Obsolescence Specialist

Metrea; Temecula (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical plan

HSA/FSA

Dental coverage

401(k) match

Parental leave

PTO

Job summary

Metrea is seeking a senior aerospace sustainment professional to own obsolescence programs for the KC-135R and C-135FR fleets. You will identify risks, coordinate mitigation strategies, and work with cross-functional teams to keep the aerial refueling capability mission-ready. Strong FAA approvals experience and proficiency with AMOS/GOLDesp/TRAX are essential.

You will lead cost analyses, engage OEMs, and ensure documentation meets airworthiness requirements. This role requires U.S.

Qualifications

• Seven or more years in aerospace sustainment, supply chain, or engineering.
• Experience with FAA approval pathways for non-OEM parts (PMA, 14 CFR 21.9).
• Ability to read engineering drawings and military/aerospace data.
• Experience using AMOS, GOLDesp, TRAX or similar systems.
• Strong written and verbal communication with leadership.
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or equivalent military/tech background.

Responsibilities

• Identify obsolescence and material availability risks across KC-135R/C-135FR fleets.
• Develop and implement mitigation strategies (alternate sourcing, PMA, owner-produced parts).
• Coordinate cross-functional execution to maintain aerial refueling capability.
• Build and maintain obsolescence tracking dashboards.
• Develop cost-benefit analyses for redesign vs repair vs alternate sourcing.
• Engage OEMs and suppliers on supply availability and last-time-buy opportunities.

Skills

Aerospace sustainment

PM A / 14 CFR 21.9

Engineering drawings literacy

Maintenance information systems

Lead with senior leadership

Technical communications

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Aerospace, or Industrial)

Tools

AMOS

GOLDesp

TRAX

SQL / data analysis

Job description

Company Overview

Metrea delivers effects-as-a-service to national security partners across five domains and more than a dozen mission areas. These include airborne ISR, electronic warfare, secure communications, aerial refueling, special air missions, aerial firefighting, and advanced simulation. We own the whole stack: designing, building, and operating turnkey capabilities that give our partners decisive, asymmetric advantage against rapidly evolving threats.

Our operating model is built around three interlocking pillars. The Support Groups provide a global shared-service – spanning people, finance, platform, operations, legal, and engagement. This frees up our Core Groups, who develop and own mission capabilities end-to-end, to focus entirely on delivery. The Market Groups apply a regional lens, ensuring that our agile and adaptable capabilities remain aligned to the wicked problems that matter most to our partners across the Americas, EMEA, and Asia-Pacific.

At the heart of our model is a simple but powerful idea: be a true partner with skin in the game. Our partners need effects, not just equipment. By owning the full stack – from the lab to the field – we are able to drive a continuous cycle of innovation that keeps our partners ahead. It’s a fast-moving, intellectually demanding environment where talented people are given real responsibility, work on problems that matter, and contribute to an enterprise that is growing quickly and deliberately.

Headquartered in Washington, DC, with facilities across the United States, the United Kingdom, as well as Continental Europe and Asia-Pacific.

Group Overview

Air Mobility Group (AIRMOB)is responsible for developing and delivering Metrea’s aerial refueling (AAR) capabilities, ensuring the readiness and operational effectiveness of the tanker fleet. AIRMOB oversees fleet management, maintenance, and airworthiness, working to sustain and enhance refueling operations. It manages the integration of new processes and technologies, ensuring that tanker aircraft remain mission-ready through effective logistics, maintenance oversight, and regulatory compliance. By coordinating across various teams, AIRMOB ensures the fleet meets both current and future operational needs, supporting a range of specialized air mobility missions.

Position Summary

In this role, you will own the obsolescence and diminishing manufacturing sources problem for AIRMOB’s KC-135R and C-135FR fleet,aircraftthat have decades of service still ahead of them despite being out of original production. You will identify component and repair-source risks before they ground a tail, build the mitigation pathway, whether that is alternate sourcing, PMA evaluation, owner-produced parts, repair development, or engineered substitution, and coordinate the cross-functional execution thatkeeps our aerialrefuellingcapability sustainable. You will be successful if our maintainers and crews never lose a mission to a part they should have known was going away.

What You’ll Do

• Lead AIRMOB’s DMSMS program by identifying obsolescence and material availability risks across the KC-135R and C-135FR fleets and tracking them in AMOS before they impact the line
• Develop and execute mitigation strategies including alternate part sourcing, PMA evaluation, owner-produced parts under 14 CFR 21.9, surplus and used serviceable material qualification, repair source development, and engineered substitutions
• Partner with Quality & Airworthiness (CASS and Reliability) and Maintenance Programs to translate reliability and removal data into early warning signals for at-risk components
• Serve as the primary interface among Global Supply Chain, Engineering, Maintenance Operations, the Technical Library, and AIRMOB leadership on obsolescence resolution
• Build and maintain the obsolescence tracking dashboard in AMOS, documenting status, mitigation owner, and resolution path for every flagged item
• Develop cost-benefit analyses for redesign versus repair versus alternate-source decisions and report obsolescence cost exposure to capability area leadership
• Engage OEMs, MROs, distributors, and DLA on supply availability, last-time-buy opportunities, and capability list amendments

Ensure all obsolescence corrective actions are documented and substantiated to satisfy applicable airworthiness requirements, including 14 CFR Parts 21, 43, and 91 as applicable, and the AMMT.

What You Bring

• Seven or more years of aerospace sustainment, supply chain, or engineering experience, including direct work on aircraft component obsolescence or DMSMS
• Hands-on familiarity with FAA approval pathways for non-OEM parts: PMA, owner-produced parts under 14 CFR 21.9, and FAA Form 8130-3 documentation flow
• Demonstrated ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, illustrated parts catalogs and breakdowns, and military and aerospace technical data and specifications
• Experience working in a maintenance information system such as AMOS, GOLDesp, TRAX, or equivalent, with the ability to build and maintain structured tracking and reporting
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to brief senior leadership on risk and to negotiate technical and commercial terms with OEMs and suppliers
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Aerospace, or Industrial) or an equivalent combination of military technical training and professional experience

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior work on legacy DoD platforms, particularly the KC-135 family, C-130, or other large transport or tanker aircraft
• DAU DMSMS coursework (DAU CLL 201 or equivalent) or working knowledge of SAE GEIA-STD-0016
• Experience with experimental exhibition certificate operations or NAVAIR and DCMA contract environments
• Familiarity with electronic component obsolescence (avionics, communications, navigation systems) and counterfeit-parts mitigation per AS6081
• SQL or basic data analysis skills for parts and reliability data exploitation

Additional Eligibility Qualifications

• Must be a U.S. person as defined under 22 CFR 120.62 (U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident, or protected individual under 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)) due to access to ITAR and EAR controlled technical data
• Must be eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government Secret security clearance
• Position requires adherence to U.S. export control regulations (ITAR/EAR)
• Employment is contingent on successful completion of a background investigation

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical plan options
• HSA/FSA accounts
• Dental and vision coverage
• 6% employer 401(k) match
• Fully paid parental leave for all new parents
• Generous PTO
• Life and disability insurance
• Long-term and Short-term disability coverage
• AD&D Coverage
• Pet Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Subsided gym membership / plans throughWellhub

WorkAuthorization/SecurityClearance

• Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States.
• Must be a U.S. citizen.
• Eligible clearance required: This position requires eligibility to obtain a clearance. U.S. citizenship is required. Candidates will be subject to a background investigation in accordance with federal requirements.
• Position may require passing a government-administered background check.
• Role may require adherence to export control regulations (ITAR/EAR).Employment is contingent on meeting all clearance and adjudication requirements.

AAP/EEO Statement

This Companyis an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race,color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteranstatusor other characteristics protected by law.

PositionTypeandExpectedHoursofWork

This is a full-time exempt position with typical working hours of Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Hours and work shifts may change in accordance with department and business needs. Exempt Employees must have the ability to be on-call and available, as business needs require.

WorkEnvironment

This roleoperatesin a mixed office and hangar/shop environment. Periodic time on the maintenance floor and aroundaircraftis expected. Use of personal protective equipment isrequiredwhen working on oradjacent toactive maintenance areas.

Travel

Up to 25% domestic and international travel for OEM engagements, audits at vendor and repair facilities, and operational support of the deployed fleet. Active U.S. passportrequired. Travel may include visits to MRO partners in Europe and North America and toforwardoperating locations supporting the AIRMOB tanker fleet

Base Pay Range

The compensation range shown below is a good faith estimate and reflects the expected base pay for this position upon hire. This is just one component of Metrea’s overall approach to total rewards and final compensation decisions, including the ultimate salary or hourly rate agreed upon, may vary depending on factors such as job location, job-specific knowledge, skills, experience, and the overall negotiated compensation package. Eligible full-time employees also receive a comprehensive benefits package designed to support their health, wellbeing, and long-term success.

Pay Range

$90,000—$110,000 USD

Our Firmware

At Metrea, our single core value is Rooted in Humility, and our four cornerstone attributes are Entrepreneurial, Systematic, Discerning, and Over-Deliver. These form what we call our Teammate Firmware. Just like technical firmware connects software and hardware, our Firmware is the constant interface between our mission and our people. It defines how we show up, how we work together, and how we solve complex problems.

Our team Firmware creates a web-like, hyper-collaborative, dynamically hierarchical way of working that helps us adapt quickly, communicate openly, and distribute decision-making to where expertise actually lives. It enables groups to self-organize around hard problems, shift fluidly as priorities evolve, and operate with the trust, curiosity, and discipline required in a complex mission space. This foundation allows us to deliver elegant, effective solutions and uphold our purpose: protecting our precious inheritance.