Chief Engineer, Production

Worker TypeRegularJob DescriptionSummaryAeroVironment is seeking a Chief Engineer – Production to provide senior technical leadership for the production, sustainment, and lifecycle support of products within the MUAS business unit. The Chief Engineer will serve as the primary technical authority for assigned production programs and fielded products, ensuring that systems remain safe, reliable, manufacturable, supportable, and compliant with customer and business requirements.This position will lead the resolution of complex technical issues, guide engineering changes and product improvements, and coordinate cross-functional execution across engineering, operations, quality, supply chain, program management, and customer-support organizations. The ideal candidate will have significant experience supporting aerospace, defense, unmanned, or other complex electromechanical products throughout production and sustainment.Position ResponsibilitiesServe as the senior technical authority for assigned MUAS production and sustainment programs.Maintain technical ownership of the product baseline, including system architecture, requirements, interfaces, configuration, and performance.Lead engineering support for products in production and deployed in the field.Drive resolution of complex technical issues involving design, integration, manufacturing, testing, reliability, quality, suppliers, and field performance.Lead multidisciplinary root-cause investigations and ensure effective corrective and preventive actions.Provide technical direction for engineering changes, deviations, waivers, nonconformances, and configuration-management activities.Evaluate and approve proposed product, process, material, and supplier changes.Partner with manufacturing and operations teams to improve producibility, yield, throughput, cost, and product quality.Support production readiness, rate increases, first-article activities, qualification efforts, acceptance testing, and recurring production reviews.Lead technical assessments of product reliability, maintainability, supportability, and lifecycle risk.Establish priorities for sustaining-engineering activities based on mission impact, customer needs, safety, reliability, cost, and schedule.Coordinate with design engineering to incorporate field and production feedback into product enhancements and future configurations.Support product upgrades, modifications, obsolescence mitigation, technology insertions, and end-of-life planning.Partner with quality, supplier management, operations, and program management to resolve recurring production and supplier issues.Provide technical input to program plans, estimates, schedules, risk registers, proposals, make-or-buy decisions, and investment strategies.Lead or participate in design reviews, production reviews, failure-review boards, material-review boards, customer reviews, and executive-level program reviews.Ensure that technical data, work instructions, test procedures, drawings, specifications, and other production documentation are accurate and properly controlled.Monitor and communicate technical, production, reliability, supply-chain, and field-performance risks.Support customer and field-service organizations with technical guidance and timely resolution of product issues.Mentor engineers and promote a culture of technical rigor, ownership, collaboration, and continuous improvement.Perform other duties as assigned.Basic Qualifications (Required Skills & Experience)Bachelor’s degree in engineering from an accredited institution.Typically, 15 or more years of progressive engineering experience in aerospace, defense, unmanned systems, or a related technical industry.Demonstrated experience supporting complex products through production and sustainment.Experience serving as a technical lead, chief engineer, systems engineer, or equivalent engineering authority.Experience with engineering change management, configuration management, requirements management, and product-baseline control.Demonstrated experience leading cross-functional technical teams and resolving complex production or field-performance issues.Experience with root-cause analysis, corrective action, reliability improvement, and failure investigation.Working knowledge of systems engineering, integration, verification, validation, and test processes.Ability to make sound technical decisions while balancing performance, cost, schedule, quality, and risk.Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.Ability to communicate effectively with engineers, manufacturing personnel, program managers, executives, suppliers, customers, and government representatives.Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government security clearance, if required.Other Qualifications & Desired CompetenciesPreferred QualificationsMaster’s degree in engineering, systems engineering, or a related technical discipline.Experience with unmanned aircraft systems, autonomous systems, mission systems, avionics, payloads, ground-control systems, or other complex electromechanical products.Experience with production ramp-up, rate production, product transition, and manufacturing-process improvement.Experience with flight testing, environmental qualification, acceptance testing, and fielded-system support.Experience with aircraft systems, airworthiness, safety, reliability, maintainability, and supportability analysis.Experience with supplier technical management and supplier corrective-action processes.Knowledge of AS9100, ISO 9001, or comparable aerospace quality systems.Experience applying Lean, Six Sigma, or other continuous-improvement methods.Experience with obsolescence management, parts management, and lifecycle planning.Active U.S. government security clearance.Professional Engineer license or relevant technical certification.Desired Technical ExpertiseExperience in one or more of the following areas is desirable:Group 3 UAS development.Avionics, sensors, and RF-based data links.Radio-frequency spectrum and modern communication systems.SIGINT technologies and sensors, including EO/IR optics.GPS navigation systems, including DGPS, SAASM, and M-Code.Aviation propulsion systems, including internal-combustion engines and electric motors.OCONUS military operations.Desired CompetenciesTechnical leadership and sound engineering judgment.Product lifecycle ownership.Systems thinking.Production and sustainment engineering.Root-cause analysis and structured problem solving.Reliability and risk management.Configuration and change control.Cross-functional collaboration.Customer and mission focus.Clear and concise communication.Accountability and decision-making.Talent development and mentoring.Commitment to technical rigor, ownership, and continuous improvement.Physical DemandsAbility to work in an office environment (Constant)Required to, stand, sit; talk, hear, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer and telephone keyboard (Constant)Use their hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools, or controls. (Frequent)See details of objects that are less than a few feet away (Frequent)Occasional travel may be requiredClearance LevelSecretThe salary range for this role is:$170,000 - $272,000AeroVironment 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: .We also encourage you to review our company website at to learn more about us.Principals only need apply. NO agencies please.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.ITARU.S. Citizenship required. Must be willing to work on government contracts and have the ability to obtain a security clearance.SummaryLocation: Petaluma, CAType: Full time