ELIS KUCEVIC
Hazlet,NJ
Summary
Aviation Operations Site Leader with 15+ years of experience delivering Mission Ready aircraft for major carriers (United) and global avionics leaders (Viasat, Thales). Proven expertise in Service Hub Operations, managing cross-functional teams, and overseeing external MRO vendor performance to ensure strict SLA compliance. Lean Six Sigma Black Belt with a unique ability to leverage Data Analytics (Splunk, Tableau)to optimize maintenance planning, reduce unscheduled downtime, and drive financial efficiency. FAA A&P Licensed.
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
Work History
Hub Maintenance Coordinator
UNITED AIRLINES
Newark, New Jersey
05.2023 - Current
- Served as central operational lead for Newark hub, coordinating Maintenance Control, Line Planning, and Engineering to ensure mission-ready aircraft.
- Orchestrated allocation of materials, tooling, and personnel to minimize downtime and optimize turnaround for high-volume flight schedules.
- Leveraged real-time system data and fault messages to drive immediate operational adjustments, meeting fleet health objectives.
- Tracked and managed recovery of maintenance discrepancies, collaborating with supply chain coordinators for efficient resolution.
VIASAT INC
Line Maintenance Manager
Newark, New Jersey
05.2022 - 05.2023
- Team and Financial Leadership: Directed line maintenance operations and financials, including budget management and cost analysis, successfully delivering cost-effective maintenance solutions.
- Performance Metrics (SLA): Developed and implemented advanced KPI dashboards to capture performance data, directly improving predictive maintenance insights and operational efficiency.
- Process Improvement: Implemented Lean and Kaizen strategies to scope and execute process improvements, enhancing quality standards, and reducing waste.
Field Service Engineer
Viasat
Newark, New Jersey
03.2020 - 05.2022
- Vendor Representation: Acted as the on-site technical focal point for airline customers, managing new system activations, and resolving complex system issues to maintain regulatory compliance.
- Cross-Functional Communication: Facilitated technical communications between engineering, program management, and third-party suppliers to streamline troubleshooting and optimize service readiness.
- Advanced Diagnostics: Utilized IP networking and satellite communication protocols for system monitoring and predictive analysis, enhancing diagnostic precision.
Line Maintenance Technician
Certified Aviation Services, LLC
New York, New York
12.2019 - 03.2020
- Execution: Conducted routine and special inspections per regulatory guidelines, certifying that the work met airworthiness standards for operational readiness.
- Compliance: Interpreted maintenance manuals and service bulletins to assess and repair components, ensuring full compliance with safety standards.
Field Service Engineer
Thales Avionics
New York, New York
05.2018 - 03.2020
- Customer Support: Served as the primary technical interface for customer airlines, providing expertise on pre- and post-delivery support to ensure high system reliability.
- Documentation: Produced technical reports, service instruction letters, and service bulletins for use by engineering staff and customers.
Line Maintenance Supervisor
Thales Avionics
New York, New York
03.2007 - 05.2018
- Supervised daily line maintenance operations for avionics systems.
- Operations Leadership: Supervised maintenance team operations, ensuring timely completion of scheduled maintenance, and readiness for unscheduled needs.
- Staff Development: Managed staffing processes, including recruitment, training, and performance evaluations, to maintain a high-performing maintenance team.
- Provided leadership, insight and mentoring to newly hired employees to supply knowledge of various company programs.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Aviation Management
Vaughn College of Aeronautics And Technology
New York, NY05-2005
Certification - Lean Six Sigma Black Belt
Aveta Business Institute
New York, NYSkills
- Aircraft maintenance
- Technical documentation
- Fault diagnosis
- Performance metrics
- Lean methodology
- Team coordination
Core Competencies
- Service Hub Management: Hub Operations, Line Maintenance Oversight, Resource Allocation, Aircraft Return to Service (RTS).
- Vendor & Supply Chain: MRO Vendor Management, SLA Compliance, Contract Negotiation, Third-Party Supplier Coordination.
- Data & Performance: KPI Development, Root Cause Analysis, Splunk, Tableau, Predictive Maintenance Planning.
- Regulatory: FAA/EASA Compliance, Safety Management Systems (SMS), Airworthiness Directives.
Timeline
Hub Maintenance Coordinator
UNITED AIRLINES
05.2023 - Current
VIASAT INC
Line Maintenance Manager
05.2022 - 05.2023
Field Service Engineer
Viasat
03.2020 - 05.2022
Line Maintenance Technician
Certified Aviation Services, LLC
12.2019 - 03.2020
Field Service Engineer
Thales Avionics
05.2018 - 03.2020
Line Maintenance Supervisor
Thales Avionics
03.2007 - 05.2018
Bachelor of Science - Aviation Management
Vaughn College of Aeronautics And Technology
Certification - Lean Six Sigma Black Belt
Aveta Business Institute