, and six-DOF simulation inputs for modifications.
• Prepare technical memorandums, risk summaries, and customer briefings.
• Mentor team members and provide technical leadership within contractual boundaries.

Skills

Flight controls

Aerodynamics

Handling qualities

Airworthiness

Systems engineering

Technical leadership

Education

Master of Science in Engineering

Doctorate in Engineering

Tools

CAD software

Digital engineering tools

Job description

JT4, LLC provides engineering and technical support to multiple western test ranges for the U.S. Air Force, Space Force, and Navy under the Joint Range Technical Services Contract, better known as J-Tech II. JT4 develops and maintains realistic, integrated test and training environments and prepares our nation's war-fighting aircraft, weapons systems, and aircrews for today's missions and tomorrow's global challenges.

Job Summary - Essential Functions/Duties

The Flight Controls / Aerodynamics / Handling Qualities Engineer is responsible for supporting airworthiness, flight controls integration, aerodynamic assessment, handling qualities evaluation, and T2 engineering activities across multiple airborne platforms including rotary-wing, fixed-wing, fighter, and specialized mission aircraft. This position provides independent technical assessment, peer review, integration-level engineering support, and airworthiness risk evaluation for aircraft modifications, external stores, instrumentation installations, Outer Mold Line (OML) changes, control-system updates, and contractor-developed engineering packages.

• Perform effectively both independently and as part of a multi-disciplined engineering team in a fast-paced and dynamic environment.
• Provide technical review and integration support for flight controls, aerodynamics, stability and control, and handling qualities across multiple aircraft platforms.
• Assess stability and control impacts associated with T2 modifications, including external stores, antennas, instrumentation, mission equipment, fairings, apertures, and OML changes.
• Evaluate aerodynamic interference, flow-field effects, control-surface impacts, trim changes, performance effects, and potential impacts to aircraft flying qualities and mission effectiveness.
• Develop, review, or validate aerodynamic loads and pressure distributions used by structures engineers to substantiate modified aircraft configurations.
• Review contractor-developed aerodynamic analyses, control-law assessments, simulation results, wind-tunnel data, flight-test data, and technical substantiation packages for airworthiness adequacy.
• Evaluate flight-control laws, gain schedules, control margins, actuator authority, redundancy, failure modes, and potential common-mode or adverse coupling effects.
• Support definition of flight-envelope limitations, operating restrictions, test build-up approaches, and risk mitigations for modified aircraft configurations.
• Develop or review aerodynamic models, six-degree-of-freedom simulation inputs, configuration databases, engineering assumptions, and integration documentation supporting T2 modifications.
• Support airworthiness assessments, technical review boards, flight release discussions, systems safety activities, and incremental flight-test authorization decisions.
• Interface extensively with test pilots, flight-test engineers, instrumentation engineers, Government Chief Engineers, Technical Authorities (TA), and platform contractors.
• Coordinate integration impacts across structures, propulsion, electrical/avionics, systems safety, systems engineering, configuration management, and sustainment engineering disciplines.
• Prepare technical assessment memorandums, flight-envelope recommendations, risk summaries, engineering positions, and customer briefings.
• Provide engineering judgment, mentorship, and technical leadership while operating within defined Government airworthiness and contractual boundaries.

Requirements - Education, Technical, And Work Experience

A Master of Science in engineering from an accredited academic institution and 16 years of related engineering experience, or an accredited doctorate degree in engineering and a minimum of 12 years of related engineering experience are required for this position.

In addition, an Engineer VI must possess the following qualifications:

• A well-established, substantial, professional reputation in one or more of the principal technical disciplines of the company
• Demonstrated ability to direct senior technical personnel in project assignments involving research, development, integration, and sustainment of complex systems or processes
• Superior communications skills, both verbal and written, in day-to-day project activities as well as in briefing customers and in writing reports and proposals
• Working knowledge of computer systems and computer-based engineering tools

SALARY

The expected salary range for this position is $135,000.00 to $250,000.00 annually.

Note: The salary range offered for this position is a good faith description of the expected salary range this role will pay. JT4 considers factors such as (but not limited to) responsibilities of the position, candidate's work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, as well as market/business considerations when extending an offer.

Other Responsibilities

Each employee must read, understand, and implement the general and specific operational, safety, quality, and environmental requirements of all plans, procedures, and policies pertaining to their job.

WORKING CONDITIONS

This position involves work typical of a multidisciplinary aircraft system engineering and integration environment supporting Government airworthiness activities. The majority of work is performed in an engineering office using technical data packages, engineering analyses, CAD drawings, digital engineering tools, systems models, and Government technical data repositories. Routine travel to remote Company or Government location may be required in support of aircraft modifications, on flight lines, at contractor locations, developmental test organizations, in support of technical interchange meetings and design reviews. Occasional aircraft inspections, integration activities, laboratory testing, and flight test support may be required.

DISCLAIMER

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by personnel assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of persons so classified.

Tasking is in support of a Federal Government Contract that requires U.S. citizenship. Some jobs may require a candidate to be eligible for a government security clearance, state-issued driver's license, or other licenses/certifications, and the inability to obtain and maintain the required clearance, license, or certification may affect an employee's ability to maintain employment.

SCC:JENG17;JCORP12