Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Publications
Training
CLEARANCE(s)
Instructor
Timeline
Generic

Darin Mc Neal

Carson

Summary

Forward focused technical authority with a strong ability to identify opportunities to improve the job and build high performance teams to support company objectives


Innovative technology professional with several years of diverse experience. Skilled in enhancing systems and aligning technical solutions with business objectives. Proven success in leading projects from start to finish and contributing to organizational growth and success.

Overview

39
39
years of professional experience

Work History

Assembly Integration and Test Lead

AEROSPACE CORPORATION
  • Oversaw the successful completion of all AI&T platform, payload, and space vehicle activities.
  • Ensured all data was reviewed and issues were addressed.
  • Coordinated support for the resolution of all platform and payload test issues through collaborating with the contractor, government and ETG teams.

Operations and Sustainment Lead

AEROSPACE CORPORATION
  • Led all efforts for the sustainment of the space and ground system in support of the mission.
  • Led technical support efforts to the government lead for the sustainment and availability of the system ground stations.
  • Provided technical assistance to the operators and addressed any outages or issues that were encountered.

Test and Verification Lead

TSAT Program Office
  • Duties included
  • Requirements definition, validation, allocation/flow down, verification. Traceability, compliance.
  • Coordination and definition of system and subsystem level interface requirements.

Advanced Projects Launch Integration and System Engineering

AEROSPACE CORPORATION
01.2024 - Current
  • Provide technical and programmatic leadership and guidance in launch integration.
  • Collaborate with government, SETA, space and launch contractors to assure successful launch processing and readiness for deployment of assets on orbit.
  • Manage a team of ETG engineers to provide coverage of the various aspects of launch.
  • Dynamics, Trajectory analysis, Interface requirements, compliance requirements.
  • Prepare government and Aerospace team for rehearsals and launch activities.
  • Provide technical support in Assembly, Integration, and Test.

Advance Demonstrations Department Launch Integration Lead

AEROSPACE CORPORATION
01.2018 - 01.2024
  • Provided technical and programmatic leadership and guidance for all tasks between the launch vehicle community and Space vehicle community to assure successful launch.
  • Led Aerospace launch integration for two highly successful launches.
  • Provided timely status and kept management team up to date on all activities prior to shipment through the launch through an excellent reporting structure.
  • Prepped government and Aerospace teams for rehearsals and launch activities.
  • Coordinated the completion of all compliance documents required for shipment and launch criteria.
  • Managed a team of ETG engineers to provide coverage of the various aspects of launch.
  • Dynamics, Trajectory analysis, Interface requirements, compliance requirements.

Lead Systems Engineer

WGS Program Office
01.2013 - 01.2018
  • Oversaw support to MILSATCOM Chief Engineer and MCL Lead Engineer by addressing various SMC and MILSATCOM taskers. Provided technical assistance and current knowledge of the program’s technical status.
  • Managed Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) systems engineering activities for development, operations and sustainment. Developed the annual availability analysis report to develop recommendations for future satellite procurements.
  • Coordinated adequate Aerospace resources were allocated across the program for WGS systems engineering and operational activities to support and drive resolution of issues.
  • Led requirements validation and verification efforts: Identified and validated new and existing requirements to manage the verification process and the sell-off of all system requirements.
  • Managed the Mission Assurance (MA) process for WGS7-10.
  • Key participant in various forums, IPT’s, and working groups with user community to gain insight on all issues regarding implementation of new space vehicles into the theater.
  • Provided technical support in systems engineering tasks, anomaly resolution, and data review.

Payload and Platform Systems and Test Engineer

Payload and Platform Systems and Test Engineer
01.2009 - 01.2013
  • Oversaw all factory activities involving integration and test at the system level for the WGS program leadership. Provide technical insight into production activities. Worked with contractor and customer counterparts to provide mission assurance throughout all phases of production.
  • Ensured the successful execution of all platform, payload, and space vehicle activities by coordinating all test data review and issue resolution for Block 2 satellites.
  • Ensured that management and program office personnel received current knowledge of the program’s technical status.
  • Ensured all test anomalies were addressed and appropriately closed/dispositioned.
  • Coordinated all factory activities involving verification with appropriate ETG or program office personnel.
  • Drove to resolution any satellite anomalies and provided recommendations to the WGS program leadership and the space contractor.
  • Oversaw and managed the test program for WGS program office- from the module level to launch activities.
  • Ensured the technical readiness for each gated milestone by executing a rigorous mission assurance program that employed the iMAT tool to guide the mission readiness and residual risk assessments.
  • Managed a team of Aerospace ETG and program office personnel to resolve all anomalies as they occurred and provided data review of all tests both bus and payload.
  • Coordinated the approval and verification of all payload requirements.

Space Vehicle Lead

TSAT Program Office
01.2007 - 01.2009
  • Coordinated all space vehicle and RF subsystem activities during the Risk Reduction and System Definition phase of the TSAT contract.
  • Activities included mitigating and indentifying additional risks of the integration of newer technologies designed for TSAT. Risk identification lead to drafting of multiple $75 million contract awards to burn down risks prior to contractual award.
  • Provided technical advice for issues related to system development and definition to the Air Force. Gain knowledge of some new technologies: Space wire, tight jitter analysis to support antenna pointing, electronic propulsion, Lithium Ion Batteries, and Size, Weight and Power (SWaP).

Engineering Specialist

Ground Development and Operations Department
01.2005 - 01.2007
  • Program Offices Space to Ground interface and Integration and Test issues.
  • TSAT program office: co-author a section of the Space Segment System Test and Verification Plan.
  • SBSS program office: project lead for space to ground ICDs and related issues.
  • AFSCN program office: supported the RBC project by reviewing 300 drawings and finding four significant issues in the design of the communication racks.
  • DMSP program office: Supported Integration and test issues.
  • FIA program office: Provided space to ground support in the area of ICT and IST System Test events.
  • STSS program office: Support an effort to perform an independent assessment of find test holes from an operational point of view. Discovered an error in the operations description document that could have impacted design.
  • APS/Glory: Performed an audit of the integration and test schedule to access whether the duration allocated in the IMS is practical.

Sr. Systems Engineer

RAYTHEON SPACE AND AIRBORNE SYSTEMS
01.2003 - 01.2005
  • Lead Systems Engineer for the Acquisition payload for the STSS program. data analysis process of a subsystem on the SBIRs Low satellite.
  • Developed a data analysis process to verify system specifications/requirements are met.
  • Performed the requirements definition, validation, allocation/flowdown, verification, traceability, compliance, coordination and definition of system and subsystem level interface requirements, and technical support of spacecraft/payload accommodation.
  • Oversaw the analysis, integration, and testing of optical systems.

Lead Project Engineer

BOEING SATELLITE SYSTEMS
01.2001 - 01.2003
  • Provided management of various system architectures to support verification of spacecraft activities throughout the different phases of integration and test.
  • Designed and procured parts for high frequency waveguide test setup.
  • Supervised and coordinated the validation of all payloads entering the thermal vacuum environment.

Payload Lead Integration and Test Engineer (LITE)

HUGHES SPACE AND COMMUNICATION
01.1996 - 01.2001
  • Managed the payload module integration and test activities. Responsible for all the hardware integration.
  • Supervised and coordinated the validation of all payloads entering the thermal vacuum environment.

System Engineer

LORAL/LOCKHEED MARTIN
01.1992 - 01.1996
  • Provided System engineering support, problem solving, knowledge of ground system architecture for Air Force Space and Communication Network.
  • Used software for modeling and capturing processes for communication systems.

System Engineer

ROCKWELL INTERNATIONAL
01.1990 - 01.1992
  • Developed and maintained the return to flight maintenance requirements for the Electro-Mechanical, PVD (purge vent drain), and tile systems of the Space Shuttle Fleet.
  • Member of the drag shoot design team.

Software Engineer

XEROX CORPORATION
01.1988 - 01.1990
  • Responsible for the development and implementation of test plans and procedures to verify software design and requirements verification.
  • Programming languages: C, Basic, Assembly, FORTRAN.

System Engineer

ROCKWELL INTERNATIONAL SPACE AND SATELLITE ELECTRONICS DIVISION
01.1987 - 01.1988
  • Responsible Systems Engineer for the Block II and IIA Integrated Subsystem (ITS) of the GPS satellite.
  • Utilized multi-discipline of engineering skills and subject matters: RF communication, Software engineering, digital and Microelectronics systems.
  • Coordinated all phases of development, design, production, verification, analysis and launch support.
  • Routinely collaborated with unit, vehicle, and test engineers to resolve various design and production issues uncovered under tests.
  • Briefed the ITS Subsystem performance budgets and test results during senior management reviews, design status reviews, and test data reviews.
  • Oversaw major modification design activities of the Block II upgrade to Block IIA.
  • Discovered a mission critical flaw embedded in a single line of assembly language code of the ITS subsystem software.

Education

Master of Science - Electrical Engineering

University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California
01.2004

Bachelor of Science - Electrical Engineering

Howard University
Washington, District of Columbia
01.1987

Skills

  • Requirements analysis and validation
  • Detailed requirements analysis
  • Assembly and integration expertise
  • Ground/Space/Launch/Operations integration processes
  • Proficient in space/ground hardware
  • Skilled in resolving technical challenges
  • Effective documentation practices
  • Test strategy development
  • Effective team collaboration
  • Extensive program office experience

Publications

McNeal, D.L. Chapter 26, “Space Vehicle Integration and Test”, Aerospace Space Vehicle Test Handbook first and Second edition (2008 & 2012)

Training

  • The Aerospace Institute, El Segundo, California Instructor for Space Systems Overview course
  • Raytheon Corporation Course Completed “Optics for non-optikers” class, 2004

CLEARANCE(s)

TOP SECRET SSBI/SCI

Instructor

Aerospace Learning Institute – Instructure for Space Systems Overview Course

Timeline

Advanced Projects Launch Integration and System Engineering

AEROSPACE CORPORATION
01.2024 - Current

Advance Demonstrations Department Launch Integration Lead

AEROSPACE CORPORATION
01.2018 - 01.2024

Lead Systems Engineer

WGS Program Office
01.2013 - 01.2018

Payload and Platform Systems and Test Engineer

Payload and Platform Systems and Test Engineer
01.2009 - 01.2013

Space Vehicle Lead

TSAT Program Office
01.2007 - 01.2009

Engineering Specialist

Ground Development and Operations Department
01.2005 - 01.2007

Sr. Systems Engineer

RAYTHEON SPACE AND AIRBORNE SYSTEMS
01.2003 - 01.2005

Lead Project Engineer

BOEING SATELLITE SYSTEMS
01.2001 - 01.2003

Payload Lead Integration and Test Engineer (LITE)

HUGHES SPACE AND COMMUNICATION
01.1996 - 01.2001

System Engineer

LORAL/LOCKHEED MARTIN
01.1992 - 01.1996

System Engineer

ROCKWELL INTERNATIONAL
01.1990 - 01.1992

Software Engineer

XEROX CORPORATION
01.1988 - 01.1990

System Engineer

ROCKWELL INTERNATIONAL SPACE AND SATELLITE ELECTRONICS DIVISION
01.1987 - 01.1988

Assembly Integration and Test Lead

AEROSPACE CORPORATION

Operations and Sustainment Lead

AEROSPACE CORPORATION

Test and Verification Lead

TSAT Program Office

Master of Science - Electrical Engineering

University of Southern California

Bachelor of Science - Electrical Engineering

Howard University

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