Senior Aircraft Structures Mechanic Hot
- Location
- Niagara Falls, New York
- Wage
- Hourly $40.00 - $60.00
- Job ID
- AV8278004
- Posted
- 2026-9-3
Senior Aircraft Structures Mechanic job at Calspan in Niagara Falls NY
Description, duties, responsibilities
Please reference Avjobs when applying for this position:
Calspan's Flight Research Center is seeking a highly skilled and detail-oriented Senior Aircraft Structural Mechanic to support ongoing flight operations. This role encompasses full-cycle fabrication—from raw material to finished, coated component—including precision metalworking, structural assembly, and aerospace-grade surface finishing. The ideal candidate combines strong manual structural skills with proven experience in corrosion control, priming, and top-coating of aluminum structures.
https://calspan.com/flight-testing
Responsibilities
- Assemble, and install aircraft structural and mechanical components per engineering drawings, technical orders, and flight-test requirements
- Perform precision sheet metal work: layout, cutting, forming, drilling, peening, and riveting
- Create custom brackets, fittings, and mechanical hardware using manual machines (e.g., Bridgeport mill, analog lathe)
- Conduct surface preparation and finishing in accordance with FAA and OEM standards, including:
- Degreasing, abrading, and chemical etching of aluminum substrates, application of Alodine
- Spraying or brushing epoxy primers and polyurethane topcoats
- Support flight-test operations when required: rapid fabrication, modification, and in-situ finishing of test articles at field locations
- Conduct self-inspections and coordinate with QA to verify structural integrity, coating quality, and dimensional accuracy
- Maintain tools, fixtures, and 5S-compliant workspaces; adhere to safety, environmental, and security protocols
Qualifications
Required Qualifications:
- Minimum 3–5 years of verifiable experience in aircraft structures, structural repair, or related aviation manufacturing
- Demonstrated proficiency with manual fabrication tools and equipment (e.g., rivet guns, brakes, shears, drill presses)
- Strong ability to read, interpret, and work from analog technical documentation (blueprints, sketches, work cards)
- Knowledge of aircraft metals, corrosion control principles, and basic composite repair
- Hands-on experience with aircraft surface finishing processes, including Alodine application, epoxy priming, and polyurethane top-coating
- Commitment to safety, documentation, regulatory compliance (FAA Part 43/91), and environmental standards
- U.S. citizenship required, with the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance
- Willingness and flexibility to travel infrequently (up to 20 days/year) to support flight testing
- FAA Airframe Rating (A&P)
- Military airframe training and/or experience —especially those with structural/fabrication, corrosion control, or flight-test support roles
- Hands-on experience with analog lathe operations (turning, facing, threading, tapering)
- Proficiency with Bridgeport-type vertical milling machines for precision machining of brackets, fittings, and custom hardware
- Prior work in MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul)
Why join Calspan?
Be Calspan Culture
At Calspan, we promote an environment that empowers employees and encourages innovation. Our management team enables a strong sense of teamwork with each endeavor, where successes are shared and lessons are learned. The company’s talent brand, “Be Calspan”, incorporates our company values to Be Inclusive, Accountable, and Innovative and our commitment to drive every individual to - Be Developed, Be Balanced, Be Connected, Be Community and Be Recognized. Our culture promotes a positive atmosphere and competitive can-do method of action.
Great Benefits = Happy, Committed Employees
Retaining great talent is as important as finding it, so at Calspan, we take our employee value proposition of Be Calspan quite seriously. To us, that means offering competitive compensation, comprehensive benefits, recognition programs and promotional opportunities. Our benefits include: Health Insurance, Health Savings Accounts, Flexible Spending Accounts, Dental Insurance, Vision Insurance, Life Insurance/Accidental Death & Dismemberment, Short-Term/Long-Term Disability, 401(k), Hospital Coverage, Accident Coverage, Life Insurance Policy, Paid-Time Off, Company-paid Holidays, Bereavement Leave, Jury Duty, Military Leave, Employee Assistance Program, Educational Assistance Reimbursement , and Pet Insurance.
Calspan is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status. Calspan supports safe and drug free workplace through pre-employment background checks and drug testing.
The salary range provided is a general guideline. Actual pay will depend on several factors, including, but not limited to, education, experience, training, and other applicable qualifications. Calspan is committed to pay transparency in compliance with applicable state and local laws.
All candidates must be eligible to work in the United States.
https://careers-calspan.icims.com/jobs/2590/senior-aircraft-structures-mechanic/job
Calspan Company Overview
It’s in our DNA. For more than 70 years, Calspan has been supporting initiatives that drive domestic and global innovation. We partner with global innovators in many industries, including aerospace, automotive, commercial transportation and motorsports. We’re a world-class independent engineering services and testing company that proudly provides its customers with knowledgeable staff, unrivaled processes, unsurpassed quality, proven facilities and reliable equipment. As an independent engineering, test, evaluation and research service company, Calspan is recognized and routinely called to execute challenging projects to transform the impossible into the achievable. Our success results from the “can-do” attitude and methodical approach of our talented, multi-disciplined engineers and technicians, coupled with the unique assets at their disposal. In addition, our high ethical standards and values-driven culture are two more reasons why Calspan is consistently requested to support industry-leading innovators across the globe. Calspan has a full service flight test organization housed in a state-of-the-art 80,000 sq. ft. hangar facility on the Niagara Falls, NY, International Airport (KIAG). Our full-time team of experimental test pilots, engineers, mechanics, and technicians stand ready to take ideas to flight in one of our fleet of jet-powered airborne testbeds. W e are staffed with the expertise to assist with all facets of aircraft modification and test support. At Calspan , the fabric of our culture is reflected in our three company values: Be Inclusive, Be Accountable and Be Innovative. Our employees understand what is expected of them and focus on achieving individual goals and facilitating team success. We work hard, and once we’ve achieved our goal, we also celebrate success.
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- calspan.com/
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