Flight Test Instrumentation Engineer - Mechanical Design (Level 3)

Standard Job Description 
 We are seeking a Flight Test Instrumentation Engineer with a strong background in detailed mechanical design to support the development, installation, and operation of instrumentation systems for flight test programs. This role focuses on the mechanical design of flight test equipment, sensor installations, mounting brackets, cable routing provisions, data acquisition hardware installations, and related structural or mechanical integration hardware. The ideal candidate will have experience working in aerospace environments, understand aircraft configuration control and safety requirements, and be capable of producing high-quality mechanical designs suitable for flight test operations.

Design mechanical installations for flight test instrumentation systems, including sensors, probes, cameras, antennas, data acquisition units, wiring supports, brackets, trays, and mounting hardware. Develop detailed 3D CAD models, assemblies, and drawings for flight test installations. Perform mechanical integration of instrumentation hardware into aircraft structures, systems, interiors, and external surfaces. Create detailed design packages including installation drawings, parts lists, and fabrication instructions. Support the selection and placement of sensors such as strain gauges, pressure transducers, accelerometers, thermocouples, microphones, flow probes, and displacement sensors. Design brackets, adapter plates, fairings, housings, and structural supports to meet flight loads, vibration, thermal, and accessibility requirements. Work closely with flight test engineers, instrumentation engineers, stress engineers, electrical engineers, manufacturing, maintenance, and aircraft operations teams. Ensure designs comply with aerospace standards, internal engineering processes, airworthiness requirements, and flight safety constraints. Coordinate with stress and certification teams to ensure mechanical installations are safe for ground and flight test operations. Participate in design reviews, installation planning meetings, aircraft modification reviews, and test readiness reviews. Support hands-on installation, troubleshooting, and checkout of instrumentation systems on test aircraft. Resolve design issues discovered during fabrication, installation, ground testing, or flight test operations. Basic Qualifications 
 BS in Electronics, Electrical, Mechanical, Aerospace, Computer Science or equivalent experience. Technical background in Mechanical Engineering or related field. Experience with 3-D Computer Aided design (CAD) tools/drafting software. Desired Skills 
 Experience in mechanical design for aerospace, aviation, defense, or flight test applications. Proficiency with 3D CAD tools such as CATIA, Siemens NX, SolidWorks, Creo, or similar. Ability to create detailed engineering drawings using GD&T, standard tolerancing, and aerospace drafting practices. Understanding of aircraft structures, mechanical systems, fasteners, materials, and installation practices. Familiarity with flight test instrumentation hardware and sensor installation methods. Ability to design lightweight, robust, and maintainable mechanical hardware for aircraft environments. Knowledge of vibration, thermal, pressure, aerodynamic, and structural considerations for flight test installations. Strong problem-solving skills and ability to work in a fast-paced flight test environment. Ability to read and interpret aircraft drawings, wiring diagrams, structural layouts, and engineering specifications. Strong communication skills and ability to coordinate across multidisciplinary engineering teams. Willingness to support aircraft modification activities, ground tests, and flight test campaigns. Experience supporting experimental, or developmental flight test programs. Knowledge of airworthiness processes. Experience with temporary flight test installations and aircraft modification documentation. Familiarity with