Manufacturing Engineer III

AeroVironment; Simi Valley (CA); On-site; USD 101,000 - 153,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

401K with company matching

9/80 work schedule

Paid holiday shutdown

Job summary

AeroVironment in Simi Valley, CA is seeking a Manufacturing Engineer III to design and operate the manufacturing systems for its Unmanned Air Vehicles. The role involves selecting technologies and processes, planning and designing the factory, and leading maintenance and continuous improvement of the manufacturing process.

The candidate will apply Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma to improve productivity, quality, and lead time; develop value stream maps; work on capacity models and capital

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical or related field is required.
• 5–8 years of experience in Manufacturing, Mechanical, Electrical, Test Engineering or similar field in Aerospace, Automotive, or Commercial industries.
• Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma experience is required.
• Experience with electro‑mechanical manufacturing, drawings, procedures and BOMs is required.
• Proficiency with MS Office, MiniTab, Oracle, Agile, and CAD programs (SolidWorks preferred).
• Occasional travel to supplier sites (up to 30%).

Responsibilities

• Creates and manages equipment specifications and documentation for development, qualification, and support of assembly and test equipment for production.
• Implement Lean Manufacturing principles and Six Sigma to improve productivity, quality, and lead time.
• Generate Value Stream Maps to reduce cycle time, waste, variation, and low production yields.
• Works on Manufacturing Strategies and capacity models for new and current products, including capital requisitions.
• Generates and reviews work instructions, assembly procedures and supporting documentation controlling the manufacturing process.
• Cost estimating of new tooling and fixtures; leads Make/Buy analysis with cross-functional team.
• Performs Design for Manufacturing, cost, and reliability analyses with the design engineering team.
• Works with suppliers and contract manufacturers to ensure receipt of conforming parts and assemblies.
• Works on problems of diverse scope where analysis of data requires evaluation of identifiable factors.
• Other duties as assigned.

Skills

Lean Manufacturing

Six Sigma

Value Stream Mapping

Root Cause Analysis

Supplier Management

Problem Solving

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical/Electrical or related field

Advanced degree

Tools

Microsoft Office

MiniTab

Oracle

Agile

CAD (SolidWorks preferred)

Job description

Worker Type

Regular

Job Description

Summary

The Manufacturing Engineer III designs and operates the manufacturing systems for AeroVironment’s Unmanned Air Vehicles. In this role, the Manufacturing Engineer chooses the best technologies and processes for manufacturing, planning and designing the factory as well as managing the maintenance & continuous improvement of the manufacturing process. One has strong knowledge in manufacturing production processes, specifically creating and monitoring automated systems and new technology development. One defines, maintains, and supports manufacturing processes utilized in the manufacture of Small Unmanned Air Vehicles.

Position Responsibilities

• Creates and manages equipment specifications, equipment documentation for development, qualification and support of assembly and test equipment for production
• Implement Lean Manufacturing principles and apply Six Sigma methodology to achieve continuous improvement in productivity, quality, and lead time
• Generate Value Stream Maps to reduce cycle time, waste, variation, and low production yields
• Works on Manufacturing Strategies and capacity models for new and current products, including estimation and maintenance of capital requisitions
• Generates new and reviews existing work instructions, assembly procedures and supporting documentation controlling the manufacturing process
• Cost estimating of new tooling and fixtures required to support production floor. Leads Make/Buy analysis on assemblies with cross-functional team
• Performs Design for Manufacturing, cost, and reliability analysis on new products with the design engineering team
• Works with suppliers and contract manufacturers to ensure receipt of conforming parts and assemblies
• Works on problems of diverse scope where analysis of data requires evaluation of identifiable factors
• Other duties as assigned

Basic Qualifications (Required Skills & Experience)

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical or similar field is required or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience
• Minimum of 5 - 8 years of experience in Manufacturing, Mechanical, Electrical, Test Engineering or similar field in Aerospace, Automotive, or Commercial industries
• Experienced in Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma Methodology is required
• Experienced with electro-mechanical manufacturing, drawings, procedures and Bill of Materials is required
• Experienced using Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, Power Point, Access, Project), MiniTab, Oracle, Agile, and CAD programs (SolidWorks is preferred)
• Occasional travel to supplier sites (up to 30%)

Other Qualifications & Desired Competencies

• Advanced degree is preferred
• Specific experience with sheet metal fabrication, plastics, composite layups, printed circuit board assembly, mechanical assembly, calibration and testing processes is desired
• Organization/planning, communication (oral and written), time management, conflict management, ability to manage stress, deadlines and work independently
• Demonstrates competency as a problem solver who is familiar with root cause analysis techniques
• Able to excel in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment, where small teams share a broad variety of duties
• Displays strong initiative and drive to accomplish goals and meet company objectives
• Takes ownership and responsibility for current and past work products
• Is committed to learning from mistakes and driven to improve and enhance performance of oneself, others, and the company
• Demonstrates effective time management, analytical, interpersonal and communication skills
• Excels at teamwork, collaboration and putting the success of the team above one’s own interests

Physical Demands

• 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

The salary range for this role is:

$100,500 - $153,250

AeroVironment considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the location, the role and associated responsibilities, a candidate’s work experience, education/training, and key skills.

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.

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

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.

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