TMAS Propulsion Test Lead | Arnold AFB / AEDC

Some people grow into their careers. Others are wired for them from the start.

Jeremy Morris has been a tinkerer and aviation junkie for as long as he can remember. From RC helicopters and drones to cars and household appliances, he has always been driven by one question: How does this work? That curiosity eventually led him to Arnold AFB and AEDC, where he has spent two decades testing propulsion systems that power some of the most advanced aircraft in the world. Joining Canvas 1.5 years ago gave him something new: the chance to keep doing work he loves while feeling personally invested in the company behind it.

“Most companies just feel like work,” Jeremy says. “Canvas somehow makes you feel vested in their success.”

Owning the Mission, Day to Day

As TMAS Propulsion Test Lead, Jeremy supports a team of 17 test engineers and analysts. His role spans both leadership and hands-on engineering. He ensures his team has what they need administratively to execute testing for the U.S. Air Force, while also serving as an active test engineer himself. That means developing test procedures, reviewing safety and security protocols, supporting live tests, and digging into post-test data to understand what happened and why.

The challenges come in two forms. One is people: coordinating leave, assigning work, answering benefit questions, and making sure his team can focus on the mission. The other is technical: diagnosing unexpected test results and working alongside highly skilled engineers to solve problems that often have no precedent.

That combination of trust and responsibility is intentional. Jeremy is expected to own outcomes, advocate for his people, and make decisions that directly impact test execution.

Work With Real Consequences

Over the course of his career, Jeremy has worked on numerous advanced aircraft engines. Of the programs he is able to discuss, his work on the F-35 Lightning II stands out. He has put millions of gallons of fuel through those engines and spent countless nights shepherding the program from development to operational use across the Air Force and Navy.

The importance of that work is not theoretical.

Early in his career, a mentor at AEDC told him something that has shaped every decision since:
“If we make mistakes, an American pilot might not make it home. That’s someone’s child, spouse, parent. If we could have done better but didn’t, due to indifference or carelessness, we’ll have to live with that.”

“That was probably the most poignant thing anyone has ever said to me,” Jeremy says. “It stuck.”

Leadership That Listens

Like many in government test environments, Jeremy and his team have navigated difficult periods, including COVID disruptions and government shutdowns. What stood out to him during those moments was not just resilience, but how Canvas leadership approached them.

“Some companies lead with ‘no’ when you suggest policy changes that could positively affect the workforce,” he explains. “Canvas leadership gives me the space to suggest subtle changes that improve employee quality of life. They listen.”

Jeremy saw firsthand how simple conversations with employees led to meaningful solutions. It reinforced his belief that the strongest outcomes come from leadership that values ideas at every level and acts on them.

Why He Stays

What keeps Jeremy engaged is not just the technology, though working on state-of-the-art propulsion systems certainly helps. It is the people and the purpose.

“I work with a great team of folks who I actually enjoy being around,” he says. “I’ve been fortunate enough to find purpose in my work.”

For those considering joining Canvas, Jeremy is clear about what it takes to succeed: high character, genuine curiosity, and self-motivation. Those traits cannot be taught, but they define the teams that thrive.

After spending most of his career at large multinational companies, Jeremy admits he was unsure what the transition to a smaller organization would bring. Looking back, he calls those concerns unfounded.

“I had no frame of reference for a company that prioritizes employee welfare like Canvas does,” he says. “It’s been eye-opening in the best way.”