John Burris
League City,Texas
Summary
Senior Engineer specializing in avionics hardware and test software development for aerospace applications. Skilled in leading cross-functional teams, managing supplier relationships, and ensuring project success from concept to delivery. Passionate about innovation and problem-solving in both independent and collaborative settings. With a background in Electrical Engineering and a Master of Business Administration, I offer a blend of technical expertise and strategic vision to drive efficiency and excellence in aerospace engineering projects.
Overview
34
34
years of professional experience
Work History
Software Test Engineer
THE BOEING COMPANY
Houston, Texas
01.2024 - Current
- Developed and upgraded eighteen C++ scripts for verifying International Space Station flight software.
- Tested scripts with a simulated ISS hardware model then deployed to real hardware for final verification.
Hardware/Software Integration Engineer
THE BOEING COMPANY
Houston, Texas
01.2018 - 01.2024
- Led a team of test engineers, supplier management personnel, and technicians to design and procure components and cables for converting the CST-100 test lab from manual to automated signal switching.
- The effort included procuring, tracking, and installing over 800 material line items and 150 cables across a lab containing over 20 test racks.
- The addition of automated switching resulted in a test throughput increase of 30% and a reduction of failures during long flight scenario runs.
- Conducted hands-on testing and verification of CST-100 spacecraft components and systems including crew interface panels, electrical power system, audio, and data acquisition system.
- Produced estimates for upgrading lab hardware, expanding the lab to accommodate additional test rigs, and replacing equipment reaching obsolescence.
- Created rack and cable drawings using AutoCAD and maintained approximately 60 legacy drawings.
- Reported hardware and software issues to subsystem teams, created problem reports, and tracked hardware and software issues.
Software Testing Lead Engineer
THE BOEING COMPANY
Houston, Texas
01.2015 - 01.2018
- Led team of 8 Formal Qualification Test (FQT) engineers developing test software and manual test procedures to verify flight software requirements of 25 CST-100 crew displays.
- Wrote non-conformance reports when tests failed and worked with test and flight software engineers to correct issues.
- Conducted peer reviews of manual test procedures and test code and suggested improvements.
- Responsible for signing off on both development and dry-run qualification test results.
- Developed Test Readiness Review (TRR) presentations for management and the Software Quality Assurance (SQA) team.
- Coordinated and conducted formal FQT test runs for record with Software Quality Assurance (SQA) and produced verification artifacts.
- Improved crew display testing process by moving several display tests from a hardware to a simulated platform thereby freeing up rig time and increasing testing throughput by 30%.
Systems Engineer
THE BOEING COMPANY
Houston, Texas
01.2010 - 01.2015
- Responsible for requirements development and verification for six spacecraft data acquisition avionics boxes that interfaced with over 700 sensors on CST-100.
- Coordinated selection of sensors for spacecraft subsystems and integration with the data acquisition hardware.
- Authored Statements of Work (SOWs) for three spacecraft flight hardware suppliers.
- Served as the technical liaison between the suppliers and Boeing subject matter experts.
- Conducted weekly meetings with hardware suppliers and subject matter experts, tracked schedules, and supported technical tag-ups and program design reviews.
- Reported supplier progress and hardware development issues to upper management and worked with suppliers to mitigate problems.
- Tracked and coordinated the distribution and update of supplier data deliverables referenced in the SOWs.
- Analyzed supplier proposals and provided inputs to supplier management regarding cost and technical reasonableness.
- Received spot award from management for supporting multiple subsystems.
Sustaining Engineer
THE BOEING COMPANY
Houston, Texas
01.2004 - 01.2010
- Supported logistics for the Space Shuttle Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) and Multifunction Electronics Display Subsystem (MEDS) as backup to subsystem managers.
- Monitored hardware state of health during missions and tracked and reported on-orbit anomalies.
- Supported testing of IMUs at supplier sites and wrote non-conformance reports.
Principal Engineer
ORBITAL SCIENCES CORP.
Dulles, Virginia
01.2000 - 01.2004
- Led a team of four engineers to develop test software for various components in Dawn, Sorce, Rocsat, and BSAT satellites.
- Identified and reported issues with cards and boxes before installation on spacecraft.
- Performed troubleshooting to identify and rectify hardware and software anomalies that occurred during integration with the spacecraft.
- Supported hardware environmental testing campaigns which subjected satellite components and systems to shock, vibration, thermal, and thermal vacuum testing.
- Performed maintenance and troubleshooting of ground support equipment to minimize downtime.
Project Engineer
ADVANCED TESTING TECHNOLOGIES
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
01.1992 - 01.2000
- Developed and integrated test code hosted on Teradyne and Benchtop Reconfigurable Automatic Tester (BRAT) test stations.
- Developed over 20 automated Test Program Sets (TPS) for depot and intermediate functional verification of avionics for several aircraft including the C-5, E-3 AWACS, and B-2.
- Performed troubleshooting and maintenance of test stations to minimize downtime.
- Led a team of 4 engineers in developing B-2 test program sets.
- Presented status reports to both the customer and management.
- Integrated automatic test equipment replacing manual test equipment used for the E-3 AWACS transmitter Hot Mock-up.
Education
BS - Electrical Engineering
The University of Texas at San Antonio
Master of Business Administration -
Strayer University
Washington, D.CMS - Electrical Engineering
The University of Texas at San Antonio
Systems Engineering Certificate -
The University of Alabama at Huntsville
Skills
- Teamcenter for Systems Engineering
- MS Word
- Excel
- PowerPoint
- Visio
- Project
- AutoCAD
- C
- Perl
- LabVIEW
- TestStand
- Agilent (HP) VEE
- T-Basic
Timeline
Software Test Engineer
THE BOEING COMPANY
01.2024 - Current
Hardware/Software Integration Engineer
THE BOEING COMPANY
01.2018 - 01.2024
Software Testing Lead Engineer
THE BOEING COMPANY
01.2015 - 01.2018
Systems Engineer
THE BOEING COMPANY
01.2010 - 01.2015
Sustaining Engineer
THE BOEING COMPANY
01.2004 - 01.2010
Principal Engineer
ORBITAL SCIENCES CORP.
01.2000 - 01.2004
Project Engineer
ADVANCED TESTING TECHNOLOGIES
01.1992 - 01.2000
BS - Electrical Engineering
The University of Texas at San Antonio
Master of Business Administration -
Strayer University
MS - Electrical Engineering
The University of Texas at San Antonio
Systems Engineering Certificate -
The University of Alabama at Huntsville