ABOUT COULSON AVIATION

Coulson Aviation is a global aerial firefighting company that operates in Canada, the USA, Australia, and Chile.

Coulson Aviation operates with a fleet of large aerial firefighting aircraft consisting of both fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft. With our fleet, we can run rapid aerial fire suppression, including initial attack and extended attack protocols.

Coulson Aviation is a part of the Coulson Group of companies. We are a financially stable and growing organization that has been in business for 63 years.

Due to our company growth and expanding footprint, we are looking to add to our team and hire an experienced Design Manager.

This position will be located in Port Alberni, British Columbia. We are NOT currently accepting applications from candidates outside of Canada

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR:

Due to our rapid business growth, we are looking for an Aerospace Design Manager to join our team! The Design Manager will be responsible for leading a team of Aerospace Design Engineers and is responsible for supervising and controlling the overall design of new products and existing designs. 

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Manages a team of Aerospace Design Engineers, Technicians & Specialists using CAD for products in day-to-day performance of their jobs.
• Ensures designs and drawings are completed on-time and adhere to established specifications and standards (Coulson Design Manual; AMSE Y14.5).

• Responsible for accuracy and completeness of all design models (CATIA V5, SolidWorks, Autocad) in order to produce accurate models & drawings.
• Supports the Engineering / Design / Project Team’s objectives, deliverables and associated project timelines.
• Participates in project planning and meetings, identifying possible issues & risks and developing risk mitigation plans.
• Prepares / reviews engineering reports and data packages (i.e. DCN’s, ECO’s) for design approval and certification.

• Coordinates design with other departments (Manufacturing, Structures, Avionics & Maintenance).
• Ensures the availability of equipment and special tools required for the design function.
• Ensures that all non-conformances reported as a result of the QA program or other sources are dealt with in a proper and timely manner.

• Ability to transform initial conceptual design into innovative and reliable products through Preliminary Design Review & Critical Design Review.
• Ability to mentor and train others (Aerospace Design Engineers, Technicians & Specialists).
• Ability to problem solve and think “outside the box”.
• Liaises with customers, OEM’s, FAA and other regulatory approval authorities for design approval.
• Carries out other duties as assigned (i.e., Design Lead – drawing review USAF HC-130H RDS program)

Position Requirements:

• Completed an Engineering Degree / Diploma (Aerospace / Mechanical) from a recognized post-secondary institution.
• A minimum of seven (7) years aviation design & manufacturing experience.
• A minimum of five (5) years CATIA V5, SolidWorks and / or Autocad experience.
• A minimum of five (5) years of progressive leadership experience/strong management skills.
• Thorough knowledge of aircraft structures (primary and secondary), materials, manufacturing, and maintenance processes. Avionics experience would be considered an asset.
• Previous FAA, Transport Canada or other regulatory approval authority delegation (i.e., A.M.E. or A&P License) would be considered an asset. 
• Extensive knowledge of design function and departmental processes.
• Strong organizational, analytical, leadership, interpersonal, decision making, oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and within a team environment.