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Sr. Manager, Hardware Engineering
full-timePottstown$139k - $197k

Summary

Location

Pottstown

Salary

$139k - $197k

Type

full-time

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About this role

Worker Type

Regular


Job Description

 

Summary

The Sr. Manager, Hardware and Systems Engineering is a pivotal leadership role responsible for the physical architecture and cross-functional integration of VideoRay’s world-class underwater robotic systems. As a key member of the Engineering Leadership team, you will translate our strategic technology roadmap into high-performance reality, ensuring our Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) remain the most capable and portable systems in a competitive global market. 

You will lead a multidisciplinary team of Mechanical, Electrical, and Systems Engineers, fostering a culture of technical excellence, rapid prototyping, and rigorous validation. Your mission is to scale the organization’s capabilities to meet the demanding needs of our Commercial and Defense customers. 

Position Responsibilities

  • Leadership & Talent Development: Lead, mentor, and inspire a high-performing team. Drive professional growth through active coaching, ensuring the team remains at the forefront of subsea engineering innovation. 

  • Operational Excellence: Develop and implement standardized engineering tools and "best-in-class" processes (CAD/EDA, JAMA, PDM, PLM, Simulation) to streamline the transition from concept to production. 

  • Strategic Resource Management: Manage staffing levels, budgets, and resource allocation to align with the Annual Operating Plan (AOP) and research, development, and production goals. 

  • Agile Project Oversight: Drive Agile methodologies within hardware development to ensure rapid iteration, sustaining product support, and timely execution of complex engineering programs. 

  • Technical Stewardship: Provide deep technical guidance in the design of pressure-tolerant housings, power distribution, propulsion systems, and sensor integration. 

  • Operational Maturity: Lead the "formalization of the informal" by resolving technical debt, legacy drawing inaccuracies, and undocumented design decisions. 

  • Process Standardization: Establish rigorous process and procedures for engineering changes (ECO/ECN), version control, and peer reviews to ensure scalable, production-ready quality. 

  • Cross-Functional Collaboration: Serve as the primary bridge between Business Leads, Product, Engineering, Production, and External Stakeholders to ensure customer requirements are met with precision and reliability. 

  • Maturity of Disciplines: Continuous improvement of hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing, systems integration, and environmental qualification. 

  • Other duties as assigned.

Basic Qualifications (Required Skills & Experience)

  • Experience: 12+ years of progressive engineering experience, with at least 5+ years in a formal leadership or management role overseeing multidisciplinary hardware and systems teams. 

    Education: BS in Electrical, Mechanical, Aerospace, or other Engineering Disciplines (Master’s degree preferred). 

    Industry Background: Proven experience in Aerospace, Defense, or Subsea/Robotics hardware development. Familiarity with ruggedized electronics and systems operating in harsh environments is highly preferred. 

    Lifecycle Expertise: Demonstrated success taking complex hardware from initial concept through design, integration, environmental testing (Vibration, Thermal, Pressure), and into high-rate production. 

    Process Knowledge: Strong understanding of Systems Engineering principles (requirements traceability, risk management, and interface control). 

    Systems Thinker: Proven ability to transform "tribal knowledge" into scalable, documented processes and formal engineering procedures. 

    Pragmatic Problem Solver: Experience managing the balance between rapid innovation and the necessity of disciplined documentation and configuration management. 

    "Player-Coach" Mentality: Willingness to roll up sleeves to assist the team in solving immediate technical hurdles while simultaneously building the long-term systems to prevent them. 

    Communication: Exceptional ability to translate complex technical challenges into actionable business insights for executive leadership. 

    Citizenship: U.S. Citizenship is required due to defense contract requirements

Physical Demands

  • Ability to work in an office and onsite environment (Frequent).

  • Ability to support field testing and integration assignments (Infrequently).

  • Required to sit and stand for long periods; talk, hear, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer and telephone keyboard (Frequent).


Clearance Level

 

No Clearance

The salary range for this role is:

$139,371 - $197,400

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.

Who We Are

Based in California, AeroVironment (AVAV) is a global leader in unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and tactical missile systems. Founded in 1971 by celebrated physicist and engineer, Dr. Paul MacCready, we’ve been at the leading edge of technical innovation for more than 45 years. Be a part of the team that developed the world’s most widely used military drones and created the first submarine-launched reconnaissance drone, and has seven innovative vehicles that are part of the Smithsonian Institution’s permanent collection in Washington, DC.

Join us today in developing the next generation of small UAS and tactical missile systems that will deliver more actionable intelligence to our customers so they can proceed with certainty – and succeed.

What We Do

Building on a history of technological innovation, AeroVironment designs, develops, produces, and supports an advanced portfolio of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and tactical missile systems.  Agencies of the U.S. Department of Defense and allied military services use the company’s hand-launched UAS to provide situational awareness to tactical operating units through real-time, airborne reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition.

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

Other facts

Tech stack
Leadership,Mentoring,Engineering,Project Management,Systems Engineering,Problem Solving,Collaboration,Technical Guidance,Agile Methodologies,Process Standardization,Resource Management,Environmental Testing,Documentation,Configuration Management,Communication,Innovation

About AeroVironment

For over 50 years, we at AeroVironment have devoted ourselves to creating simpler more innovative solutions that extend the reach and awareness of our military and commercial customers.

We are driven to seek more powerful ways to combine advances in such future defining technologies as robotics, sensors, software analytics and connectivity to generate even more meaningful information and to elevate our customers' capacity to make smarter, quicker decisions.

Our company pioneered and is a leader in the markets for small Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Loitering Munition Systems, Unmanned Ground Vehicles and High-Altitude Pseudo-Satellites. We empower troops, engineers and more with actionable intelligence they need to proceed with certainty.

Team size: 1,001-5,000 employees
LinkedIn: Visit
Industry: Defense and Space Manufacturing
Founding Year: 1971

What you'll do

  • The Sr. Manager will lead a multidisciplinary team to ensure the successful integration of underwater robotic systems. Responsibilities include developing engineering processes, managing resources, and driving innovation in hardware development.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does AeroVironment pay for a Sr. Manager, Hardware Engineering?

AeroVironment offers a competitive compensation package for the Sr. Manager, Hardware Engineering role. The salary range is USD 139k - 197k per year. Apply through Clera to learn more about the full compensation details.

What does a Sr. Manager, Hardware Engineering do at AeroVironment?

As a Sr. Manager, Hardware Engineering at AeroVironment, you will: the Sr. Manager will lead a multidisciplinary team to ensure the successful integration of underwater robotic systems. Responsibilities include developing engineering processes, managing resources, and driving innovation in hardware development..

Why join AeroVironment as a Sr. Manager, Hardware Engineering?

AeroVironment is a leading Defense and Space Manufacturing company. The Sr. Manager, Hardware Engineering role offers competitive compensation.

Is the Sr. Manager, Hardware Engineering position at AeroVironment remote?

The Sr. Manager, Hardware Engineering position at AeroVironment is based in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, United States. Contact the company through Clera for specific work arrangement details.

How do I apply for the Sr. Manager, Hardware Engineering position at AeroVironment?

You can apply for the Sr. Manager, Hardware Engineering position at AeroVironment directly through Clera. Click the "Apply Now" button above to start your application. Clera's AI-powered platform will help match your profile with this opportunity and guide you through the application process. You can also learn more about AeroVironment on their website.