Engineer Principal - Reliability

Ball Aerospace is powered by endlessly curious people with an unwavering mission focus. We pioneer discoveries that enable our customers to perform beyond expectation and protect what matters most. We create innovative space solutions, enable more accurate weather forecasts, drive insightful observations of our planet, deliver actionable data and intelligence, and ensure those who defend our freedom go forward bravely and return home safely.

At our core, we're passionate, committed people who believe together we can achieve extraordinary things. We work collaboratively with each other, our customers and partners to solve the world's greatest challenges. That means listening to one another, providing feedback and partnering across all levels. We value our inclusive culture where everyone is heard equally and creativity thrives. Each team member is fully invested in our mission and we bring an energy to work every day that propels our business and motivates us all to Go Beyond.®

For more information, visit Ball Aerospace Career Site or connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

The Enterprise Assurance Strategic Capabilities Unit delivers critical assurance disciplines that protect and enable people, data and missions. We provide a comprehensive approach to managing risk across the enterprise for current and future information environments where the business and missions execute. We apply the use of innovative tools and robust processes to ensure mission and business success.

Engineer Principal - Reliability

Perform the engineering and analysis required to execute the Mission Systems Assurance (MSA) Reliability, Availability, Maintainability, and Supportability (RAMS) Engineering baseline across Ball Aerospace’s Tactical Solutions (TS) Strategic Business Unit (SBU), which includes radio-frequency (RF) and electro-optical (EO) technologies to the nation’s defense needs in C4ISR, precision strike, air dominance, and electronic warfare. Establish the MSA Reliability requirements appropriate for tactical hardware / software solutions for government and prime contractor customers within the defense community, inclusive of multi-function apertures, phased antenna arrays, RF systems for space applications, and EO and infrared imaging and tracking systems. Responsible for identifying risks and threats to a successful mission for programs. In this capacity, the role will support the planning, development, and delivery of all MSA-related artifacts on the program. These analyses ensure that the design has sufficient performance margins, failure-recovery capabilities, resiliency, and high pedigree upon test-completion, such that mission success is achieved.

What You’ll Do:

• Prime responsibility is to derive and implement Mission Systems Assurance (MSA) requirements on assigned proposals and programs using standard processes and Reliability, Availability, Maintainability, and Supportability (RAMS) Engineering functional disciplines. This may be inclusive of requirements in the engineering disciplines of RAMS, component engineering, quality assurance, software assurance, cybersecurity, supply chain risk management, and logistics support.
• Responsible for supporting the planning, developing, and delivering of Contract Data Requirement Lists (CDRLs) and / or Subcontractor Data Requirements Lists (SDRLs) per the Statement of Work (SOW) and contract on programs.
• Support identifying, evaluating, and reporting all risks to the “mission” (current and residual) on the program, including those that result from failures and deviations to the prescribed risk threshold.
• Capable of planning and establishing derived requirements with or without customer specifications for successful Mission Assurance (MA) efforts and tasks on programs containing electronic, electrical, optical, software, and mechanical subsystems.
• Provide effective MSA discipline oversight and direction. Takes an adaptive approach to execution necessitated by the different stages of product development.
• Take a lead role in the identification, mitigation, and communication of MSA RAMS Engineering drivers and risk.
• Employ a strong understanding of the drivers for component and system reliability, availability, maintainability, and supportability to identify potential risk to the program early in design.
• Translate written requirements from both internal and external sources into simple, straight-forward requirements.
• Possess the willingness to assist RAMS Engineers in completing their tasks.
• Efficiently learn new subjects / techniques / software, without, necessarily, the assistance of others.
• Write clear and concise reports.
• Utilize mathematical software tools.
• Participate as member of design team to select, evaluate, and document electronic, electrical, mechanical, and optical parts for various missions including space, military, and airborne.
• Active participation in design, production / test readiness, and other reviews and audits with the ability to make risk-informed decisions.
• Develop and/or peer review cost estimates for new business proposals.
• Formally present information and communicate effectively with Program Management, Executive Leadership, and Customers.
• Efforts will involve scheduling, budgeting, and milestone monitoring as well as reviewing technical reports to assure technical and contractual compliance.
• Thrive in collaborative, cross-functional teams with the ability to fluently converse about each other’s domain of expertise.
• Maintain a collaborative and informational-based relationship with customer counterparts.
• Foster trusted advisor relationships with Mission Area Directors, Sector Leads, Program Management, Mission Assurance Management, other program team leads, and on-site customers, as required.
• Maintain a regular and predictable work schedule.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships within the department, the Strategic Business Units, Strategic Capabilities Units and the Company. Interact appropriately with others in order to maintain a positive and productive work environment.
• Perform other duties as necessary.

What You´ll Need:

• BS or higher in Engineering or a related technical field is required plus 12 or more years related experience.
• Each higher-level degree, i.e., Master’s Degree or Ph.D., may substitute for two years of experience. Related technical experience may be considered in lieu of education. Degree must be from a university, college, or school which is accredited by an agency recognized by the US Secretary of Education, US Department of Education.
• Excellent task management skills and ability to prioritize in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience with Reliability (RAMS) Modeling to predict system performance metrics:
  • Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF)
  • Mean Time Between Critical Failures (MTBCF)
  • Mean Time to Recovery / Mean Time to Restore (MTTR)
  • Probability of Success (Ps)
  • Operational Availability (Ao)
• Reliability Engineering experience, with the proven ability to communicate technical detail with design.
• Reliability analysis experience, including:
  • Reliability Prediction
  • Part Stress Analysis (PSA)
  • Failure Modes Effects Criticality Analysis (FMECA)
  • Worst Case Analysis (WCA)
  • Limited Life Analysis (LLA)
• Experience with one or more RAMS automated tools (exempli gratia: Windchill Risk and Reliability, Raptor, Quart, et cetera software).
• It would be advantageous for the candidate to possess:
  • Logistics Support Analysis (LSA) expertise.
  • Life Cycle Cost (LCC) experience, with familiarity with Integrated Logistics Support (ILS) metrics and US Government cost estimation guidelines.
  • Level of Repair Analysis (LORA) modeling experience, with ILS and RAMS metrics.
  • Training and experience in repair cost estimation, Repair Level Analysis (RLA) per Mil-STD-1390.
  • Familiarity with military logistics support.
  • Experience with ILS automated tools (exempli gratia: CASA, COMPASS, SYSPARS, and / or PWR-LOG).
• A current DoD Secret clearance is strongly preferred.
• A TS/SCI clearance is preferred.

On-Site Work Environment: This position requires regular in-person engagement by working on-site five days each normally scheduled week in the primary work location. Travel and local commute between Ball campuses and other possible non-Ball locations may be required.

Working Conditions:

• Ball Aerospace is a drug-free workplace, which is imperative to the health and safety of all employees and is required as a condition of receiving contracts from federal agencies. Please remember that regardless of the legalization of marijuana in Colorado and other states, possession and use continues to be illegal under the federal Controlled Substances Act. This includes the use of some CBD products. A post-offer, pre-employment drug test is a condition of employment. 
• Work is performed in an office, laboratory, production floor, or cleanroom, outdoors or remote research environment.
• May occasionally work in production work centers where use of protective equipment and gear is required.
• May access other facilities in various weather conditions.

A security clearance or access with Polygraph is not required to be eligible for this position. However, the applicant must be willing and eligible for submission, depending on program requirements, after an offer is accepted and must be able to maintain the applicable clearance/access. 

Relocation for this position is available.

Direct Program Charge: 85%

Compensation & Benefits:

• HIRING SALARY RANGE: $154,000 - $194,500 (Salary to be determined by the education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities of the applicant, internal equity, and alignment with market data.)
• Job Grade:  Aerospace R3 
• This position includes a competitive benefits package. For details, copy and paste https://bit.ly/3pNSnxv into your browser or visit our careers site.

Job Referral Fee: $2,000.00

US CITIZENSHIP IS REQUIRED

Ball Aerospace is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran status, or disability status.