Explore high-demand Flight Test Instrumentation Manager jobs, a critical leadership role at the intersection of aerospace engineering, data acquisition, and project management. Professionals in this career oversee the vital systems that capture and transmit performance data during aircraft testing, ensuring the safety, validation, and certification of new and modified aerospace vehicles. This position is central to the success of flight test programs, requiring a unique blend of deep technical expertise and strong personnel leadership. A Flight Test Instrumentation Manager typically leads a department of engineers and technicians, setting objectives, managing workflows, and ensuring all instrumentation deliverables align with rigorous program schedules and budgets. Their core responsibility is to provide reliable, accurate data. This involves overseeing the entire lifecycle of complex instrumentation systems: from initial planning and design, through sensor selection, wiring, and integration onto airframes (both fixed-wing and rotary), to final calibration, validation, and functional testing. They ensure systems—comprising data acquisition units, hundreds of sensors, telemetry links, and onboard recorders—meet exacting specifications. Furthermore, they maintain stringent compliance with aviation safety and quality standards (such as FAA, EASA, or military regulations), managing documentation like wiring diagrams and interface control documents. On the leadership front, these managers recruit, mentor, and develop their team, fostering a culture of technical excellence and safety. They act as the key liaison between the instrumentation team and other critical groups, including test pilots, flight test engineers, maintenance, and systems engineering, to define data requirements. Their role is also strategic; they represent the department in design and readiness reviews, contribute to proposals, and research emerging technologies to drive innovation in data capture and analysis methodologies. Typical requirements for Flight Test Instrumentation Manager jobs include an advanced diploma or degree in avionics, electronics, or a related engineering field, complemented by 8+ years of hands-on FTI experience, with a significant portion in a supervisory capacity. Essential skills include proficiency with data acquisition hardware/software, signal conditioning, and aerospace data buses, alongside robust project management, budgeting, and interpersonal abilities. A thorough understanding of airworthiness certification processes and a steadfast commitment to safety protocols are fundamental. For those skilled in leading technical teams to capture the data that proves an aircraft's capabilities, Flight Test Instrumentation Manager jobs offer a challenging and rewarding career path at the heart of aerospace advancement.
