Manufacturing Engineering Manager

Worker Type Regular Job Description Summary The Manufacturing Engineering Manager leads the manufacturing engineering function supporting AeroVironment’s Unmanned Air Vehicle production operations. This position provides strategic and hands-on leadership for the development, implementation, qualification, and continuous improvement of manufacturing systems, processes, equipment, tooling, and documentation. The manager is accountable for manufacturing readiness, process capability, capacity planning, capital resources, team performance, and continuous improvement across production operations. Position Responsibilities Lead, mentor, and develop the manufacturing engineering team; assign work, establish priorities, support career development, and manage performance. Establish manufacturing engineering strategies, standards, priorities, and performance objectives aligned with company and program requirements. Plan, design, and continuously improve manufacturing systems, production processes, and facility capabilities for Unmanned Air Vehicle production. Develop manufacturing strategies and capacity models for new and existing products, including capital equipment and infrastructure requirements. Direct the specification, development, qualification, implementation, and support of assembly and test equipment. Oversee equipment specifications, qualification records, support plans, work instructions, assembly procedures, and other manufacturing documentation. Lead Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma initiatives to improve productivity, quality, throughput, yield, cost, cycle time, and lead time. Sponsor Value Stream Mapping and other process-improvement activities to reduce waste, variation, cycle time, and production losses. Lead the development and cost estimation of tooling, fixtures, automation, and other manufacturing resources. Direct Make/Buy analyses in collaboration with cross-functional teams. Provide manufacturing engineering input to new product development, including Design for Manufacturing, cost, reliability, producibility, and process-risk assessments. Partner with Design Engineering, Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, Test Engineering, and Program Management to support production readiness, product introduction, ramp-up, process validation, and manufacturing transfer. Provide technical leadership for applicable electro-mechanical processes, including mechanical assembly, printed circuit board assembly, calibration, testing, sheet metal fabrication, plastics, and composite layups. Identify manufacturing risks and lead root-cause analysis and corrective-action activities related to processes, equipment, materials, capacity, tooling, suppliers, quality, and productivity. Manage manufacturing engineering budgets, capital requisitions, resource plans, and project schedules. Coordinate with suppliers and contract manufacturers to support process readiness and ensure receipt of conforming parts and assemblies. Communicate manufacturing status, risks, capacity constraints, improvement results, and resource requirements to leadership. Promote ownership, accountability, teamwork, continuous learning, innovation, and disciplined execution. Perform other duties as assigned. Basic Qualifications (Required Skills & Experience) Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related technical field; equivalent education, training, and experience may be considered. 8 or more years of progressive experience in Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Test Engineering, Operations Engineering, or a related field. 3 or more years of demonstrated experience leading or managing manufacturing engineering teams or cross-functional technical teams. Experience in aerospace, defense, automotive, commercial manufacturing, or another highly regulated manufacturing environment. Strong knowledge of Lean Manufacturing principles and Six Sigma methodologies. Experience with electro-mechanical manufacturing, engineering drawings, manufacturing procedures, bills of materials, and production documentation. Experience developing or implementing assembly, test, inspection, tooling, fixture, or automated manufacturing systems. Experience with manufacturing capacity planning, capital equipment planning, production readiness, and process improvement. Experience with Design for Manufacturing, cost and reliability analysis, Make/Buy evaluations, and structured root-cause analysis. Experience working with suppliers and contract manufacturers. Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Access, and Project. Experience with manufacturing and engineering tools such as Minitab, Oracle, Agile, and CAD systems; SolidWorks experience is preferred. Ability to travel to supplier or contract-manufacturer sites, as required; travel may be up to approximately 30%. Other Qualifications & Desired Competencies Master’s degree in Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Operations, or a related discipline is preferred. Experience manufacturing Small Unmanned Air Vehicles or other complex aerospace products is preferred. Experience with automation, robotics, production-test systems, new manufacturing technology development, or capital equipment projects is preferred. Experience with sheet metal fabrication, plastics, composite layups, printed circuit board assembly, mechanical assembly, calibration, and testing processes is preferred. Experience with production scaling, factory layout, line balancing, takt time, Value Stream Mapping, capacity expansion, or formal project management is preferred. Strong people leadership, coaching, delegation, team-building, communication, organization, planning, prioritization, and time-management skills. Ability to analyze data, make sound technical and business decisions, manage competing priorities, and work independently in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment. Demonstrated initiative, ownership, accountability, problem-solving ability, and commitment to continuous improvement. Strong interpersonal and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively across functions and prioritize team and company success. Physical Demands Ability to work in both office and manufacturing environments. Ability to sit and stand for extended periods. Frequent use of hands and fingers to operate a computer, telephone, keyboard, and other workplace equipment. Ability to communicate verbally and exchange information in office, production, laboratory, and supplier environments. Occasional travel to supplier and contract-manufacturer locations may be required. Clearance Level No Clearance The salary range for this role is: $117,500 - $179,250 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: . 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. ITAR U.S. Citizenship required