[Hiring] Chief Engineer - Cyber & Electronic Warfare @AeroVironment

Role Description

The Advanced Research and Development (ARD) Division is searching for a Chief Engineer to research and develop new and innovative systems that are at the intersection of Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML), Cyber Operations, and Electronic Warfare. The full system development cycle includes:

• Modeling and simulation
• Proof-of-concept prototyping
• Minimum viable products
• Developmental test and evaluation
• System transition to operations

The ideal candidate has worked in this area for DARPA and Service Labs as well as the US Air Force, US Navy, or the US Army.

Key duties include serving as:

• Technical Lead for Cog-Cyber/EW white papers and proposals
• Principal Investigator for Cog-Cyber/EW IRADs and contracts
• Technical Lead for briefings to Government and company senior staff and stakeholders
• Technical conference session chairs, presenters, and author for technical publications

Position Responsibilities:

• Supports the creation of product technical roadmaps by collaborating with Product Line Managers, Senior Engineering Managers, Customers, and Division Leadership
• Collaborates with Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Quality to ensure technical specifications, as designed, are managed/controlled and flow through the entire value chain
• Supports the development of plans for product IRAD and sustaining projects through proper work decomposition and skills assignment to project work tasks
• Manages development and approval of engineering estimates and drives to a consistent approach for bases of estimates
• Develops and mentors high-performing engineering teams
• Own engineering budgets, forecast, and IRAD execution
• Leads multi-discipline engineering activities and mentors engineers to improve technical and leadership skills
• Partners with functional leaders to drive process improvements throughout the engineering development processes
• Responsible for engineering leadership and direct performance management of a group of Senior Engineering Managers
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications

• Masters Degree or PhD in Electrical, Software, Computational Neuroscience Engineering discipline (or equivalent)
• 10 - 12 years of demonstrated experience in cognitive, cyber, electronic warfare
• Experience as a Principal Investigator or Individual Contributor
• Experience with leading technical teams through the system development 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 to government PMs, Government and Organizational senior leaders
• 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
• Ability to build strong relationships within all disciplines within organization
• Effective influence and negotiation skills in an environment in which resources may not be under your direct control
• Experience with product manufacturing and product configuration processes
• Experience leading a multi-disciplinary team in an engineering environment
• Experienced and proficient with MS Office applications and other office productivity tools

Requirements

• Follows standard practices and procedures when analyzing situations or data from which answers can be readily obtained
• Completes assigned tasks within schedule and budget
• Shares ideas and experiences with others, solicits feedback and asks relevant questions
• 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
• Has effective problem-solving, analytical, interpersonal and communication skills
• Team Player - Focuses on teamwork, collaboration and puts the success of the team above one's own interests
• Inspires, motivates, and empowers people to deliver organizational goals, while also delivering value back to employees

Physical Demands

• Ability to work in an office and manufacturing environment
• Required to sit and stand for long periods (Frequent)
• Required to talk, hear, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer and telephone keyboard (Frequent)
• Travel required to domestic US sites – up to 20%

Special Requirements

• U.S. Citizenship required
• Existing DoD Secret top secret with an ability to SCI and special access
• Occasionally may be required to travel within the Continental U.S.

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

Company Description

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.

Founded by legendary innovator Dr. Paul MacCready, AV has spent over 50 years pushing the boundaries of what unmanned systems can do.

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