Avionics Engineer

Avionics Engineer — Kestrel Aerospace Systems

Phoenix, AZ | September 2023 – Present

• Designed and integrated DO-178C Level B compliant flight control software for 3 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) platforms, reducing autopilot sensor latency by 28% and ensuring 100% adherence to FAA airworthiness standards.
• Spearheaded hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing using NI VeriStand and LabVIEW, identifying 42 critical flight computer bus anomalies prior to system integration, which saved $120,000 in physical prototype troubleshooting costs.
• Engineered redundant power distribution circuits and telemetry systems for commercial rotorcraft, reducing electronic system weight by 14% and power consumption by 9% across a fleet of 15 operational aircraft.
• Authored 80+ Python test automation scripts for RF communication systems, reducing qualification test execution times by 35% and improving hardware defect detection rates by 17% during environmental stress screening.

Associate Avionics Engineer — Sonora Avionics Integration

Tucson, AZ | June 2021 – August 2023

• Designed complex avionics wire harness routing using AutoCAD Electrical for 4 commercial flight decks, reducing fabrication errors by 22% and system integration lead times by 18 days over a 12-month period.
• Executed bench testing and calibration for civil aviation transponders and weather radar subsystems, improving signal processing accuracy by 15% and throughput of unit qualification procedures by 25%.
• Diagnosed and resolved 35+ high-priority field failure reports related to GPS and navigation receiver interference, decreasing fleet maintenance turnaround times by 40%.
• Coordinated with safety engineering teams to compile DO-254 hardware design assurance data packages for 2 line-replaceable units (LRUs), accelerating FAA certification timelines by 4 weeks.

Flight Control Systems, Autopilot Design, HIL Testing, DO-178C, DO-254, Wire Harness Routing, EMI Mitigation, RF Communication, NI LabVIEW, MATLAB, Simulink, Python, Oscilloscopes, Spectrum Analyzers, Systems Engineering, RF Bench Calibration

UAV Autopilot Optimization

Role: Lead Avionics Integration Engineer

Tools: MATLAB, Simulink, NI LabVIEW, dSPACE

Redesigned flight control loops in simulation and verified on HIL benches, decreasing sensor-to-actuator latency by 28% and ensuring stable flight tests.

Next-Gen Flight Deck Modernization

Role: Avionics Systems Specialist

Tools: AutoCAD Electrical, DO-254 standards, FAA Audits

Led electrical schematic design and routing optimization for a retrofitted glass cockpit, reducing wire harness weight by 14% and avoiding $45,000 in material waste.

• Certified Systems Engineering Professional (CSEP) - INCOSE (2024)
• Aircraft Electronics Technician (AET) - ASTM/NCATT (2022)
• DO-178C Software Development Compliance Training Certificate (2023)

• Technical Skills: Soldering (IPC-J-STD-001 certified), RF testing, oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers
• Languages: English (Native), German (Conversational)
• Security Clearance: Active DoD Secret Clearance
• Availability: 3 weeks notice