Shape the future of Air & Space Vehicles!!!
This is your amazing opportunity to be a key part of the USAF Test Pilot School (TPS) world-class faculty.
You will be serving as the nationally/internationally recognized Flight Sciences Technical Expert, Senior Advisor, Curriculum Developer, and Master’s Degree Educator at USAF TPS. In this capacity you will be working with test units across the Air Force Test Center (AFTC), with various divisions of the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL), Naval Test Pilot School, NAVAIR, and other Department of Defense agencies, government and university research laboratories, commercial air and space companies, and international partners.
This is an incredible opportunity to shape the future of test and evaluation through educating the next generation of test leaders. You will be interacting with some of the world’s best aviators, engineers, space vehicle operators, and future test leaders – What an opportunity!
Position: Flight Sciences Technical Expert (General Engineer), NH-0801-04
Location: USAF Test Pilot School, Edwards Air Force Base, CA
Salary range: $146,632 - $197,200 (includes LA county locality)
- This position is eligible for a Recruitment and/or Relocation incentive. Specifics can be discussed with the Selecting Official.
- This position is Situational Telework Eligible.
- This position has NOT been approved for remote work or remote duty location.
- This position may require up to 25% travel.
Send Resumes to: David Vanhoy This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Heather Ash This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Closes: 10 July 2026
Purpose
The primary purpose of this position is to serve as the United States Air Force (USAF) Test Pilot School's (TPS) nationally/internationally recognized technical expert in Flight Sciences test. Provides world-class leadership, expertise, and guidance on the technical content of the USAF TPS Flight Test Course (FTC) curriculum in support of a 48-week Master's Degree program. Duties would include teaching, evaluating student performance, developing curriculum, consulting with Flight Test Organizations, determining staffing requirements, recommending resources, leading research efforts, publishing journal articles, and presenting at technical conferences.
Major Duties
- Senior Advisor: Serves as the senior Flight Sciences Test education advisor and senior technical consultant to the Commandant and Technical Director.
- Curriculum Developer: Defines, integrates, and implements Flight Sciences curriculum for a graduate-level educational program. Ensures the TPS curriculum includes state-of-the-art test technology and continues to advance new concepts in flight and space testing and test education, test and safety planning, data collection and analysis, and reporting.
- Master's Degree Educator: As a technical subject matter expert, educates students on how to conduct evaluation of new or critically modified aerospace vehicles/systems; gather, analyze, and draw data-driven conclusions; identify and characterize deficiencies; recommend corrective actions; and report on test results. This will be accomplished through teaching academic courses, leading simulator and/or laboratory sessions, and conducting both flight and space ops control room instruction.
- National/International Technical Expert: Represents TPS, AFTC, and AFMC as a recognized technical expert in Flight Sciences Test and Test Education at national and international symposia and conferences. Acts as technical and/or safety advisor, subject matter expert, and/or report reviewer for AFMC, DoD, NASA, other government agencies, and allied nations as required.
Flying Opportunities
There are Instructor Flight Test Engineer flying opportunities in multiple military and Qualitative Evaluation aircraft and, depending on your background and desires, there’s the possibility to be an Instructor Pilot in gliders and Cessnas. If you have a military Test Pilot background, there are opportunities to fly as an IP in F-16s, T-38s, and/or C-12s. In addition, there is the opportunity to be a Safety Pilot in the USAF premier Experimental Aircraft, the X-62 VISTA.
Research Opportunities
There are opportunities to mentor student Test Management Projects and conduct staff Research Projects on cutting edge research topics that span the entire spectrum from advanced controls, autonomy, AI/ML control, new sensors, enhanced human vehicle interface systems, real-time data analysis capabilities, emerging communication techniques/protocols, cyber and electronic warfare concepts, battle management algorithms, etc.
Qualifications/Requirements
- REQUIRED: U.S. Citizenship
- REQUIRED: Must be able to obtain & maintain a Top Secret Security clearance and be eligible for SCI & SAP access.
- REQUIRED: Masters Degree in Engineering and 10+ years of experience in test.
- HIGHLY DESIRED: PhD in Aero Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering or Astro Engineering.
- HIGHLY DESIRED: Prior teaching experience and/or simulator experience.
- HIGHLY DESIRED: Graduate of a military Test Pilot School.
- DESIRED: Flight Test Conductor and/or Test Director experience
- DESIRED: Active member of a professional organization such as AIAA, SETP, SFTE, ITEA, etc.
- DESIRED: Able to meet USAF flying class III physical requirements including the ability to fly ejection seat aircraft.
posted 10 June