Manufacturing Engineering Systems/Program Lead

Worker Type Regular Job Description Summary AV is seeking an experienced Manufacturing Systems Engineering/Program Lead to provide technical leadership for manufacturing engineering activities across multiple programs. This role will serve as the technical lead responsible for factory value-stream analysis, capacity modeling, Earned Value Management System (EVMS) and Control Account Manager (CAM) activities, and manufacturing capacity expansion initiatives. The ideal candidate has a strong manufacturing engineering background supporting moderate- to high-volume operations, preferably in mechanical manufacturing, printed circuit board (PCB), or circuit card assembly (CCA) environments. Working across manufacturing, engineering, program management, operations, quality, supply chain, and leadership teams, this individual will evaluate factory performance, identify constraints, develop scalable manufacturing solutions, and support program execution. The successful candidate will translate manufacturing data and program requirements into actionable plans that improve throughput, capacity, cost, quality, and schedule performance. This role requires strong technical ownership, analytical ability, communication skills, and the ability to work effectively in a dynamic, cross-functional environment. Position Responsibilities Serve as the technical lead for manufacturing engineering systems, factory capacity, and related initiatives across multiple programs. Develop and maintain value-stream and capacity models to evaluate material and process flow, throughput, cycle time, bottlenecks, capacity requirements, and factory performance. Lead capacity expansion and factory planning efforts, including evaluation of equipment, tooling, facilities, staffing, process capability, production flow, and resource requirements. Support EVMS, Integrated Master Schedule (IMS), budgets, performance metrics, and cost/schedule integration in partnership with Program Management and CAMs. Serve as a CAM or provide CAM support, including control account planning, estimates, schedules, and performance assessments. Analyze manufacturing data and develop recommendations to improve throughput, capacity utilization, cost, quality, productivity, and schedule performance. Partner with cross-functional organizations to resolve manufacturing constraints, execution issues, and program risks. Develop manufacturing strategies and implementation plans for program ramp-up, production scaling, and long-term capacity expansion. Develop and maintain manufacturing metrics, dashboards, and performance indicators to support data-driven decision-making. Lead or support Lean, Six Sigma, Theory of Constraints, and other continuous improvement initiatives. Present manufacturing performance, capacity, risks, investment recommendations, and status updates to program and functional leadership. Perform other relevant duties as assigned. Basic Qualifications (Required Skills & Competencies) Bachelor's degree in Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related engineering discipline. At least 8 years of experience in manufacturing engineering, industrial engineering, or a related field, preferably in moderate- to high-volume manufacturing. Experience with mechanical manufacturing, PCB/CCA assembly, or complex electromechanical manufacturing. Experience with capacity analysis, modeling, planning, value-stream mapping, and factory performance analysis. Experience with EVMS, program planning, cost/schedule performance management, and CAM responsibilities, including control account planning and performance reporting. Experience developing manufacturing metrics, dashboards, production forecasts, and capacity expansion solutions. Strong proficiency with Microsoft Excel and other data analysis or modeling tools. Strong analytical, problem-solving, technical leadership, and communication skills. Ability to collaborate effectively across manufacturing, engineering, program management, operations, and leadership organizations. Ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic, fast-paced environment. Must be a U.S. Citizen. Other Qualifications & Desired Competencies Ten or more years of relevant manufacturing or industrial engineering experience. Experience with factory-level capacity models, production forecasts, manufacturing execution systems (MES), enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, or other manufacturing data systems. Experience with EVMS implementation and compliance in a government, aerospace, defense, or high-reliability manufacturing environment. Experience with IMS development, resource loading, and schedule/cost integration. Experience leading manufacturing capacity expansion, factory transformation, or production scaling initiatives. Experience with automated manufacturing processes, production test, tooling, fixtures, and manufacturing equipment. Experience supporting aerospace, defense, spaceflight, or other high-reliability programs. Experience presenting capacity, performance, and investment recommendations to senior leadership. Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, factory flow, capacity planning, and production systems. Ability to assume technical responsibility for manufacturing systems and capacity initiatives across multiple programs. Physical Demands and Work Environment This position operates in a professional office and manufacturing environment. Routinely interacts with manufacturing operations and may spend time on the factory floor evaluating production processes, equipment, material flow, and manufacturing constraints. Required to sit and stand for long periods; talk, hear, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer and telephone keyboard. Clearance Level No Clearance The salary range for this role is: $111,500 - $170,000 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