Need Advice for Flight Test Engineering

[jezbro]

I am currently studying mechanical and aerospace engineering at UQ and plan on being a FTE when I graduate (end of 2016)
I'm currently acquiring my PPL to help with employment and for personal interest; but I'm currently struggling to find companies that do FTE work in Australia.
Does anyone perhaps have some insight on how I could get my foot in the door to get a junior position to gain experience? I enquired with Nova Systems but they said they do not take on graduates - are there any other companies that are notable? Perhaps someone who was once in my position could explain how they went through the process?

[djpil]

I've dabbled in FTE over the years but my career path is very out of date. So just one comment about a young engineer I know who started off somewhat like yourself and who is now working as a full-time FTE overseas, probably about 10 years after graduation. Persistence and with that goal always in mind gave progressive small but steady steps in a career progression towards it. Plus the course at ITPS in Canada - there are others.
I am sure that others will pop up with advice for some-one with a non-military background if they can be enticed away from the flight test forum.
Avalon at the end of February is a good opportunity to connect to people about this.

[CAR42ZE]

Nova don't take on graduates? that's strange - I thought they did. Anyway, do a google search on CASR21M companies and have a look at them - but also keep some of the other Defence engineering crowds in your sights (BAe is the only one that's jumping out at me right now, but there are a few more).

[Dagegen]

After finishing aero eng., I went overseas. Obtained a design authorisation in my company, amongst other qualifications/licence. Have done a fair amount of work in certification, mostly as PM.

As suggested, I'd be approaching design organisations (CASA website should have a list, although I'd still search under CAR 35). You could also approach design orgs in Europe, the US, or NZ, or try to get into OEMs overseas. (Around a quarter of my cohort ended up in Europe at an OEM, but that wasn't through UQ).

Try to track down the design orgs providing services to airlines in Australia - I know that there are a few very interesting projects going on at the moment, although I don't know that graduates are being hired (work experience might be possible, or just ask if you could visit for a coffee & chat).

Working airline-side can also be very interesting, although, again, you may need to look overseas, and if you get in, you may need to work to get into the right position (and then practice patience - projects don't tend to turn up every day).

Getting a practical familiarity with aircraft maintenance can also be a benefit - if you want to design &/or certify parts and systems for aircraft, it's a very good idea to have some knowledge about the travails of maintenance staff, keeping aircraft airworthy, and ease of installation/access, etc.

It is a fairly niche market, especially in Australia, and you might find that you are doing other (design & certification related work, or ops work) more than just FTE work.