---
title: 'Aircraft Maintenance Controller at Stratolaunch'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/aircraft-maintenance-controller-stratolaunch-mojave-cjt5r5gsjzf2'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-11-08'
---

# Aircraft Maintenance Controller at Stratolaunch

- **Company:** Stratolaunch
- **Location:** Mojave, CA
- **Posted:** 2026-10-09
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-11-08
- **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/stratolaunch/jobs/5449485008

## Job description

Stratolaunch accelerates the development of next-generation aerospace and defense technologies through reusable hypersonic flight testing. Our autonomous, air-launched Talon-A vehicles provide access to operationally realistic flight environments at speeds exceeding Mach 5, delivering critical data that helps customers validate system performance and advance technologies toward deployment. Our team brings together expertise in engineering, manufacturing, and flight operations to solve complex challenges and advance capabilities essential to national security.

The Aircraft Maintenance Controller (Flight Test & Operations) serves as the central point of coordination for all maintenance activities supporting flight test programs and special operations. This role ensures experimental and production aircraft are maintained in a safe, airworthy, and mission-ready condition by coordinating scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, Modifications, and any other issues in real time, and maintaining close coordination with flight test crews, Program managers, and engineering teams. The controller facilitates timely execution of maintenance by supporting the organization successfully through dynamic test schedules, rapid configuration changes, and operational availability.

## ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

- Monitor and track the status of aircraft assigned to Maintenance / Operations department
- Provide real-time Updates on aircraft status and tasking to programs and management.
- Coordinate rapid maintenance actions to support high-tempo test schedules, including quick-turn inspections and configuration changes.
- Ensure all maintenance performed is documented and aligned with engineering test requirements and regulatory guidance.
- Assist in planning of ground test, taxi test, and flight test events by ensuring aircraft readiness through support of Crew chiefs / Ground operations leads / Engineering
- Coordinate both planned and unscheduled maintenance around evolving test schedules.
- Develop and manage short- and mid-range maintenance forecasts to align with program milestones.
- Balance resources across multiple test aircraft and facilities to minimize downtime and maximize availability.
- Plan and coordinate Parts ordering and delivery, tooling, and outside vendors.
- Serve as the central communication link between engineers, pilots, maintenance crews, and operations.
- Provide timely updates to leadership on aircraft readiness, discrepancies, and recovery actions.
- Coordinate with engineering for resolution of discrepancies, modifications, or test-specific requirements.
- Work closely with supply chain/logistics to ensure parts availability for mission-critical repairs.
- Ensure compliance with FAA experimental regulations, company policies, and engineering requirements.
- Maintain accurate and timely records of maintenance actions and configuration changes in the tracking system.
- Assist in documentation of conformity inspections and configuration control for flight test instrumentation.
- Support audits, conformity checks, and engineering review boards as required.
- Promote strict adherence to safety, FOD, and tool control practices during flight test operations.
- Participate in incident/accident investigations and contribute to root cause analysis for corrective actions.
- Support continuous improvement of maintenance processes tailored to the unique demands of test programs.
- Integrate New maintenance / repair / and overhaul (MRO) software across all aircraft as they are delivered.

## QUALIFICATIONS

- FAA Airframe & Powerplant (A&P) certificate. (preferred)
- Minimum [5+] years of experience in aircraft maintenance, preferably with flight test or experimental programs.
- Strong knowledge of aircraft industry standard Maintenance scheduling practices.
- Ability to interpret engineering drawings, test requirements, and experimental work instructions.
- Excellent troubleshooting and decision-making skills under dynamic, high-pressure conditions.
- Proficiency in maintenance tracking systems.
- Experience in staffing assignments and deconfliction of competing priorities
- Proficiency with Microsoft project, Visio, and all other common Microsoft 365 / Microsoft office applications
- Team player with exceptional interpersonal skills
- Self motivated to accomplish tasking with a high degree of accuracy.
- This role required utmost organizational skills to maintain a standardized daily product.

## EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

- A&P license (preferred)
- IA (Preferred but not required)
- Flight line or flight test experience (Preferred)
- 5+ years in aviation field dealing with aspects of this positions responsibilities

Special remarks regarding work environment, if applicable

- This position is in Mojave, CA
- Occasional night / Weekend overtime work
- Must use a computer for extended periods and access operational work areas, with or without reasonable accommodation. Follow site safety requirements and use required PPE around noise, weather, and moving equipment.
- Ability and willingness to support flexible or off-shift hours and weekends when operational needs dictate; occasional mission travel may be required.
- 4/10 Schedule
- 2-5 years relevant experience: $71,000-$86,000
- 5+ years relevant experience: $82,000-$101,000
- Eligible for up to 10% annual bonus

Base salary and leveling are established on a case-by-case basis. We consider several factors to ensure a competitive offer, including your location, educational background, and a comprehensive assessment of the skills and experience demonstrated during your interviews.

[Benefits](https://www.stratolaunch.com/careers/benefits/) and our https://www.stratolaunch.com/careers/locations/:

- Healthcare (medical, dental, vision, prescription drugs)
- Paid Maternity and Parental Leave
- 50% company match per contributed dollar into 401(k) savings plan, up to $11,500
- Tuition reimbursement

This position may involve the operation of company vehicles as part of assigned duties.

Mojave Air & Spaceport is located just outside of Lancaster/Palmdale and is only 95 miles north of Los Angeles.  The area offers both affordability and central access to a variety of California's best attractions and landmarks.

Not much for the outdoors and prefer the city life? You’re within a half day’s drive or less of Los Angeles, San Diego, Las Vegas, and San Francisco where you can find a variety of live entertainment, museums, tours, and historical sight-seeing. Theme parks are in abundance, with Six Flags Magic Mountain, Disneyland, and Knotts Berry Farm ready to meet the needs of rollercoaster thrill seekers.

Food and drink fanatics are in a haven of delectable choices. Wine aficionados will also find easy access to some of the state’s best vino in Paso Robles, Santa Ynez, and even more locally in Tehachapi and Agua Dulce. Beer fanatics will find some of the best West Coast IPAs at Bravery and Lucky Luke’s in Lancaster. Any food option you crave is covered, and we always recommend the authentic and fresh Mexican food that you won’t find anywhere else in the United States.

Stratolaunch is an equal opportunity employer that values diversity at our company. We encourage people from all walks of life to apply, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability or any other characteristic protected by law. Our management team does not tolerate discrimination or harassment at any point during our employees’ and applicants’ time with us, especially with respect to recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, training, compensation, benefits, employee activities, and general treatment during employment.  For purposes of transparency, U.S. Citizenship may be required for some positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.

Equal Employment Opportunity is the Law :

[https://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/eeopost.pdf](https://usg02.safelinks.protection.office365.us/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dol.gov%2Fofccp%2Fregs%2Fcompliance%2Fposters%2Fpdf%2Feeopost.pdf&data=05%7C02%7CJustin.Bunkis%40stratolaunch.com%7Cc995cc1cb2d54cb9e84f08dd8369f5d0%7C6b1ba37e5a954845af92bbebaa34f2bf%7C0%7C0%7C638811213293596097%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=HA1xZ73OqtOavsYHMEB53oSEKk%2FQdrb0FNLHeuEPqjg%3D&reserved=0)

## About Stratolaunch

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Stratolaunch designs, manufactures, and launches aerospace vehicles and technologies to provide the U.S. and its allies with routine, affordable access to hypersonic flight testing and space.
- **Entity Type**: Private (total funding $24.7M; recent grant and private equity rounds)
- **Headquarters**: Mojave, California, United States
- **Founded**: 2011
- **Founders**: Not listed in available sources

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Defense and Space Manufacturing – hypersonic test technology and air-launch services.
- **Target customers**: U.S. government agencies (Missile Defense Agency, Department of Defense), defense contractors, and commercial aerospace companies.
- **Mission**: To advance a national imperative by enabling routine access to the hypersonic environment, accelerating technology development, and validating system performance through flight data.

## Products & Services
- **Roc (Air-Launch Platform)**: The world’s largest aircraft by wingspan, used as a mobile launch pad to deploy hypersonic test vehicles from high altitude.
- **Talon-A**: A reusable, air-launched hypersonic test vehicle capable of sustained Mach 5+ flight; provides critical flight data for technology maturation.
- **Hypersonic Flight Testing Services**: End-to-end mission planning, payload integration, flight operations, and data analysis for government and commercial customers.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation**: Not publicly disclosed
- **Key Metrics**:
  - Annual revenue: ~$28.7M (source: LinkedIn)
  - Total funding: $24.7M (led by Missile Defense Agency grant, January 2025; plus a private equity round in January 2026)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Missile Defense Agency (MDA), U.S. Department of Defense; acquired WINDWRIGHT, LLC.
- **Growth Signals**:
  - Headcount grew 15.3% YoY to 253 employees.
  - Active job postings increased 176.2% YoY.
  - Received a $90.8M contract award under MACH-TB 2.0 Task 3 for air-launched capability test vehicles.
  - Conducted a hypersonic test flight with the Missile Defense Agency.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Unique Air-Launch Capability**: Operates Roc, the only aircraft of its size, enabling flexible, over-the-horizon launch of hypersonic vehicles without ground range constraints.
- **Vertical Integration**: In-house design, manufacturing, and flight test capabilities reduce timelines and allow rapid iteration.
- **Government Trust**: Multiple contract awards from MDA and DoD demonstrate confidence in Stratolaunch’s technology and execution.

## Strategic Focus
- Scaling hypersonic testing capacity to meet growing national security demand.
- Maturing Talon-A into a reusable, operational vehicle for repeatable, cost-effective hypersonic flights.
- Expanding customer base beyond the MDA to include other defense agencies and commercial hypersonic developers.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: Values include “Safety Always,” “Be courageous & bold,” “Strength in humility,” and “Be the teammate you’d want to have.” Emphasis on hands-on, cross‑disciplinary learning alongside top aerospace engineers.
- **Work Environment**: Majority on‑site (57 of 64 current positions are on‑site); limited hybrid/remote options. HQ in Mojave, CA, with additional offices in Washington, D.C., and Huntsville, AL.
- **Notable Perks**: Direct involvement in cutting‑edge hypersonic technology with national importance; exposure to multiple engineering disciplines; safety‑first, ego‑free culture.
- **Compensation Example**: Propulsion Technician ~$65,890/yr; Executive Assistant ~$88,580/yr (LinkedIn estimates).
- **Employer Rating**: 3.7/5 (55 reviews) – Compensation rated 4.0/5, Culture 3.5/5, Work‑Life 2.8/5.

## Sources
1. [stratolaunch.com](https://www.stratolaunch.com/)
2. [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/stratolaunch)
3. [job-boards.greenhouse.io](https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/stratolaunch)
4. [stratolaunch.com/careers/culture](https://www.stratolaunch.com/careers/culture/)

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