Worker Type

Job Description

 

Summary

AV is seeking an experienced and highly organized Group Lead to provide daily leadership, direction, and technical oversight to a team of Assembly Technicians responsible for building, assembling, and testing mission-critical space-qualified hardware. The Group Lead will serve as the primary on-the-floor leader, ensuring that all assembly, integration, test, and documentation activities are performed safely, accurately, on schedule, and in strict compliance with procedures, quality standards, and mission requirements for flight and space hardware.

Position Responsibilities

• Provide daily work direction, task assignment, and priority setting for a team of 6 - 14 Assembly Technicians
• Monitor progress of multiple assemblies/subassemblies in real time; reallocate resources and adjust priorities as needed to meet schedule milestones
• Perform hands-on technical leadership including:
  • Demonstrating critical assembly techniques
  • Troubleshooting complex assembly issues
  • Verifying work-in-process quality and workmanship
• Serve as primary on-shift point-of-contact for technicians regarding technical questions, procedure interpretation, and discrepancy resolution
• Conduct pre-shift briefings, safety stand-downs, and end-of-shift pass-downs
• Ensure strict adherence to ESD controls, cleanroom protocols, FOD prevention, and contamination control requirements
• Review and approve technician-generated documentation (travelers, discrepancy reports, as-built records, test data, COC/COA verification) for accuracy and completeness
• Identify and escalate technical, schedule, or resource constraints to Manufacturing Management and Engineering in a timely manner
• Assist in training and onboarding new technicians; perform skill assessments and provide feedback for performance reviews
• Support continuous improvement initiatives including procedure updates, tool/equipment improvements, and process standardization
• Actively participate in MRB (Material Review Board), Failure Review Boards, and build readiness reviews when required
• Coordinate with Test Engineering, Quality Assurance, Supply Chain, and Engineering to resolve issues impacting assembly flow
• Occasionally perform technician-level assembly, bonding, staking, harness installation, or test support during peak periods or critical operations
• Enforce and model AV's safety, quality, and mission-success-first culture

Basic Qualifications (Required Skills & Competencies)

• Minimum 6 years of hands-on experience assembling and testing space flight or high-reliability aerospace hardware
• Previous experience as a lead, senior technician, or working group supervisor directing daily activities of 4+ technicians
• Demonstrated expert-level proficiency in all core Assembly Technician responsibilities including:
  • Precision assembly in cleanroom environments
  • Reading & interpreting complex drawings, schematics, ICDs, and work instructions
  • Mixing/applying flight-qualified epoxies and adhesives
  • ESD-sensitive hardware handling
  • Component inspection, cleaning, vacuum bake-out, and traveler documentation
• Strong working knowledge of J-STD-001 (Space Addendum), IPC-A-610, and/or IPC/WHMA-A-620 standards
• Proven track record of high attention to detail and zero-defect mindset in flight hardware production
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; ability to clearly explain technical concepts and give effective direction
• Demonstrated ability to remain calm and make sound decisions under schedule pressure and during anomaly situations
• U.S. Citizenship required
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. DoD clearance

Other Qualification & Desired Competencies

• Current certifications: J-STD-001 (Space Addendum), IPC-A-610, IPC/WHMA-A-620
• Prior experience leading teams through TVAC, vibration, EMI/EMC, or other qualification testing campaigns
• Experience with configuration management and as-built documentation in a formal AS9100 / ISO 9001 environment
• Familiarity with space-grade materials, fasteners, conformal coating, staking, and harnessing processes
• Previous experience supporting GEO, MEO, LEO, or Cislunar mission hardware
• Lean / Six Sigma training or demonstrated history of driving process improvements

Physical Demands & Schedule Requirements

• Ability to work in an office and manufacturing environment
• Ability to perform moderate physical tasks (lifting up to 40 lbs, standing for extended periods, bending, working in cleanroom attire)
• Occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; talk or hear.
• Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus.
• Willingness to support occasional extended work weeks (50 - 60+ hours) and off-shift coverage during critical integration & test phases, including starting the workday at 6:00 AM
• Some domestic travel may be required (<10%)

Why This Role Matters

You will lead the team that physically builds the hardware the nation depends on to operate in the harshest environments in the solar system. Your leadership directly determines whether missions succeed or fail.

If you are a technically excellent, safety-first, detail-obsessed leader who thrives in a high-stakes, mission-critical environment -- we want you on the floor with our technicians building the future of space.

Clearance Level

 

The salary range for this role is:

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:  http://www.avinc.com/myavbenefits.

We also encourage you to review our company website at http://www.avinc.com 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