An ‘agile’ Air Force needs engineers at Wright-Patt, Robins

Dr. Daniel Mountjoy (left), Christine Villa, and Maj. Saily Rodriguez, with the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center's Human Systems Division, perform an inspection on new body armor units designed specifically for female Airmen in Security Forces. (U.S. Air Force photo / Brian Brackens)

Dr. Daniel Mountjoy (left), Christine Villa, and Maj. Saily Rodriguez, with the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center's Human Systems Division, perform an inspection on new body armor units designed specifically for female Airmen in Security Forces. (U.S. Air Force photo / Brian Brackens)

The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center needs good engineers and problem-solvers. If that describes you, take heed.

AFLCMC — which manages weapon systems across their life cycles — has about 15 engineering positions open at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and more than 20 openings at Robins Air Force Base in Georgia.

The center is looking for electronic engineers, logistics specialists, research analysts and more for the Air Force’s growing Agile Combat Support effort.

These are full-time, well paying jobs, said Col. Lea Kirkwood, program executive officer for the Agile Combat Support directorate, and Sherri Artuso, AFLCMC’s director of personnel.

“These are full-time career civilians,” Kirkwood told the Dayton Daily News in an interview. “We are looking for a good number of highly skilled technical personnel, as well as program managers and logisticians, to fill obviously key member positions of our integrated product teams.”

These will be people creating, designing and refining combat support equipment for a future that Air Force leaders insist will be increasingly mobile — or “agile” — across the globe.

“It really does go to the pointy end of the spear,” Kirkwood said.

Faced with acknowledged nation-state adversaries, the Air Force is increasingly focused on “agile combat employment,” also called ACE.

The idea is to be able to project force quickly from any number of locations, not just legacy airfields.

“ACE is an operational concept that leverages networks of well-established and austere air bases, multi-capable airmen, pre-positioned equipment, and airlift to rapidly deploy, disperse and maneuver combat capability throughout a theater,” Maj. Scott D. Adamson and Maj. Shane “Axl” Praiswater wrote in a recent column on ACE for Defense News.

Lt. Gen. Shaun Q. Morris (right) assumes command of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center during a change of command ceremony at the National Museum of the United States Air Force, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Sept. 3. Gen. Arnold W. Bunch Jr., Air Force Materiel Command commander (left), presided over ceremony. Lt. Gen. Robert D. McMurry (not pictured) relinquished command of the center. The center’s command chief, Chief Master Sgt. Troie Croft (center) bore the guidon for the ceremony. (U.S. Air Force photo/Jim Varhegyi)

Credit: Jim Varhegyi

icon to expand image

Credit: Jim Varhegyi

“Paired with aircraft fueling, arming and limited maintenance activities, ACE expands the number of bases from which air forces can generate combat sorties,” the pair say.

This complicates an adversary’s “targeting calculus,” as the Air Force can move operations to various locations at any time, they wrote.

This AFLCMC hiring program will be a great incubator for talent and for young careers, Kirkwood said. The right people can shepherd products and programs from their inception, everything from flight simulators to body armor to helmets for fighter pilots — and much more.

Capt. Michelle “Mace” Curran, 355th Fighter Squadron F-16 pilot, looks up during launch preparations on the flightline, March 4, 2017. Curran was the first woman assigned to fly in the squadron and attributed her success to her parents, leadership and strong women in aviation past and present who’ve helped pave the way. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Samantha Mathison)

Credit: 301st Fighter Wing

icon to expand image

Credit: 301st Fighter Wing

The Wright-Patterson openings tend to focus on those systems that touch or interact with people.

The Air Force also needs people who can master test systems, anything that monitors and calibrates a weapon system, at a depot or on a flight line. Robins also has openings in electronic warfare and avionics.

“We really do have an opportunity for people to own a program very early in their career,” Kirkwood said.

The jobs span the gamut from entry-level to senior positions. Pay will depend on the experience and technical skills candidates bring to the jobs, but the civilian general schedule or “GS” pay scale applies to the openings, Artuso said.

These positions “support the warfighter,” she emphasized.

Those interested are invited to participate in an online hiring event from Dec. 14 to 18. There will be a Facebook interactive Q&A at 11:30 a.m. EST on Nov. 18 at 11:30 a.m. for interested candidates.

The deadline to submit applications is Nov. 29. For more information, go to https://afciviliancareers.com/combatsupport/

About the Author