Space-Qualified Assembly Team Lead

AeroVironment, Inc.; Albuquerque (NM); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

AeroVironment, Inc. is seeking a Group Lead to provide daily leadership and technical oversight to a team of Assembly Technicians responsible for building, assembling, and testing mission-critical space-qualified hardware.

You will serve as the primary on-the-floor leader, ensuring that all activities are performed safely, accurately, on schedule, and in strict compliance with procedures and quality standards for flight hardware.

Qualifications

• Minimum 6 years of hands-on experience assembling and testing space flight or high-reliability aerospace hardware.
• Previous lead/supervisor experience directing daily activities of 4+ technicians.
• Proficient in reading and interpreting complex drawings, schematics, ICDs, and work instructions.
• Strong knowledge of J-STD-001 (Space Addendum) and IPC standards.
• Ability to handle ESD‑sensitive hardware and maintain cleanroom protocols.

Responsibilities

• Provide daily work direction for 6–14 Assembly Technicians.
• Monitor progress and reallocate resources to meet milestones.
• Lead hands-on assembly tasks and demonstrate critical techniques.
• Troubleshoot complex assembly issues.
• Verify in-process quality and documentation accuracy.
• Serve as on-shift point-of-contact for technical questions and discrepancy resolution.
• Conduct pre-shift briefings and end-of-shift handoffs.
• Enforce ESD controls, cleanroom and contamination control requirements.
• Review and approve traveler documentation and build records.
• Identify training needs and support onboarding of new technicians.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives and tool upgrades.
• Participate in MRB, Failure Review Boards, and build readiness reviews.
• Coordinate with Test Engineering, QA, Supply Chain, and Engineering to resolve issues.
• Occasionally perform technician-level assembly tasks during peak periods.
• Enforce AV safety and mission-focused culture.

Skills

Team leadership

Hands-on assembly

Reading drawings

J-STD-001

IPC-A-610

ESD handling

Zero-defect mindset

Communication

Tools

Cleanroom equipment

Metrology tools

Job description

AeroVironment, Inc. is seeking a Group Lead to provide daily leadership and technical oversight to a team of Assembly Technicians responsible for building, assembling, and testing mission-critical space-qualified hardware.

You will serve as the primary on-the-floor leader, ensuring that all activities are performed safely, accurately, on schedule, and in strict compliance with procedures and quality standards for flight hardware.