Engineering Operations Lead

AeroVironment • Huntsville, AL

4d

About The Position

AeroVironment is seeking an Engineering Operations Lead to support the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) Targets and Countermeasures Program Directorate within the Chief Engineer / Targets Systems Engineering Division. The role serves as the central operational integrator and technical synchronization point for Targets Systems Engineering, managing executive engineering rhythms, tasker operations, lifecycle and governance documentation, and cross-directorate communications with program stakeholders, prime contractors, and partner organizations.

The position manages recurring staff meetings and executive briefings, coordinates technical milestone reviews and executive summaries, and operates as the division’s primary Action Officer in ETMS2. It also handles classified and unclassified tasking, coordinates media and public-release requests, and leads annual historical-summary and data-call activities.

The role leads operational coordination for the annual Targets Cost Analysis Requirements Description (CARD) update and manages PESHE updates, baseline plans, standard operating procedure governance, and configuration-controlled documentation across agency information environments. It requires an active DoD Secret clearance, U.S. citizenship, and the ability to maintain access to classified environments. The position also requires access to ITAR- and/or EAR-controlled information, with documentation to verify U.S. person status.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or an equivalent technical/scientific discipline specifically related to the area of specialty.
• 10 or more years of related professional experience.
• Active DoD Secret clearance; U.S. citizenship is required.
• Ability to maintain clearance and access to classified environments, including SIPRNet.
• Demonstrated experience managing operational battle rhythms, consolidating executive briefings, and executing technical meetings for senior military and civilian leaders.
• Direct experience tracking and adjudicating review comments using formal systems, such as DoD Form 100 comment matrices.
• Familiarity with DoD acquisition lifecycle documentation, such as CARD, SEP, RMP, PESHE, and TEMP.
• Strong administrative rigor in routing executive correspondence, Staff Summary Sheets, and official action packages.
• Expert proficiency in Microsoft 365, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, and SharePoint.
• Working knowledge of task-tracking systems such as ETMS2 or similar DoD correspondence-management tools.
• Ability to provide documentation verifying U.S. person status for access to ITAR- and/or EAR-controlled information.

Nice To Haves

• Master's degree in Systems Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, Technical Management, or a related STEM discipline.
• 12 or more years of professional experience supporting DoD or federal program offices, preferably in a SETA, A&AS, or SE&I capacity.
• Direct experience supporting the Missile Defense Agency, particularly the Targets and Countermeasures Directorate or Engineering Directorate.
• Working familiarity with DoW and MDA workflows.
• Experience coordinating across multi-organization teams, including US Army DEVCOM (S3I), prime target hardware vendors, and national labs/FFRDCs.
• Ability to operate semi-autonomously, establish deadlines, and de-conflict competing technical and programmatic priorities under tight turnarounds.

Responsibilities

• Manage the end-to-end rhythm for weekly Targets Systems Engineering division staff meetings, including chart inputs, technical presentations, facility logistics, and pre-brief packages.
• Coordinate and submit executive updates on requirements baselines, schedule changes, and technical accomplishments for the MDA Directorate for Engineering weekly staff.
• Aggregate and format Directorate-wide programmatic and technical status briefings for Program Director and Front Office leadership.
• Track, de-conflict, and report 30/60/90-day major target-program technical milestone reviews, and deliver post-review executive summaries within required timeframes.
• Serve as the primary DTTE Action Officer in ETMS2; triage, distribute, monitor, and drive timely closure of Congressional, OSD, and internal agency taskers.
• Ingest and route classified and unclassified tasker inputs across SIPRNet and NIPRNet repositories in accordance with OPSEC and handling guidelines.
• Process industry requests for media engagement and MDA public-release packages; coordinate reviews with Acquisition, Legal, and Strategic Communications and draft Staff Summary Sheets.
• Lead the annual DTTE Historical Summary collection and coordinate FFRDC data calls and technical conference attendance nominations.
• Lead operational integration of the annual DT Targets CARD update supporting the President's Budget submission to Congress.
• Coordinate CARD update kickoff alignments across Logistics, Acquisition, Contracts, Software, Cyber, and IMTP Manifest teams.
• Consolidate classified and unclassified appendices, adjudicate comments through Form 100, generate Staff Summary Sheets, and route packages for executive sign-off.
• Manage biennial PESHE updates in coordination with Targets Quality and Environmental Management.
• Oversee review cycles, administrative accuracy, Form 100 comment adjudication, routing, and publishing of baseline plans and core program documentation.
• Maintain configuration-controlled baseline archives on agency SharePoint portals, DOD365 environments, and SIPR shared networks.

Benefits

• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• 401(k) with company matching
• Flexible work schedule options
• Some programs may offer a 9/80 work schedule and paid holiday shutdown, depending on business unit, role, and customer contract requirements.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior