Director of Engineering, Directed Energy Systems

AeroVironment • Albuquerque, NM

1d

About The Position

AV Directed Energy Systems is a defense technology innovator specializing in advanced high-energy laser and directed energy weapon systems for counter-UAS, force protection, and tactical engagement missions. We serve U.S. and allied military customers with high-reliability solutions that perform in mission-critical environments. Our growth requires disciplined leadership that balances technical excellence with operational maturity. We are hiring a Director of Engineering to lead our growing multidisciplinary engineering team. This position blends strong people and organizational leadership (60%) with technical oversight and strategic input (40%), supporting complex defense programs and driving a culture of excellence. You will manage engineering staff, define and enforce policies and procedures, and ensure successful execution of Directed Energy-based product development and delivery.

Requirements

• U.S. Citizenship and active DoD Secret Security Clearance.
• B.S. in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, or a related discipline; M.S. or MBA preferred.
• 10+ years of engineering experience with at least 5 years in management roles within the defense or aerospace industry.
• Demonstrated leadership of multi-disciplinary teams developing complex hardware/software systems.
• Strong understanding of engineering lifecycle management, technical reviews, and process compliance in a defense environment.
• Ability to balance operational priorities with long-term technical vision.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with high-energy laser systems, beam control, power electronics, thermal management, or optical subsystems.
• Familiarity with MIL-STD-810, DO-254, or similar defense compliance frameworks.
• Knowledge of engineering tools and environments such as MATLAB, Zemax, SolidWorks, and Agile development methods.
• Experience working with classified development or secure program environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a team of 30+ engineers across systems, software, optical, mechanical, power, and control disciplines, including functional managers.
• Develop, implement, and maintain engineering policies, procedures, and standards to ensure repeatability, traceability, and compliance.
• Partner with Talent Acquisition and HR to manage staffing plans, hiring, onboarding, performance reviews, career development, and succession planning.
• Foster a culture of accountability, technical curiosity, and continuous improvement.
• Oversee resource allocation, workload balancing, and organizational structure to meet program and business needs.
• Lead internal reviews and support external audits, ensuring engineering compliance with ITAR, DoD cybersecurity, and quality standards (ISO, AS9100).
• Promote cross-functional collaboration with Program Management, Operations, and Business Development.
• Provide high-level guidance on Directed Energy system architecture, laser subsystem integration, and power/thermal management, especially during proposal and concept phases.
• Participate in technical reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR), design decisions, and risk assessments to ensure design integrity and alignment with requirements.
• Serve as a technical advisor for complex engineering challenges, trade studies, and roadmap planning.
• Drive adoption of formal systems engineering practices, model-based design, and design-for-manufacturing principles.
• Ensure all development activities meet program milestones, cost targets, and quality objectives.

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.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Number of Employees: 501-1,000 employees