Paul Waters is the director of the 412th Test Engineering Group at Edwards Air Force Base, California. He leads, guides and mentors an engineering workforce consisting of more than 1,000 test professionals with the vision to accelerate and transform test and evaluation through intelligent risk-taking. The 412th TENG is committed to fulfilling its mission of “We own T&E,” delivering decision-quality knowledge to maximize impact. The group provides the test and evaluation capabilities needed to plan, instrument, collect, control, analyze and evaluate the Air Force's weapon systems to ensure warfighters have the tools they need to defend the country.
Waters started his military career in 1985 as a second lieutenant structures engineer on the T-46 program. He went on to lead the structures test team for the F-15E Strike Eagle and YF-22 prototype test programs. In 1991, he left Edwards to teach in the engineering mechanics department at the Air Force Academy. While at the academy, he was selected for a doctoral program at the University of Colorado. Upon completion of his degree, he returned to teaching as an assistant professor.
In 2000, Waters returned to Edwards as the lead for developing modeling and simulation and data analysis tools. Upon retiring from the Air Force in 2005, he joined the Air Force Flight Test Center Plans and Programs Office. There, he was responsible for strategic planning, investments and capability roadmaps.
While in plans and programs, he received two critical special assignments that laid the foundation for an enterprise view of test and evaluation. Waters led a multi-organizational team looking at the feasibility of merging the 46th and 412th Test Wings, which found that the test and evaluation capabilities of the nation would be severely degraded by consolidation. He was also a key member of the AFSO21 initiative looking at standing up an Air Force Developmental Test and Evaluation Center, which laid the foundation for the current Air Force Test Center.
In 2008, he was selected as the 412th Test Engineering Group master architect, a role that eventually morphed into a technical director position. For 14 years, Waters led the sustainment and modernization of the group's test capabilities and collaborated across Air Force and Department of War organizations to enhance instrumentation, range and data analysis capabilities. In February 2022, Waters was selected as the director of the Test Engineering Group.
EDUCATION
1985 B.S. in Aeronautical Engineering, USAF Academy
1990 M.S. in Applied Mechanics, Cal State Northridge
1996 Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering, University of Colorado
1992 Squadron Officer School (In-resident and correspondence)
1999 Air Command and Staff College (correspondence)
ASSIGNMENTS OR CAREER CHRONOLOGY
Feb 2016 – Present, Annex 1, Range Director for the JTECH-II Contract, 412th Test Wing, Edwards AFB CA
Oct 2008 – Feb 2022, TENG Master Architect/Technical Director, 412th Test Engineering Group, Edwards AFB CA
Jul 2005 – Sep 2008, Chief, Advanced Planning Division, Plans and Programs, Air Force Flight Test Center, Edwards AFB CA
Jul 2002 – Jun 2005, Chief, Test Techniques Development Branch, Engineering Directorate, 412th Test Wing, Edwards AFB CA
Jul 2000 – Jul 2002, Modeling and Simulation Integration Director, Engineering Directorate, 412th Test Wing, Edwards AFB CA
Aug 1996 – Jul 2000, Chief, Structures Branch, US Air Force Academy, USAFA, CO
Jul 1993 – Jul 1996 PhD Student, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO
Jun 1991 – Jun 1993, Instructor Engineering Mechanics, US Air Force Academy, USAFA, CO
Jul 1985 - May 1991, Structures Engineer, 6520th Test Group, Edwards AFM, CA
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
1990 AF Achievement Medal
1991 AF Commendation Medal
1992 Squadron Officer School – Distinguished Graduate & Outstanding Contributor
1993 AF Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
1999 USAF Academy, Engineering Mechanics Annual Award – Outstanding Contributor
2004 Test Technology Division Award – Above and Beyond
2005 Engineering Director’s Annual Award – Team Excellence
2008 AF Civilian Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster
2018 412th Test Engineering Group – Team of the Year Award
(Current as of Jun 2025)