Hardware Design Engineer

AeroVironment, Inc.; Annapolis (MD); On-site; USD 125,000 - 270,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

401K with company match

9/80 work schedule

Paid holidays

Professional development

Job summary

AeroVironment, Inc. is seeking a Hardware Design Engineer to lead hands‑on design of embedded electronics and subsystem integration for mission‑critical systems. You will work with government customers and suppliers to deliver robust hardware solutions.

Responsibilities include schematic/PCB design, verification, and environmental testing, with emphasis on reliability and security in a defense context. Proficiency in Altium and ECAD tools is preferred.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related is required or equivalent.
• Minimum of 12 years of relevant experience.
• U.S. citizen with active Top Secret security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Design, analyze, and test electrical hardware for embedded platforms.
• Develop and manage electrical schematics, PCB layouts, wiring diagrams, and cable assemblies.
• Support component selection and procurement, ensuring conformance with military and environmental standards.
• Conduct design verification, validation, and hardware troubleshooting during lab tests.
• Collaborate with systems engineers to define electrical interfaces, requirements, and ICDs.
• Assist in environmental qualification testing (e.g., vibration, thermal, shock).
• Support integration and test activities in lab and field environments.
• Document engineering work through drawings, reports, test plans, and configuration control.
• Assist with program schedule creation and hardware development planning.
• Develop engineering labor and material estimates.

Skills

Circuit design

HDI PCB design

Schematic development

Power distribution

Altium Designer

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering

Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering

Tools

LTspice

LabVIEW

MATLAB

Python

ECAD tools

Job description

Worker Type Regular Job Description

The primary role of the Hardware Design Engineer is hands‑on engineering, focused on embedded electronics, subsystem integration, and associated testing. You will work closely with cross‑functional engineering teams, government customers, and suppliers to deliver cutting‑edge solutions in a mission‑critical environment.

Position Responsibilities

• Design, analyze, and test electrical hardware for embedded platforms.
• Develop and manage electrical schematics, PCB layouts, wiring diagrams, and cable assemblies.
• Support component selection and procurement, ensuring conformance with military and environmental standards.
• Conduct design verification, validation, and hardware troubleshooting during lab tests.
• Collaborate with systems engineers to define and implement electrical interfaces, requirements, and ICDs.
• Assist in environmental qualification testing (e.g., vibration, thermal, shock).
• Support integration and test activities in lab and field environments.
• Document engineering work through detailed drawings, reports, test plans, and configuration control systems.
• Assist with program schedule creation and hardware development planning.
• Develop engineering labor and material estimates.

Job Qualifications (Required Skills & Experience)

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or related is required or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
• Minimum of 12 years of relevant experience.
• Candidate must be a U.S. citizen with an active Top Secret security clearance.
• Understanding and application of industry electrical engineering technical standards; demonstrated electrical component design experience.
• Experience with circuit design and application.
• Experience using analytical and simulation software tools, such as LTspice, LabView, MATLAB or Python, to analyze and reduce data to identify key characteristics and trends.
• Demonstrated experience in electrical power distribution and design systems system design.
• Ability to interpret and develop electrical schematics.
• Experience with requirements-driven hardware design and circuitry design.
• Experience with classified test systems or systems subject to cyber security policies.
• Experience with analog and digital circuit design.
• Experience with HDI printed circuit board design and layout using ECAD tools (Strong preference for familiarity with Altium Designer).
• Ability to present engineering materials for requirements, design, and various milestones.
• Experience evaluating commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) parts for compliance.
• Experience researching, developing, designing and testing circuits, components and equipment systems.
• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing is essential.
• Must be proficient in the use of Microsoft business tools including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Other Qualifications & Desired Competencies

• Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering.
• Experience supporting a DoD from concept through deployment.
• Experience developing and releasing formal engineering documentation including technical drawings, specifications, and test procedures.

Physical Demands

Ability to work in an office (Constant). Required to sit and stand for long periods; talk, hear, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer and telephone keyboard (Frequent).

Salary Range

$125000 - $270000. The pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Determination of official compensation or salary relies on several factors including, but not limited to, level of position, job responsibilities, geographic location, scope of relevant work experience, educational background, certifications, contract‑specific affordability, organizational requirements, alignment with local internal equity as well as alignment with market data. Our compensation package also includes components designed to support employees’ total well‑being, which should be considered when evaluating our competitive benefits package.

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.
• Health insurance, life insurance, disability, company holiday and paid time off, parental leave, 401(k) company match and contributions, professional development/training reimbursements, and other work/life programs.
• For more information about our company benefit offerings please visit: http://www.avinc.com/myavbenefits.
• We also encourage you to review our company website at http://www.avinc.com to learn more about us.

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 will be asked to provide specific documentation to verify U.S. person status under the ITAR and the EAR. A "U.S. person" according to their 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.

Who We Are

Based in California, AeroVironment (AVAV) is a global leader in unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and tactical missile systems. Founded in 1971 by celebrated physicist and engineer, Dr. Paul MacCready, we’ve been at the leading edge of technical innovation for more than 45 years. Be a part of the team that developed the world’s most widely used military drones and created the first submarine‑launched reconnaissance drone, and has seven innovative vehicles that are part of the Smithsonian Institution’s permanent collection in Washington, DC.

What We Do

Building on a history of technological innovation, AeroVironment designs, develops, produces, and supports an advanced portfolio of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and tactical missile systems. Agencies of the U.S. Department of Defense and allied military services use the company’s hand‑launched UAS to provide situational awareness to tactical operating units through real‑time, airborne reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition.

Equal Opportunity Statement

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.

Additional EEO Statement

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