Aircraft Mechanic III; Team Lead 2nd Shift

Aircraft Mechanic III (Team Lead) — F/A-18E/F Aircraft – 2nd Shift

ACET is seeking talented Aircraft Mechanic III (Team Lead) personnel.

This position is awaiting contract award.

Serve as a hands-on crew chief and tactical technical director, the Aircraft Mechanic III (Team Lead) coordinates production flow and drives asset readiness for the VFC-12 'Fighting Omars' at NAS Oceana. This critical leadership role acts as the primary conduit between the hangar deck floor and the Site Supervisor, ensuring strict compliance with the Naval Aviation Maintenance Program (NAMP), supervising a dedicated cell of technicians, and certifying safe for flight technical execution on Adversary mission-configured F/A-18E/F Super Hornets.

Responsibilities:

• Direct daily shift operations, distribute maintenance tasks to junior mechanics, manage work-center workflow, and ensure the on-time delivery of mission-capable aircraft to satisfy VFC-12's rigorous tactical training and adversary flight schedules.
• Perform and supervise deep organizational 'O'-level maintenance, including intricate troubleshooting, testing, and alignment of complex avionics, pneudraulics, landing gear, environmental control systems (ECS), and GE F414-GE-400 engines.
• Act as a frontline inspector and technical authority. Verify compliance with Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) technical manuals, check structural tolerances, clear maintenance discrepancies, and log accurate data into OOMA/NALCOMIS.
• Strictly enforce the Tool Control Program (TCP) to maintain 100% tool accountability. Command rigorous Foreign Object Damage (FOD) prevention walks and guarantee clean, hazard-free work spaces across the flight line and hangar decks.
• Provide real-time guidance, technical mentorship, and OJT (On-the-Job Training) to Mechanic I and II technicians. Ensure all crew members are fully qualified and working safely within approved Navy maintenance guidelines.
• Coordinate dynamic, rapid-response aircraft launch and recovery operations, hot pit refuels, safety turnarounds, and cross-decking actions under demanding or shifting weather conditions on the NAS Oceana airfield.

Qualifications:

• Minimum of 5–6+ years of aviation maintenance experience, with a strict baseline of at least 3 years explicitly focused on the F/A-18E/F architecture at the 'O' or 'D' level.
• Must possess and maintain an active Department of Defense (DoD) Secret Security Clearance. Continued employment depends on maintaining clearance eligibility.
• Prior U.S. Navy or Marine Corps aviation structural/powerplant/avionics rating (e.g., AM, AD, AT, AE, AZ) at the Petty Officer Second Class (E-5) level or above is highly preferred.
• Extensive mastery of Navy aviation electronic environments, specifically OOMA (Optimized Organizational Maintenance Activity) / NALCOMIS, DECKPLATE, and Joint Technical Data Integration (JTDI).
• Exceptional ability to read, interpret, and isolate failures utilizing complex aircraft blueprints, structural assembly drawings, wiring schematics, and technical directives.
• Possession of (or immediate eligibility to achieve) F/A-18E/F CDI (Collateral Duty Inspector), Plane Captain, and specific system operation turn/jack qualifications.

Physical & Environmental Demands:

• Ability to handle strenuous physical work including lifting up to 50 lbs unassisted and performing overhead mechanical manipulations for extended blocks of time.
• Agility to climb flight line maintenance stands, access ladders, and navigate tightly confined, safety-critical spaces within the F/A-18 fuselage.
• Willingness and flexibility to support dynamic, multi-shift configurations (days, nights, or weekends) matching VFC-12's unpredictable flight schedules.
• Capacity to operate safely in intense outdoor weather conditions native to Virginia Beach, along with high-decibel noise environments typical of an active naval master jet base.

Why Join ACET

ACET continues to expand its aerospace and aviation sustainment operations supporting multiple Department of Defense aviation platforms worldwide. This position provides the opportunity to directly shape strategic sustainment growth initiatives while supporting operational readiness and mission…