Sr. Manager, Ground & Flight Test

As a Senior Manager of Vehicle Ground and Flight Test you will be responsible for leading the team in execution of ground and flight test activities. You will ensure the project meets mission requirements and maintains technical, budgetary and schedule integrity while maintaining a safety focused culture. You will be the communication liaison between the flight test team and senior leadership by informing of test methods, processes, and procedures and be responsible for coordinating activities involved with planning, executing, and reporting on vehicle ground and flight tests. You will manage the team through planning, day to day execution, and in providing timely post flight data analysis and subsequent test reports. As the senior manager you will be leading the test team which will work closely with engineering to develop test procedures and plans in order to verify safe and effective operations of our Spaceship Delta vehicles.

Responsibilities

• Manage ground and flight test campaign for multiple vehicles

• Facilitate the development of test requirements from the different engineering disciplines

• Develop test configurations, procedures, conditions, and maneuvers I order to verify requirements

• Develop and maintain a detailed program plan, including Integrated Master Schedule for the Ground and Flight Test Program, which aligns with the overall Delta Class program plan and company Strategic Plan

• Develop and execute the approved program plan with accountability for safety, cost, scope, quality, and schedule against the approved program baseline

• Coordinate test schedules with maintenance, engineering, simulation, and operations

• Support definition, design, and testing of control room displays for ground and flight test activities

• Support Data Center operations including facilitating timely delivery of instrumentation data

• Define and monitor configurations for tests

• Conduct performance reviews, generate bases of estimates (BOEs), and give consistent status updates to senior leadership

• Contribute to teammates’ professional development and foster an environment of continuous improvement

Requires Skills and Experience

• Master’s degree in engineering, preferably in aerospace

• 15 years of flight test experience with knowledge of flight test on crewed production aerospace vehicles

• Full life cycle experience in aerospace New Product Development through Entry in Service and Sustainment

• Experience with generating Test Hazard Analyses (THAs) and conducting Safety Review Boards (SRBs)

• Experience with conducting Flight Readiness Reviews (FRRs)

• Energetic, passionate, and organized team member ready to support complex test operations

• Able to manage multiple tasks simultaneously and thrive in a complex product development environment with multiple priorities

• Experience in logic linked, resource-loaded Integrated Master Scheduling environments (Primavera P6, MS Project, etc.)

• Demonstrated success managing aerospace projects within cost and schedule goals

• Experience providing leadership and management for multidisciplinary teams of engineering, manufacturing, and business support personnel

• Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication, excellent computer skills including Microsoft Word, Excel, Project, and PowerPoint

• Experience with logic-linked scheduling, Cost Account Management, budget management, and reporting

• Experience with IMP/IMS, risk management, configuration management, requirements management processes

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a high attention to detail

• Experience in conducting testing on aerospace vehicles in a ground station or mission control center

Preferred Skills and Experience

• 10 years of direct management of engineer teammates

• Test Pilot School graduate, or equivalent on the job training

• Lead a multidiscipline mission control center with information display experience (IADS a plus)

• Working understanding of fixed-wing principles and systems, such as stability & control, fly-by-wire flight controls, or EMI/EMC a plus

• PMP Certification

• Master’s degree in Flight Test Engineering

The annual U.S. base salary range for this full-time position is $122,364.00–$186,636.00. The base pay actually offered will vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, location, and experience and take into account internal equity. Other forms of pay (e.g., bonus or long term incentive) may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to a full range of medical, financial, and other benefits, dependent on the position offered. For more information regarding Virgin Galactic benefits, please visit https://vgcareers.virgingalactic.com/global/en/benefits

Who We Are

Virgin Galactic is an aerospace and space travel company, pioneering human spaceflight for private individuals and researchers with its advanced air and space vehicles. We are making the dream of space travel a reality, delivering spaceflight at an unprecedented frequency, with the development of next generation space vehicles. 

Export Requirements 
To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. Person (either a U.S. citizen, a lawful permanent resident or a protected individual as defined 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3) or be able to obtain the required authorization from either the U.S. Department of State or the U.S. Department of Commerce. The applicant must also not be included in the list of Specifically Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons maintained by the Office of Foreign Assets Control. See list here.

EEO Statement
Virgin Galactic is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Virgin Galactic is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status. 

DRUG FREE WORKPLACE
Virgin Galactic is committed to a Drug Free Workplace.  All applicants post offer and active teammates are subject to testing for marijuana, cocaine, opioids, amphetamines, PCP, and alcohol when criteria is met as outlined in our policies. This can include pre-employment, random, reasonable suspicion, and accident related drug and alcohol testing. 

PHOENIX EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS
For individuals seeking employment at our Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport facility, employment is contingent upon you obtaining and maintaining a TSA authorized security badge.  This includes initial and annual mandatory background checks that are governed by TSA, and conducted by the Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport badging office.