Entry Level Instrumentation & Controls Engineer Jobs in California

Job Title: Electrical Controls Engineer

Location:  NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA (NFAC)

Job Family Code: O - Engineering

Function/Branch: Engineering/NFAC

Directorate: Test Operations

Position Type: Regular Full-Time

Pay Type: Exempt 

Grade:  H08 (OC0803) – H09 (OC0930)

Salary Range: H08 - $134,000 - $178,000; H09 - $157,000 - $209,000 / year

Overview

Beyond New Horizons, LLC (BNH) has an exciting opportunity for an Electrical Controls Engineer at the National Full-Scale Aerodynamics Complex (NFAC), home of the largest wind tunnels in the world, located at NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA. The successful candidate joins an integrated team supporting the Test Operations and Sustainment (TOS II) mission for the United States Air Force’s Arnold Engineering Development Complex (AEDC).

Open to internal and external candidates. The selected candidate for this requisition must be available to work any shift and shift determination will be made based on the priority of work at the time the selected candidate is cleared to report to work.

U.S. Citizenship is required. At this time BNH will not sponsor any applicants for employment authorization or offer any immigration related support for this position (i.e. H1b, F1 OPT, F-1 STEM OPT, F-1 CPT, J-1, E-2, E-3, L-1, or other forms of work authorization that require immigration support from an employer).

**If you are seeing this posting on a job board, BNH highly recommends you apply directly on the Careers Center page of our business website (https://careers-bnh.icims.com/jobs). Job board applications are not always compatible with company applicant tracking systems.** 

Job Summary

The successful candidate will join the NFAC electrical and controls engineering team providing technical guidance in designing, operating and maintaining existing complex facility power and control systems. The complex systems drive the fans that supply airflow through the wind tunnels, and control test-model support systems. You will support planning and execution of extensive capital projects to sustain, upgrade or modernize all critical facility and fan drive electrical and control systems.

The NFAC team performs large-scale, subsonic wind tunnel testing, furthering research and development of diverse technologies. NFAC tests rotorcraft such as helicopters, tiltrotors and eVTOLs; Mars and other space parachute systems; drag improvements on large semi-tractor-trailer trucks; wind turbines for power generation, and many other exciting applications for the military and commercial sectors.

Job Duties

• Provide technical guidance to operate, troubleshoot, repair, maintain, and upgrade existing facility power systems (drives, motors, generators, transformers, power distribution switchgears, variable frequency drives, etc.)
• Support development, design, troubleshooting and maintaining automated control systems
• Collaborate with customers and the test team to establish design requirements and implement facility modifications as required to meet test objectives
• Project management of facility electrical and control system modernization or sustainment projects including development, planning, budgeting, scheduling, execution, and close-out
• Develop, implement, and execute common work processes, instructions, guidelines, procedures, Statements of Work, design drawing packages, and checklists as required
• Ensure preventive maintenance programs for optimizing reliability of facility electrical and control systems are technically adequate
• Collaborate with and guide Electricians, Instrumentation technicians and other Craft in design, operation and maintenance of facility projects and systems
• Prepare and/or review engineering studies and reports
• It is a condition of employment to wear company issued PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) in accordance with supervisory direction and company policy
• Perform other related duties as required

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical or Controls Engineering, or a relevant technical field from an ABET-accredited program
• Grade 07 (H07): Minimum of 2 years of progressive and relevant experience in engineering or a related technical field. Additional technical education can be substituted for experience.
• Current United States citizenship required

Preferred Qualifications:

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Excellent troubleshooting skills
• Possess technical knowledge of electromechanical systems, engineering calculations, and applications of engineering methods and materials
• Basic knowledge of major industry or regulatory standards and design criteria pertinent to electrical and controls engineering
• Educational concentration and/or work experience in low, medium, or high voltage power distribution
• Educational and/or work experience with motor-generator sets
• Educational or work experience with computer aided engineering (CAE)/computer aided design (CAD) tools
• Basic knowledge or experience in relevant types of engineering such as systems startup, field engineering, or plant operations/maintenance in large industrial plants, utilities, process plants or other engineering/construction firms
• Basic experience with PLC and SCADA software and tools

Beyond New Horizons (BNH) is a fully populated joint venture of Astrion and Fluor Federal Services, Inc. formed to provide unmatched Test Operations and Sustainment services for the Arnold Engineering Development Complex.

We chose our name to serve as an enduring reminder of our commitment to AEDC’s rich aerospace research and development legacy anchored in AEDC’s Toward New Horizons founding study and the unprecedented opportunities to greatly expand AEDC’s capabilities and capacity Beyond those existing today. Leveraging the capabilities of our parent companies, BNH specializes in testing and evaluation for military and space systems combined with proven capability in large-scale Government program management, integration, engineering, and construction services for specialized and technically advanced high-hazard facilities.

Join our Team!

The minimum and maximum full-time annual salaries for this role are listed below, by location. Please note that this salary information is solely for candidates hired to perform work within one of these locations and refers to the amount BNH is willing to pay at the time of this posting. Salaries for part-time jobs will be adjusted based upon the number of hours agreed to work.

H06: $97,000 - $128,300; H07: $108,000 - $144,000 annually at NFAC,  NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA

BNH is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. We provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, veteran status, and any other grounds for discrimination prohibited by applicable law.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.