Gavin Hembree

* Assumed role of Operations Manager upon retirement of owner.

* Manufacturing, development and customer support for motorcycle and UTV dynamometers.

* Subscription-based test equipment automation software design.

* In-house and field-service vehicle tuning support for race teams and governmental agencies (EPA).

• System level RF factory lead for MAXAR 1300 bus commercial satellite projects and NASA projects.
• The CVE role at MAXAR is split between project management and touch labor responsibilities. This consists of creating, scheduling and executing the RF test plan to validate all component and system level requirements for RF payloads prior to launch. Additionally, the direct tasking and oversite of the RF technicians falls under the CVE. The CVE is accountable for the material condition of the payload and is the gate keeper for all testing on flight hardware.
• Interfaced daily with the Payload Engineering department for customer requirements, test conditions, pass/fail criteria, etc.
• Utilized standard and proprietary test equipment gather, trend and provide RF test data to the Payload Engineering and customers. Examples of RF test equipment include PNA/VNA network analyzers, spectrum analyzers, RF sources & automated payload test sets (UPTS).
• Performed RF systems integration & testing to include the following test phases: initial component installation and unit-level testing, reference performance baseline data set, Thermal/Vacuum environmental testing, CG/MOI, systems level vibration & acoustics testing, CATR (Compact Antenna Test Range) antenna performance, launch base payload validation and launch support at launch site.
• Launch base operations experience with SpaceX Falcon 9 & Heavy, ESA's Ariane V & Soyuz, Roscosmos' Proton BreezeM and Sealaunch's Zenit Launch Vehicles.

Accomplishments:

• Primary CVE for the NASA Gateway’s Power and Propulsion Element (PPE) and support of the NASA Restore-L/Spider programs (2015 - 2023).
• CVE lead for the following commercial programs: AsiaSat 6-8, Sirius/XM 7-9, StarOne C4 & D2, Terrestar II/Echostar XXI, Intelsat 31-36, Intelsat 38 &39.
• CATR/Final Testing Lead CVE: performed final performance systems testing for 47 commercial satellite programs & two NASA programs. Developed the current testing process used in CATR/SATR range.
• Used previous launch experience to create the launch site process for MAXAR's use of Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy and Soyuz at CSG.
• Useful Industry qualifications maintained while a CVE: Flight hardware Mate/De-mate, Torque/De-torque, Flight Hardware Handling, HAZMAT, ITAR & export compliance, UPTS Operations, Non-Conformance Reporting and Clean Room operations.

• RF Test technician for Maxar 1300 bus Geosynchronous satellite programs.
• Performed all required touch-labor tasks relating to the RF flight payload to include: Automated testing of the RF Payload per CVE direction, comm & TC&R channel performance measurements, SATing, manual Insertion/Return Loss measurements, unit installation/bonding, RF cable forming, mate/demate of flight hardware, installation of test equipment at flight interfaces and routing of all test cables along flight hardware.

• Primary duties include performance of customer acceptance testing of rack-mounted HPA’s for satellite ground earth stations. This includes initial turn-on, performance validation, vibration & thermal environmental testing and stress testing.
• Provided R&D support for Systems Engineers in 2KW+ product line.
• RMA repair of returned customer units.

• TS/SCI Cleared Position
• On-site engineering support for the 300KW P-UHF L-Band Susceptibility Test Set for US Army’s White Sand Missile Test Range and Redstone Arsenal’s E3 range. ( October 2006 – January 2007).
• RF Test Engineer for 2.5MW ROSA C-Band Precision Ascension Tracking RADAR for the US Air Force and NASA. (January 2007 – April 2009): Field Support Engineer (October 2006 – April 2009)
• ROSA installation at Vandenberg AFB.
• Installation of ETM built ISRO/ISTRAC 20KW IOT S-Band Transmitter for the Indian Space Agency’s lunar & Mars missions. (Bangalore, India 2009)
• RF testing of ETM built Netherlands’ Navy shipboard fire control RADAR for Thales Corp.
• RF Test technician Rack-mounted line of tri-band and quad-band SATCOM HPA's.

• Member of COMSUBGRU 9 FP DET 2 to provide fast response security for disabled West Coast Fleet Ballistic Missile Submarines (SSBN).
• Served as command Armorer and 3MC coordinator (Material & Maintenance Management). Accountable party for all unit small arms, ammunition, documentation and reporting to DOD.
• TS/SCI cleared position.

• Enlisted in US Navy and awarded Electronics Technician rating upon completion of the Core "A" School.
• Radar/Navigation workcenter Supervisor USS Cape St. George CG71 1998 - 2001.
• Shipboard responsibilities included maintenance of search RADAR systems, 3D fire control RADARs, IFF, Naval data links (11, 16 JTIDS & 4A), MF/HF/VHF/UHF/SHF/EHF LOS & SATCOM comm systems, tech control patch panels & associated crypto devices, inertial navigation systems & aircraft navigational beacons.
• Served as maintenance system coordinator for Combat Systems Department accountable for all corrective and preventative maintenance scheduling and reporting for the dept.
• Served as US Navy Instructor teaching AN/URN-25 TACAN Air Navigation Beacon School. 2001.
• Reassigned & Trained in US Navy Law Enforcement post 9/11. Served as Sewell's Point Police Precinct watch commander from 9/2001 - 7/2004.
• Served as Naval Telecommunications & SATCOM Station, Bahrain's Maintenance coordinator and lead at the Strike Warfare HQ, Manama, Bahrain. Responsible for all electronic devices & associated communications circuits. Direct support of GWOT operations in the region. 7/2005-7/2005.
• Service experience with 400Hz converters, liquid-liquid & liquid-air chillers, forced air cooling, switchboard & load center operation.