R&D Technician

We are seeking a skilled R&D Technician to join our team, responsible for performing fabrication, and assembly, and of airframes and components for unmanned aerial systems (UAS). In this role, you will work collaboratively with engineers and technicians to design, build, test, and fly UAS systems. This role is fully onsite and may require travel to support flight testing. 

Responsibilities:

• Perform modifications to a COTS airframe to incorporate custom avionics and payloads

• Perform fabrication, assembly, installation, repair, replacement, adjustment, and alignment of metallic, wood, plastic, and composite parts and components

• Document first article fabrication and maintenance activities, including inspections, repairs, and component replacements

• Conduct functional tests and operational checks following assembly or repair to verify proper system functionality and performance

• Refine existing processes for better throughput and improved quality

• Communicate with engineering and facilities staff in writing and verbally to convey needs, status, and issues

• Collaborate with technicians, engineers, and management on appropriate technical solution while conforming to cost and time constraints

Requirements

• Expertise fabricating and modifying fiberglass assemblies to include cutting/trimming, adhesive bonding, and fastening (demonstrated experience on automobiles or watercraft is a plus)

• Expertise with adhesive systems, to include surface preparation, and joining plastic, wood, composite, and metallic components

• Expertise finishing assemblies to include hand sanding and painting

• Experience developing manufacturing aids (jigs, fixtures) to ensure fitment and repeatable results

• Experience with hand tools including rotary cutting/sanding, drills, taps, torque wrenches, power tools, and air tools

• Strong written and verbal communicator and demonstrated experience pioneering fabrication/assembly on the fly and documenting processes

• Ability to lift and carry up to 50 lb

Additional Desired Skills

• Model radio-controlled aircraft fabrication and hobby flying experience

• Experience with 3D modeling in SolidWorks

• Exposure to 3D additive manufacturing technology

• Experience working with composites, either wet layup or prepreg materials

• Machinist and welding skills with ability to interpret engineering drawings with geometric distancing and tolerancing (GD&T)

• Experience building wire harnesses (stripping, crimping, and bundling) and experience soldering

• Experience with electrical debug & fault isolation using basic electrical test equipment (oscilloscopes, multimeters, isolation testers)

• Ambition to be mentored by colleagues to acquire additional skills and garner more responsibility of the full system fabrication