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Job Description

Overview

Valkyrie Aero is seeking a Senior Aircraft Maintenance Subject Matter Expert (SME) with extensive, hands-on experience maintaining the Short Tucano (A-27) airframe. This international contract position is ideal for an experienced, self-motivated engineer—preferably former Royal Air Force (RAF)—capable of providing high-level technical guidance, troubleshooting, and fleet readiness support on-site globally.

Responsibilities

  • Provide deep-tier maintenance expertise and airworthiness troubleshooting for the Short Tucano platform.
  • Assess aircraft condition and manage maintenance planning, inspections, and tooling/parts logistics.
  • Advise on complex maintenance procedures, technical publications, and engineering documentation.
  • Liaise directly with maintenance personnel, field engineers, and project leadership to ensure seamless operations.
  • Travel internationally to support dynamic field project requirements as needed.

Requirements

  • Extensive hands-on maintenance experience specifically on the Short Tucano / Tucano T1 airframe.
  • Prior Royal Air Force (RAF) service is highly preferred.
  • Experience as a Chief Technician, Flight Sergeant, or Senior Mechanical/Avionics trade group is a major plus.
  • Strong working knowledge of military aircraft maintenance procedures, airworthiness standards, and technical publications.
  • Proven ability to work independently in austere or remote field environments with international project teams.
  • Valid passport and full willingness/ability to travel internationally for field assignments.

Benefits

  • Highly competitive contract compensation tailored to senior-level expertise.
  • All international travel, lodging, and logistical support fully covered.

Benefits

Highly competitive contract compensation tailored to senior-level expertise.
All international travel, lodging, and logistical support fully covered.
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How this job compares in Mesa, AZ

Pay in context

This employer didn't publish a rate. For reference, welding jobs in Mesa, AZ currently run a median of $29/hr in our index, with the middle half of them falling between $25–$34/hr across 26 postings with published pay. That median is a reasonable floor to anchor on when a recruiter asks what you're looking for.

The local market in Mesa, AZ

We're tracking 68 other active welding openings in Mesa, AZ right now, from 39 different employers. 21 of them were added in the last week. Across Arizona as a whole we're tracking 509 other active welding openings from 257 employers. A metro this active generally means you have real leverage — employers here are competing for the same welders. Browse every welding job in Mesa, or widen the search to Arizona.

The most active employers in Arizona at the moment, by number of open welding reqs, are Sundt Construction (29), Welding Shop in Phoenix, AZ (20), and EZARC (16). Volume like that usually means either a genuine expansion or a staffing agency working several client sites — worth knowing which before you apply.

Within Arizona, the best-paying metros we track by median hourly rate are Tempe at $32/hr, Phoenix at $30/hr, and Surprise at $30/hr. If you can relocate or commute, that spread is worth factoring in.

Similar openings near Mesa, AZ

Pay figures are medians computed from live postings in the Welding Pros index, not from survey data, and they move as employers post. Senior Maintenance SME – Short Tucano figures were last recalculated when this page was built.