Summary
The WASP Product Line Chief Engineer (PLCE) will serve as the technical authority for the WASP Phased Array Product Line, responsible for long-term technical vision, architecture alignment, and incremental capability evolution through block upgrades. This role is not primarily customer-facing, but instead focuses on sustaining engineering excellence, driving product roadmap execution, and ensuring alignment with the Space RF Business Unit (BU) strategy.
Working in close partnership with the Chief Architect, Product Line Manager (PLM), and BU Leadership, the WASP PLCE ensures that product investments, design decisions, and technology insertions are cohesive scalable, and aligned to both spanet needs and future mission requirements. In collaboration with the PLM, this role balances technical performance, cost, schedule, and spanet priorities to deliver competitive and sustainable product outcomes. This role reports through the Director of Engineering and collaborates across programs to maintain technical consistency, reuse, and innovation across the portfolio.
Success in this role requires deep RF domain expertise, strong systems engineering discipline, and demonstrated experience evolving complex systems across multiple product increments.
On any given day, the selected candidate may perform the following duties:Serve as the single technical authority for the WASP product line, ensuring consistency of architecture, design approach, and technical standards across all programs and upgrades
Drive product evolution strategy, defining and guiding block upgrades, technology refresh cycles, and capability roadmaps
Partner closely with the Product Line Manager (PLM) and Chief Architect to align technical execution with product strategy, business case, cost targets and spanet needs
Collaborate with the PLM and BU Leadership to ensure technical solutions are aligned with business objectives, customer demand signals, and growth strategy
Partner with the Chief Architect to ensure alignment to enterprise-level architectures, modularity, and reuse strategies
Maintain and evolve the technical baseline across the product lifecycle, from conceptualization through sustainment, ensuring backward compatibility and forward scalability
Provide technical oversight to program Chief Engineers to ensure alignment with product line standards and long-term vision (if applicable)
Lead cross-functional technical integration across RF, digital, FPGA/firmware, software, mechanical, systems, and test disciplines
Champion RF system performance optimization, ensuring designs meet or exceed mission requirements across upgrades
Drive systems engineering rigor, including requirements decomposition, traceability, and verification strategies across product increments
Establish and enforce design standards, best practices and reusable architecture across the product line
Identify and mitigate technical risks associated with product evolution and technology insertion
Support and help shape IRAD efforts in partnership with the PLM, Chief Architect & BU Leadership to align with product and business roadmap priorities
Mentor engineering teams and develop technical talent within the product line
Required Qualifications:
Bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related technical field; equivalent experience may be considered.
8 years of engineering experience, with significant experience in RF Systems or phased-array technologies
Demonstrated experience in product development and lifecycle management, including multiple design iterations or block upgrades
Strong background in RF system design, integration, and performance analysis
Experience applying systems engineering across complex systems (requirements, architecture, V&V)
Ability to operate effectively in an internal leadership role influencing multiple programs and stakeholders (if applicable)
Experience collaborating with product management or product line leadership on roadmap and investment decisions
Proficiency with standard engineering and business tools (Microsoft Office, project planning tools, etc.)
Ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret US DoD Security Clearance
Desired Qualifications:
Masters degree in Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related field
Deep subject matter expertise (SME) in RF systems, including phased arrays, EW, radar or communication systems
Experience with modular open systems approaches (MOSA) and scalable architecture design
Prior experience in a Product Line Chief Engineer, Lead Systems Engineer, or Technical Director-type role
Experience guiding technology roadmaps and IRAD investments in partnership with product management
Familiarity with MBSE tools and digital engineering environments
Experience working across multiple programs to standardize architectures and promote reuse
Knowledge of DoD acquisition processes and environments
Strong leadership, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills
Active Secret or Top Secret US DoD Security Clearance
Clearance Level
TS/SCIThe salary range for this role is:
$160,000 - $226,800AeroVironment 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 youre 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