Chief Engineer Systems

AeroVironment, Inc.; Virginia Colony (CA); On-site; USD 170,000 - 272,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision insurance

401K with company matching

9/80 work schedule

Paid holiday shutdown

Job summary

AeroVironment, Inc. is seeking a Chief Engineer, Systems to act as a technical liaison across Engineering, PM, Operations and Supply Chain to optimize solutions for customer requirements in cost and schedule terms.

You will oversee a portfolio of engineering projects, guiding a talented team and reporting to the Director of Engineering, contributing to design reviews and program success.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in STEM field required.
• 15 years in engineering design or development.
• 3+ years project management experience; PMP/CAPM a plus.
• Experience in Aerospace/Defense (UAVs or military aviation) preferred.

Responsibilities

• Evaluates customer requirements and identifies platform impacts, cost, schedule, and risks.
• Develops new product requirements with Program Managers and customers.
• Reviews proposals, specifications, and ICDs for feasibility.
• Defines system requirements and generates product/sub-system specifications.
• Contributes to proposal design, cost estimates, and technical responses.
• Ensures integration meets performance, schedule, and cost targets.
• Reviews ECPs, RFDs, and maintains baselines.
• Mentors engineering personnel to improve technical and leadership skills.
• Collaborates with customers and leads to resolve technical issues.
• Creates documentation: requirements, high-level designs, and test plans.
• Develops and presents project briefings for internal and external customers.

Skills

Systems engineering

Project management

Aerospace/Defense experience

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's in STEM

Master's in Mechanical/Aerospace/Electrical/Systems

Tools

Model Based Engineering tools

Job description

Worker Type Regular Job Description Summary

The Chief Engineer, Systems you will act as a technical liaison between the Engineering, Program Management, Operations, and Supply Chain departments to ensure our solutions to customer requirements are optimized, technically feasible, and achievable in terms of cost and schedule.

In this role, you will oversee a portfolio of engineering projects and work with a talented group of engineers to drive those projects to completion. This role will operate as part of the design and development team led by our Director of Engineering.

Position Responsibilities

• Evaluates customer-provided requirements and identifies platform impacts, cost, schedule, and technical performance risks and communicates those to key stakeholders.
• Contributes to the development of new product requirements through consultations with Program Managers and end customers.
• Assists in the review and analysis of proposals, specifications, and Interface Control Documents (ICDs).
• Assists in defining system requirements and in the generation of specifications for products or sub-systems.
• Provide critical input to the preparation of successful proposal designs, cost estimates, and technical responses with regards to resources (personnel, equipment, etc.).
• Ensures that integration efforts will satisfy all performance requirements, achieve delivery schedule, stay within budget, and meet cost targets.
• Reviews Engineering Change Proposals (ECP), Requests for Deviation (RFD), and maintains system configuration baselines.
• Mentors and guides engineering personnel to improve technical and leadership skills.
• Works with applicable Program Manager and customer leads to facilitate the resolution of technical issues.
• Creates necessary documentation, such as requirements documentation, high-level design specifications and test plans.
• Develops and present materials for project related briefings including design reviews to be given to internal and external customers.
• Acts as a resource for the development and review of specifications, CDRL’s and ICD’s.
• Partners with senior leadership, manufacturing, quality, supply chain, and other groups in setting priorities, establishing strategic plans, and addressing issues that cross departmental boundaries.
• Exercises wide latitude in determining objectives and approaches to critical assignments.

Basic Qualifications (Required Skills & Experience)

• Bachelor's Degree in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Math) field.
• 15 years of experience in an engineering design or development environment.
• 3 years of project management experience. (PMP or CAPM certification a plus.)
• Experience with integrating new capabilities onto platforms, requiring flow-down of requirements to lower-level systems.
• Experience project planning in terms of schedule, budget, and resource estimations.
• Direct experience with design or development in the Aerospace or Defense industries (UAVs or Military aviation preferred).

Other Qualifications & Desired Competencies

• Master's Degree in a Mechanical, Aerospace, Electrical, or Systems Engineering discipline (or equivalent).
• Proven success collaborating with Engineering disciplines (Electrical, Software, Mechanical, and System Engineers) to define system architecture and integration details.
• Possesses an interest in creating Architectures using Model Based Engineering tools.
• Strong troubleshooting skills and ability to resolve technical issues efficiently and independently, utilizing subject matter experts when needed.
• Ability to read and interpret technical drawings and schematics, parts lists, specifications, instructions, and test procedures.
• Ability to effectively communicate with and present to various levels internal to the organization and externally to customers and suppliers.
• Is a proven leader who has demonstrated people development skills.
• Direct technical expertise in any of the following areas: Avionics, sensors, and RF-based data links. Radio frequency spectrum and modern communication systems. SIGINT technologies and sensors, including EO/IR optics. GPS navigation systems including DGPS, SAASM and M-Code. Aviation propulsion systems, including internal combustion and electric motors. OCONUS military operations.

Physical Demands

Ability to walk around the facility on a regular basis to facilitate communication, coordinate tasks and resolve issues. Travel required to domestic US sites – up to 25%. Ability to work in an office and manufacturing environment (Constant) Required to sit and stand for long periods; talk, hear, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer and telephone keyboard (Frequent)

Clearance Level

No Clearance

Salary

The salary range for this role is: $170,000 - $272,000

ITAR Requirement

This position requires access to information that is subject to compliance with the International Traffic Arms Regulations ("ITAR") and/or the Export Administration Regulations ("EAR"). In order to comply with the requirements of the ITAR and/or the EAR, applicants must qualify as a U.S. person under the ITAR and the EAR, or a person to be approved for an export license by the governing agency whose technology comes under its jurisdiction. Please understand that any job offer that requires approval of an export license will be conditional on AeroVironment’s determination that it will be able to obtain an export license in a time frame consistent with AeroVironment’s business requirements. A "U.S. person" according to the ITAR definition is a U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident (green card holder), or protected individual such as a refugee or asylee. See 22 CFR § 120.15. Some positions will require current U.S. Citizenship due to contract requirements.

Benefits

• AV offers an excellent benefits package including medical, dental vision, 401K with company matching, a 9/80 work schedule and a paid holiday shutdown.
• For more information about our company benefit offerings please visit: http://www.avinc.com/myavbenefits.

About AV

AV isn’t for everyone. We hire the curious, the relentless, the mission-obsessed. The best of the best. We don’t just build defense technology—we redefine what’s possible. As the premier autonomous systems company in the U.S., AV delivers breakthrough capabilities across air, land, sea, space, and cyber. From AI-powered drones and loitering munitions to integrated autonomy and space resilience, our technologies shape the future of warfare and protect those who serve. Founded by legendary innovator Dr. Paul MacCready, AV has spent over 50 years pushing the boundaries of what unmanned systems can do. Our heritage includes seven platforms in the Smithsonian—but we’re not building history, we’re building what’s next. If you're ready to build technology that matters—with speed, scale, and purpose—there’s no better place to do it than AV.

Equal Employment Opportunity

We are proud to be an EEO/AA Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability/veterans.

AeroVironment, Inc. is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and welcomes all qualified applicants. Qualified applicants will receive fair and impartial consideration without regard to race, sex, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetic data, sexual orientation, gender identity or other legally protected status.

ITAR U.S. Citizenship required

ITAR U.S. Citizenship required. Must be willing to work on government contracts and have the ability to obtain a security clearance.

Company Website

We also encourage you to review our company website at http://www.avinc.com to learn more about us.

Careers at AeroVironment

Careers at AeroVironment