Senior Manager, Software Engineering

Worker Type

Regular

Job Description

AV is seeking an experienced Senior Manager, Software Engineering to lead a multidisciplinary software organization responsible for backend architecture, UI/UX, quality assurance, and software integration for the Titan, AV’s RF CUAS product. The Senior Manager will establish the software processes, management practices, and engineering discipline required to support a fast-paced, growing organization.

The ideal candidate is a strong people leader and experienced software engineering manager with a background integrating software into a hardware end product. This individual will work closely with the Chief Engineer to execute software IRAD projects and will partner with cross-functional hardware and software teams to deliver reliable, production-ready systems.

Position Responsibilities

• Manages a multi-disciplinary group of software engineers, including staffing, training, performance evaluation and career development. Attracts and retains high caliber staff and provides mentorship.
• Establish and improve Agile development processes using Jira, including scope, scheduling, resourcing, prioritizing, sprint execution, reporting, and retrospectives.
• Define and implement software development standards, coding practices, documentation, and engineering metrics.
• Establish unit testing, automated testing, CI/CD pipelines, code reviews, and quality gates.
• Lead software release management, including configuration management, versioning, release readiness, deployment, and rollback processes.
• Champions software quality through design reviews, requirements-based testing, code coverage, and disciplined branching and release practices.
• Oversee backend architecture, UI/UX development, QA, and system-level software integration.
• Partner with the Chief Engineer to shape SW road‑map, plan and execute software IRAD projects from concept through prototype, integration, verification, and production transition.
• Drive resolution of software integration issues, technical risks, dependencies, and defects.
• Communicate project status, risks, resource needs, and technical decisions to senior leadership.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field.
• 12+ years of software engineering experience, including 5+ years managing software engineering teams.
• Experience managing teams with a range of experience levels, including entry-level through principal engineers.
• Demonstrated experience establishing Agile processes and using Jira for engineering execution.
• Experience integrating software into hardware-based products.
• Experience working cross-functionally with mechanical, electrical, manufacturing, systems, quality, and software teams.
• Experience executing IRAD, prototype, or new product development projects.
• Strong communication, leadership, organizational, and problem-solving skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in a related technical field.
• Background delivering software for UAS, drones, robotics, autonomous systems, or other defense or aerospace platforms is a strong plus.
• Experience transitioning software from IRAD or prototype development into production and fielded systems.
• Experience implementing unit testing, automated testing, CI/CD pipelines, and software release management.
• Embraces AI-assisted development tooling and encourages its adoption to improve team efficiency and quality.
• Demonstrates strong interpersonal, written and oral communication skills
• Exercises independent judgment in methods, techniques and evaluation criteria for obtaining results.
• Uses vision to think beyond the immediate situation, explore multiple potential paths, and adapt decision-making style based on the situational circumstances.
• Inspires, motivates, and empowers people to deliver organizational goals, while also delivering value back to employees.
• Champions the process of change and promotes a culture of quick adaptation while helping others deal with the effects of change.
• Demonstrates the ability to develop and maintain internal and external trusting, professional relationships.
• Assesses the degree of risk and opportunity in plans or actions and takes appropriate action to mitigate them or makes plans to build on the opportunity.

Physical Demands

• Ability to work in an office and production 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).

Special Requirements

• U.S. Citizen required.
• Occasionally may be required to travel within the Continental U.S.

Clearance Level

No Clearance

Salary Range

$141,000 - $215,000

Offer Considerations

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:

We also encourage you to review our company website at 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.