Job Description

The mission of the Flight Test Facility is to support research and development programs at Lincoln Laboratory by providing unique airborne test bed platforms, state-of-the-art test facilities and expert integration and flight-test risk management solutions. The Flight Test Facility provides a method of validation with actual field collected data. The Flight Test Facility research aircraft are flown, maintained, and managed by a professional staff of test pilots, certified maintenance technicians, and administrative personnel. The Flight Test Facility's first priority is safety of flight. All flight operations are conducted by using procedures and equipment that meet or exceed all Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirements. As a result of various past airborne testing programs, mission-specific procedures have been developed. These procedures and the Federal Aviation Regulations provide for safe, effective and successful operations.

The Flight Test Facility was created to support early air-to-air collision avoidance research programs sponsored by the FAA. As the need for more extensive airborne testing increased, the Flight Test Facility has expanded to support a variety of Department of Defense and FAA programs. The Flight Test Facility currently operates seven experimentally certificated commercially derivative airborne test beds ranging in size from a small single engine Cessna to corporate jets. All aircraft maintenance, modifications and alterations are performed in accordance with the approved standards of a Part 145 Repair Station.

Job Summary

The Flight Test Facility Parts Manager will leverage their aviation industry experience and skills in procurement, property and inventory management, distribution and shipping to manage government property, unique aviation goods and materials to ensure that the Flight Test Facility’s operational needs are met within or ahead of budget targets and that continuity of supply is assured. The Parts Manager will report to the Flight Test Facility Aircraft Maintenance Supervisor and work closely with the Flight Test Facility Business Manager.

Duties & Responsibilities

Procurement

• Interact with supervisors, pilots, mechanics, avionics technicians and engineers to source aircraft parts, components, component repairs and/or overhauls, tooling, outside services and shop supplies.
• Act as an interface between suppliers and other relevant departments on purchasing processes and new projects and activities. 
• Initiate purchase requisitions for stock, as required, maintain Flight Facility Purchase Order (PO) Tracker database to keep a record of all shopping carts, purchase orders and ship orders to outside vendors.
• Monitor and advise on any supply issues that present risk or opportunity, monitor market trends, competitor strategies and market suppliers.
• Provide analysis on the current and proposed spend and create cost reduction initiatives
• Qualify vendor’s capabilities as a contractor approved by the FAA
• Complete Laboratory purchasing SAP procedures to find the most cost effective option to purchase items, by a Laboratory issued credit cards or a shopping cart request for approval and Contracts Services Department (CSD) issued PO
• Oversee and purchase the repair station required maintenance/operations subscription libraries

Property and Inventory Management

• Act as the Assistant Government Property Manager for the Flight Test Facility
• Conduct internal self-assessment audits to validate counts, locations, need of aircraft parts and Government property, maintain an inventory control method to store and retrieve parts in an organized manner, prepare reports and updates when required.
• Comply with FAA Repair Station procedures for incoming inspections of parts as well as storage, segregation, disposition, and identification of airworthy, un-airworthy, and un-approved parts
• Maintain the Flight Facility Aircraft Parts Stock Room to ensure that all FAA approved aircraft parts, components, hardware and supplies
• Oversee the aviation survival equipment
• Manage maintenance Hazardous Waste program

Business Management

• Alternate approval authority of Flight Test Facility timesheets and POs
• Record, track and reconcile all of the Flight Test Facility's credit card purchases, issue change orders to PO’s for close outs after receipt of order and payment to return funding to the direct programs.
• Conduct near real time best value procurement trade-off decisions (buy outright overhauled or exchange overhauled parts), provide analysis on the current and proposed spend and create cost reduction initiatives
• Assist with Environmental Health and Safety audits

Requirements:

• Education-Minimum of an Associate degree in a related field, bachelor’s preferred
• Candidate should have ten years aircraft parts procurement and/or logistics experience or equivalent.
• Candidate should possess: excellent organizational, communication, negotiation, interpersonal and influencing skills; good judgement, initiative, and problem solving skills; be a team player and be able to work with minimum supervision; possess superior computer skills and ability to learn new computer programs, including computerized inventory control and tracking.
• Candidate should be familiar with aviation best practices, AOG deliveries, warranty claims and core returns, and FAA regulations for aircraft parts.
• Candidate should be familiar with shipping and receiving industry practices including overnight delivery, airline counter-to-counter procedures, and large transport shipping by tractor trailer.
• Candidate should be in good health and be able to lift 70 lbs, should be able to pass a DOT physical, should be a licensed driver (class D) with a good driving record and comfortable driving a large pickup truck, Massachusetts DPS forklift license 2A/1C is a plus.