Job Description

Purpose of position:
Serve as the United States Air Force (USAF) Test Pilot School's (TPS)nationally/internationally recognized technical expert in one of the 4 major phases of the curriculum: Flight Sciences, Mission Systems, Space Sciences, or Test Foundations. Provides world-class leadership, expertise, and guidance throughout the organization in the areas of instructional systems design, curriculum development and execution, organization and staffing, resourcing, training operations and management, and student programming and administration in support of a 48-week Master's Degree program.

Duties:

Serves as the top education advisor and senior technical consultant to the Commandant and the Technical Director of the USAF TPS in one of the four major phases of instruction.

Defines, integrates, and implements curriculum development for a graduate-level educational program. Works with the Commandant, the Technical Director and the Educational Division Chief on the strategic vision for the curriculum and develops courses of action for all issues affecting the educational mission.

Performs independent analysis of syllabus training requirements and leverages strategic vision to ensure the TPS curriculum includes state-of-the-art test technology and continues to advance new concepts in flight testing, space testing, test foundations education, test leadership education, test and safety planning, data collection and analysis, and reporting.

As a technical matter expert, educates students on how to conduct evaluation of new or critically modified aerospace vehicles; gathers, analyzes, and reports on data; identifies and characterizes deficiencies; and recommends corrective actions through teaching academic courses, leading simulator and/or laboratory sessions, and conducting control room and in-flight instruction.
Knowledge and skills for the position:

Advanced knowledge of professional instructional systems design principles, techniques, practices, and procedures.

Expert professional knowledge of learning theory and psychology of learning including application of learning theories as it relates to systematic design, development, and validation of instructional programs.

Expert knowledge of advanced technical concepts, principles, and techniques across multiple interrelated and integrated technical and test engineering disciplines.

Expert knowledge, skill, and ability to conduct ground and live-flight instruction of technical theory, modeling and simulation, test planning, test conduct, coordination and supervision, data analysis and evaluation, technical reporting, and administrative aspects of test programs. This includes classroom lectures, simulator sessions, laboratory exercises, test briefings/debriefings, and airborne/live-fly instruction.

Strong ability to plan and organize work, coordinate between various electronic/aerospace/mechanical engineering and test disciplines, and coordinate with Air Force, Space Force, DoD, and other domestic and foreign government agencies.

Ability to flexibly adapt to changing requirements due to internal and external influences. Ability to communicate effectively, clearly, concisely, and with technical accuracy both orally and in writing.

Certificates/Security Clearances/Other

U.S. citizenship
Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top-Secret w/SCI clearance.
This position is designated as a Testing Designated Position (TDP) under the Air Force Civilian Drug Testing Program. Illegal drug use by employees in sensitive positions present a clear threat to the mission of the Air Force, national security, and public safety. It is required that you (a) refrain from the use of illegal drugs and (b) if requested, submit to urinalysis testing.
The employee must meet the Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) requirements applicable to the duties of the position.
Position requires a professional engineering degree at the bachelor's level from an ABET accredited institution is required. Advanced degrees are preferred. It is highly desirable for the incumbent to have an PhD in Aero Engineering, Astro Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or Electrical Engineering. It is required to have an MS in Aero Engineering, Astro Engineering, Flight Test Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or Electrical Engineering and/or be a graduate of a military test pilot school.
In addition, they need to have at least five years of flight or space test experience as a military or civilian test pilot, space operator, combat system operator, or test engineer. Fifteen years of test experience can be substituted for an advanced engineering degree.
Prior teaching experience and/or simulator experience is highly desired. May be required to perform certain flying duties associated with the teaching of the various courses. This person will be required to complete appropriate training (egress, ground and water survival, etc.) and will be required to instruct and evaluate student pilots, combat system operators, and flight test engineers on testing prototype or substantially modified aircraft; or to instruct and evaluate student space operators and test engineers on testing prototype or substantially modified space-domain systems.

Flight Physical Required: Flying duties require exposure to a dynamic and physically demanding flight environment. Incumbent must pass and maintain a Class 3 aviation Service Code (ASC) 9D flight physical (or higher as applicable to the incumbent's flight qualifications) as directed by AFI 11-402 (paragraphs 1.52 and 2.12).