Chief Engineer, Uncrewed Systems

InvestedintheMission; Simi Valley (CA); On-site; USD 225,000 - 359,000; Full time

Job summary

AeroVironment is seeking a Vice-President level BGCE to serve as the technical authority for the Uncrewed Systems group. This leader directs all engineering disciplines, chairs reviews, drives requirements, and collaborates on roadmaps to meet business objectives across the product lifecycle.

The role requires extensive defense aerospace experience, senior leadership, and a proven ability to manage large teams, budgets, and schedules while delivering high-quality results.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in a Mechanical, Aerospace, Electrical, or Systems Engineering discipline (or equivalent).
• Experience with Defense products and customers.
• Minimum of 15 years of demonstrated experience in aerospace product design and sustainment.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience leading large technical teams through the product lifecycle.
• Experience with drawings and BOMs; Engineering Change systems; Quality systems for non-conforming parts and corrective action.
• Experience in an Agile and Waterfall development environment.
• Excellent verbal, presentation, and written communication skills.
• 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.
• Exceptional leadership and management skills, with the ability to develop and communicate a vision that inspires and motivates staff and aligns with the business strategy.

Responsibilities

• Personifies the AV pillar of “Innovation” and oversees all development and product sustainment activities.
• Represents/communicates the technical interests of the business group to stakeholders.
• Drives the technical response for business proposals and leads the technical team to fulfill program requirements.
• Drives process improvements within the engineering development processes and staffs prioritization across programs.
• Collaborates with Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Quality to ensure technical specs are managed through the value chain.
• Chairs technical review boards and serves as final authority for product documentation and ECOs/ECNs.
• Develops product roadmaps with Product Line Management, Customers, CTO and other stakeholders.
• Mentors engineers to improve technical and leadership skills and leads RCCA activities.
• Presents technical concepts to customers and coordinates task assignments and baselines.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Systems engineering

Aerospace experience

Communication skills

Stakeholder management

Waterfall/Agile

MS Office

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, Electrical, or Systems Engineering

Tools

MS Office

Engineering Change systems

Quality systems

Job description

AeroVironment is seeking a Vice-President level BGCE to serve as the technical authority for the Uncrewed Systems group. This leader directs all engineering disciplines, chairs reviews, drives requirements, and collaborates on roadmaps to meet business objectives across the product lifecycle.

The role requires extensive defense aerospace experience, senior leadership, and a proven ability to manage large teams, budgets, and schedules while delivering high-quality results.