Sunshine Air Repairs is hiring an experienced Lead Avionics / Electrical Bench Technician for our component repair shop.
This is a senior, hands-on technical position. We need someone who already has the fundamental troubleshooting skills expected of a lead technician and can independently diagnose difficult aircraft electrical, avionics, instrument and electromechanical components.
This is not an entry-level position and not a learn-as-you-go lead role.
The successful candidate must be able to take a malfunctioning unit, review the technical data, understand how the circuit or system is supposed to operate, develop a logical troubleshooting path, perform the appropriate measurements and testing, isolate the fault, determine the proper repair and verify the unit after repair.
MINIMUM TECHNICAL EXPECTATIONS
At the minimum, a Lead Technician must already be highly competent in:
- Reading and interpreting electrical schematics
- Reading wiring diagrams
- Understanding basic electronic and electrical circuits
- Following signal and power paths through a schematic
- Understanding component theory of operation
- Systematic fault isolation
- Root-cause troubleshooting
- Troubleshooting without relying solely on parts swapping
- Using Component Maintenance Manuals and other technical data
- Following troubleshooting trees and test procedures
- Understanding resistance, voltage, current and continuity
- Understanding AC and DC electrical systems
- Understanding relays, switches, solenoids, motors and electromechanical devices
- Understanding diodes, resistors, capacitors, transistors and other common electronic components
- Identifying opens, shorts, grounds and abnormal resistance
- Identifying failed components and circuit abnormalities
- Diagnosing intermittent faults
- Using test equipment correctly
- Performing bench testing
- Evaluating test results
- Soldering and electronic component replacement when applicable
- Performing repairs in accordance with approved technical data
- Accurately documenting troubleshooting, repairs and testing
These are baseline requirements for this position, not skills we expect to teach after hiring.
TROUBLESHOOTING ABILITY
The person in this role must be able to independently work through situations such as:
- A unit powers up but does not function correctly
- A component repeatedly fails a specific test
- Voltage is present at one point in a circuit but missing downstream
- An intermittent failure cannot immediately be reproduced
- A relay, motor, switch or solenoid is behaving abnormally
- A circuit is drawing excessive or insufficient current
- A unit passes one portion of a test procedure but fails another
- A repair has been performed but the original discrepancy remains
- A schematic must be followed to determine the next logical test point
- Several possible causes exist and testing is required to isolate the actual fault
We need someone who understands how to think through a failure, not someone who simply replaces the most likely component and hopes the discrepancy disappears.
TECHNICAL DATA & SCHEMATICS
You must be comfortable working independently with:
- Component Maintenance Manuals (CMMs)
- Overhaul Manuals
- Maintenance Manuals
- Electrical Schematics
- Wiring Diagrams
- Illustrated Parts Data
- Manufacturer Test Procedures
- Service Bulletins
- Inspection Criteria
- Repair Station Procedures
A Lead Technician should be able to open a schematic, understand what the circuit is designed to do, identify the relevant section of the circuit and determine where measurements should be taken to isolate a problem.
If you require another technician to interpret basic schematics or develop your troubleshooting sequence for you, this is not the appropriate position.
TEST EQUIPMENT
Candidates should be proficient with standard electrical and electronic bench test equipment, including as applicable:
- Digital multimeters
- Bench power supplies
- Oscilloscopes
- Resistance and continuity testing equipment
- Electrical test equipment
- Component-specific testers
- Test benches and fixtures
- Soldering and rework equipment
- Standard aviation bench tooling
You should understand what you are measuring, why you are measuring it and what the result tells you about the circuit.
COMPONENT EXPERIENCE
Our shop repairs and overhauls a variety of aircraft instruments, electrical components, accessories and related equipment.
Relevant experience may include:
- Starter-generators
- Generator control units
- Static inverters
- Tach generators
- Fuel pumps
- Fuel probes
- Fuel transmitters
- Pressure switches
- Pressure transmitters
- Temperature-indicating components
- Engine instruments
- Altimeters
- Airspeed indicators
- Vertical speed indicators
- Electrical and electromechanical aircraft components
- Avionics-related components
- Aircraft instruments and accessories
Experience with every component listed above is not required.
Strong troubleshooting fundamentals are more important than having previously worked on every specific part number.
LEAD TECHNICIAN RESPONSIBILITIES
This is a working lead position.
The Lead Technician will be expected to:
- Personally troubleshoot and repair difficult units
- Assist technicians when troubleshooting reaches a roadblock
- Review technical problems and help determine the next logical troubleshooting step
- Teach junior technicians how to read schematics correctly
- Teach proper use of test equipment
- Explain troubleshooting methodology rather than simply giving answers
- Help technicians understand component theory and failure modes
- Review difficult or unusual discrepancies
- Help reduce repeat repairs and unnecessary parts replacement
- Identify inefficient troubleshooting practices
- Maintain strong workmanship standards
- Help organize technical priorities within the shop
- Support urgent and AOG work when required
- Communicate technical issues clearly to management and Quality
- Identify when additional technical data, tooling or test equipment is required
- Help develop technicians into stronger independent troubleshooters
A Lead Technician must be capable of being the person another technician approaches when they cannot figure out why a unit is failing.
WHAT WE EXPECT FROM A LEAD
We expect the Lead Technician to be able to answer questions such as:
What is the circuit supposed to be doing?
Where does power enter the circuit?
Where does the signal travel?
What should the reading be at this test point?
What does this abnormal reading eliminate or confirm?
What should we test next?
Is the problem electrical, electronic, mechanical or electromechanical?
What evidence supports the diagnosis?
Does the repair comply with the applicable technical data?
A lead technician should be able to explain the reasoning behind the diagnosis.
REQUIRED EXPERIENCE
Candidates should have significant hands-on experience in one or more of the following:
- Aircraft component repair
- Aviation avionics
- Aircraft electrical systems
- Aircraft instrument repair
- Aviation accessories
- Electronics repair
- Electromechanical component repair
- Military aviation electronics or avionics
Required abilities:
- Advanced electrical troubleshooting
- Strong schematic-reading ability
- Independent fault isolation
- Proficiency with electrical test equipment
- Strong understanding of electrical/electronic fundamentals
- Ability to interpret aviation technical manuals
- Strong mechanical aptitude
- Accurate technical documentation
- Ability to troubleshoot without constant supervision
- Ability to explain technical concepts to other technicians
- Ability to lead and mentor junior personnel
PREFERRED EXPERIENCE
Strong preference will be given to candidates with:
- FAA Part 145 repair station experience
- Aircraft component-level repair experience
- Previous Lead Technician or Shop Lead experience
- Instrument or accessory repair experience
- Avionics bench repair experience
- Circuit-level electronic troubleshooting
- Experience training junior technicians
- Aviation or electronics technical education
- A&P certificate or applicable aviation/electronics credentials
An A&P certificate alone does not replace the troubleshooting experience required for this role.
THIS POSITION IS NOT A FIT IF:
- Your primary experience is aircraft installation with little component bench repair
- You mainly remove and replace assemblies rather than diagnose failures
- You are uncomfortable reading electrical schematics
- You cannot independently use a multimeter to isolate an electrical fault
- You rely heavily on trial-and-error parts replacement
- You need another technician to establish the troubleshooting sequence
- You have limited understanding of basic electrical and electronic theory
- You do not want to remain hands-on at the bench
- You are not comfortable teaching junior technicians
- You treat documentation or technical procedures as optional
THE PERSON WE NEED
We are looking for the technician who is already known as the troubleshooter in the shop.
When another technician has tested everything they know to test and still cannot determine why a unit is failing, you should be capable of stepping in, reviewing the schematic and test results, identifying what has and has not been proven, and developing the next logical troubleshooting steps.
You do not need to have seen every unit before.
You do need to understand electrical systems, schematics, test equipment and troubleshooting well enough to figure out unfamiliar problems methodically.
POSITION DETAILS
Position: Lead Avionics / Electrical Bench Technician
Company: Sunshine Air Repairs
Location: Plantation / Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Employment: Full-Time
Schedule: On-Site
Environment: FAA Part 145 Component Repair Station
Compensation: Based on demonstrated experience and technical capability
TO APPLY
Please submit your résumé and briefly describe:
- Your aircraft component or avionics bench repair experience.
- Your experience troubleshooting directly from electrical schematics.
- The types of electrical/electronic test equipment you regularly use.
- The types of aircraft components you have personally repaired.
- Your FAA Part 145 experience, if applicable.
- Your previous lead, supervisory or technician-training experience.
- One difficult electrical or avionics fault you personally diagnosed and how you isolated the problem.
Candidates should be prepared to discuss their troubleshooting process during the interview.
Pay: $20.00 - $30.00 per hour
Work Location: In person
