Experience

Virgin Galactic

• United States
• Aviation and Aerospace Component Manufacturing
• 700 & Above Employee

• Director of Engineering - Flight Controls

  • May 2022 - Present

  Leading GNC, Fly By Wire, and flight control actuation engineering teams for current and future Spaceship and Mothership programs.

• Guidance, Navigation, and Control Engineering Manager

  • May 2019 - May 2022

  Manage the full life cycle of digital flight control system development including project planning, requirements, hardware development, software development, verification, environmental qualification, vehicle integration, system safety analysis, ground test, and flight test. Review and collaborate on aircraft control law design and verification data including linear analysis, non-linear analysis, pilot in the loop simulation, hardware in the loop simulation, and aeroservoelasticity testing.Lead internal R&D program for GNC technology development including model based design workflow implementation, control law design and verification tool development, estimator design, hardware in the loop testing, and flight test. Mentor engineers in control system theory and design, modeling and simulation, etc. Show less



The Spaceship Company

• United States
• Aviation and Aerospace Component Manufacturing
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Project Engineer, Digital Flight Controls and Avionics Systems

  • Dec 2017 - May 2019

  Led multi-disciplinary team to develop electro-mechanical flight control systems, including flight control computer hardware and software, actuator and actuator controller requirements, feel system design, and control laws. Designed digital flight control system architecture from mission requirements, including reliability and redundancy requirements.Managed multiple suppliers for design, production, and test of complex electronic and mechanical hardware.Responsible for project plan detailing validation, verification, and design approaches, schedule, and performance using systems engineering processes.Led system validation and verification using modeling and simulation, component test, and system ground and flight test. Tools include Matlab, Simulink, LabView, and IADS.Led avionics system and hardware design for SS2 and WK2 which includes requirements definition and analysis, vehicle electrical schematics, PCB design, analog and digital circuit design, and COTS hardware integration. Show less

• Lead Engineer, Avionics Design

  • Oct 2016 - Dec 2017

  Responsible for avionics system design, testing, and integration into SS2-002 and WK2 to support flight testing and vehicle upgrades.Led team performing avionics and flight control trade studies, architecture definition, and preliminary design for next generation SS2.Created and documented Avionics Design Engineering Process to meet design assurance objectives similar to DO-254, DO-178, and ARP-4754.Created engineering project plans for avionics to meet program goals and manufacturing schedules.Mentored team members in avionics design, integration, and test.Reviewed schematics, circuit boards, test plans, and engineering analysis produced by team. Show less

• Avionics Design Engineer

  • Mar 2015 - Oct 2016

  Defined system architecture, developed schematics, and investigated failures of avionics and electrical systems.Developed requirements for design, managed technical aspect of development and manufacturing contracts, and coordinated system validation for flight control system electromechanical actuators and controllers.Performed real-time flight test monitoring of aircraft systems. Developed and validated console displays. Created training plans and scenarios for control room training.Managed avionics ground and flight testing including requirements definition, test planning, and reporting. Show less



United States Air Force

• United States
• Defense and Space Manufacturing
• 700 & Above Employee

• Flight Test Engineer (Civilian)

  • Jun 2010 - Mar 2015

  Developed test plans for new avionics and weapon capabilities by analyzing system architecture and requirements, interfacing with system design contractors, and reviewing system anomaly reports. Proactively identified capability gaps in data processing and analysis software and led teams to develop needed software. Extensive engineering software development experience using Matlab. Mentored colleagues in software development. Evaluated avionics system performance through real-time test monitoring and post-flight data analysis. Developed control room displays for real-time analysis. Manned essential control room positions and trouble shot anomalies for flight tests . Extensive experience analyzing post-flight test data to identify and isolate anomalies. Managed multiple test programs including test plan, contractor support, schedule, assets, safety planning, and reporting. Communicated test requirements, status, results, and anomalies in formal test reports, regular teleconferences, and face to face meetings. Frequently called upon to provide technical insight into complex, high-profile problems. Show less



Kinapptic

• Tehachapi, CA

• iOS Developer

  • Jan 2014 - Jul 2014

  Designed, developed, and deployed iOS app, Speed Up: Pace Trainer. App provides real-time feedback on a runner's pace to help them improve. While I enjoyed the programming, I didn't enjoy marketing, so I've gone back to engineering. www.kinapptic.com/apps Designed, developed, and deployed iOS app, Speed Up: Pace Trainer. App provides real-time feedback on a runner's pace to help them improve. While I enjoyed the programming, I didn't enjoy marketing, so I've gone back to engineering. www.kinapptic.com/apps



MAGICC Lab

• Brigham Young University

• Research Assistant

  • Sep 2009 - Apr 2010

  Designed and built prototypes of small UAVs. Used CNC foam and laser cutters. Integrated Kestrel autopilot into UAV and tuned PID controller. UAV test/safety pilot. Responsible for configuration control, hardware debugging, and ground station operation. Designed and built prototypes of small UAVs. Used CNC foam and laser cutters. Integrated Kestrel autopilot into UAV and tuned PID controller. UAV test/safety pilot. Responsible for configuration control, hardware debugging, and ground station operation.



AFRL Campus Challenge 2009

• Brigham Young University

• Team Lead

  • Sep 2009 - Apr 2010

  Led multi-disciplinary 10 member student team to win $150,000 in research funding in nation-wide competition by creating innovative technology roadmap for multi-agent unmanned system of systems. Team designed and integrated unmanned multi-agent hardware-in-loop simulation. Demonstrated cooperative search algorithms. Personally responsible for ground robot embedded software development. http://www.kinapptic.com/cooperative-uav-ugv-search/ Led multi-disciplinary 10 member student team to win $150,000 in research funding in nation-wide competition by creating innovative technology roadmap for multi-agent unmanned system of systems. Team designed and integrated unmanned multi-agent hardware-in-loop simulation. Demonstrated cooperative search algorithms. Personally responsible for ground robot embedded software development. http://www.kinapptic.com/cooperative-uav-ugv-search/



Solar Airplane Project

• Brigham Young University

• Teaching Assistant

  • Sep 2008 - Apr 2010

  Led 40 student team to design, build, and test UAV. As sole paid teaching assistant, reviewed designs, oversaw fabrication, and responsible for sub-system integration, including autopilot, and flight test. Provided hands-on instruction in aircraft design and composite construction. Experience with fiberglass, kevlar, and carbon fibers and wet layup, vacuum bag, and pre-preg/autoclave. Optimization of Stability and Drag for a V-Tail - AIAA Student Conference, Long Beach, CA, March 2009 Show less



ME 282 Manufacturing Processes

• Brigham Young University

• Teaching Assistant

  • Jun 2009 - Aug 2009

  Reviewed and approved student manufacturing project design drawings and manufacturing techniques. Ensured that drawings used proper GD&T and designs were manufacturable. Gave hands on instruction in manufacturing techniques, including machining, CNC operation, welding, casting, and injection molding. Reviewed and approved student manufacturing project design drawings and manufacturing techniques. Ensured that drawings used proper GD&T and designs were manufacturable. Gave hands on instruction in manufacturing techniques, including machining, CNC operation, welding, casting, and injection molding.



Northrop Grumman

• United States
• Defense and Space Manufacturing
• 700 & Above Employee

• Support Equipment Design Engineer Intern

  • Jul 2008 - Aug 2008

  Developed design concepts using CATIA, documented design concepts and existing hardware, and modified existing drawings for F-35 JSF program. Developed design concepts using CATIA, documented design concepts and existing hardware, and modified existing drawings for F-35 JSF program.



Micro Air Vehicle Lab

• Brigham Young University

• Research Assistant

  • Sep 2005 - Apr 2006

  Designed and built prototypes of small UAVs, including composite structures and wiring harnesses. Required use of 3D CAD modeling, rapid prototyping, composite design and layup, and CNC foam cutter. Integrated Kestrel autopilot into UAV. Optimization of IRIS, a Small Autonomous Surveillance UAV -AIAA Aerospace Exhibit, Reno, NV, Jan. 2007 Designed and built prototypes of small UAVs, including composite structures and wiring harnesses. Required use of 3D CAD modeling, rapid prototyping, composite design and layup, and CNC foam cutter. Integrated Kestrel autopilot into UAV. Optimization of IRIS, a Small Autonomous Surveillance UAV -AIAA Aerospace Exhibit, Reno, NV, Jan. 2007