Worker Type

Regular

Job Description

 

For over 50 years, AeroVironment has been a leader in advanced technologies and diverse innovations that have redefined how the world drives, flies, and connects.

If you thrive on a culture of relentless problem-solving and invention, and want to work for a global front-runner where you tackle real-world challenges, then AeroVironment is the place for you.

Come join our group of innovative thinkers and discover how collaborative efforts produce extraordinary products that touch lives around the world. You can be a part of the team that developed these firsts: a controlled human-powered aircraft, the modern consumer electric car, a tiny hummingbird-like drone and a helicopter that flew on Mars. We also set flight records in near-space with our solar-powered aircraft and we re-shaped the battlefield with portable, hand-held, tactical drones and loitering munitions. We have cemented our reputation around the world and in record books as unrivaled technological pioneers, including seven innovative vehicles in the Smithsonian Institution’s permanent collection in Washington, DC.

While engineering  for the future is what we do, we are ever-mindful of our strong commitment to purpose — to secure lives and advance sustainability through transformative innovation. The products and solutions we provide our customers help to save lives and contribute to a more sustainable environment.

Join us to help push beyond the realm of the possible with such future-defining technologies as robotics, sensors, software analytics and connectivity to generate ever-more meaningful actionable intelligence for our customers so they can proceed with certainty – and succeed.

Summary

The Autonomy Manager leads an engineering team within our Autonomy group.  One has the opportunity to develop a variety of innovative autonomous robotic systems for defense and commercial applications.  In addition to product development, this position supports engineering recruitment and performance management.  These development efforts are generally small focused design teams, which requires one to use a range of skills and tools across traditional engineering, computer science, and mathematical disciplines including optimization, planning, and control under uncertainty.  Because of the nature of the development efforts, one leads a variety of stages of development including requirements definition, concept design, prototyping, detailed design, test and evaluation and validation and verification testing. 

In this role, one inspires, motivates, mentors, develops and empowers the team to deliver organizational goals, while also delivering value back to AeroVironment (AV).  Demonstrates AV core values and encourages others to do the same.  One thinks beyond the immediate situation, explores multiple potential paths, and adapts decision-making style based on the situational circumstances and uses past experience and best practices to identify issues, potential problems, and risk.

Position Responsibilities

• Develop robotic autonomy algorithms capable of making robust decisions for planning and control in uncertain, dynamic environments multi-vehicle operations using state-of-the-art techniques from academia and industry
• Write and test software to support the integration of autonomy algorithms into aircraft (such as autopilots, payloads, or other functional components) or other robotic systems
• Design and prototype autonomous systems and validate designs through a series of purpose-designed experiments.
• Perform design and analysis tasks using AeroVironment and industry developed tools
• Writes system requirements, system test plans, and assist in validation testing
• Trouble-shoot complex systems from a multidisciplinary (hardware and software) perspective
• Support flight test operations, periodic travel will likely be required in support of testing equipment at approved flying locations.
• Perform a variety of engineering support activities on R&D projects
• Document work and assist with the transition of new capabilities, technologies and prototypes into a production development environment.
• Conduct/support design reviews; Develop hiring plans to meet company needs
• Frequently interacts with subordinate supervisors, customers, and/or functional peer group managers, normally involving matters between functional areas, other company divisions or units, or customers and the company
• Other duties as assigned

Basic Qualifications (Required Skills & Experience)

• MS/PhD Degree in Mathematics, Optimization, Computer Science/Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace, or Mechanical Engineering is required or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience
• Prior management experience, including with recruiting and defining standards for software development within relevant industry
• Experience in two or more areas: autonomous control, optimization under uncertainty, route planning, trajectory optimization, autonomous decision making, collaborative autonomy, cognitive information processing, probability theory, obstacle avoidance, bio-inspired autonomy, perceptual autonomy, autonomous mission planning
• Demonstrated Technical leadership experience
• Research or industrial experience in the development of collaborative autonomous robotic systems
• Demonstrated ability to trouble-shoot complex systems
• Experience Managing Research Program Flight Tests and demonstrations
• Experience in a Matrixed organization
• Exposure to Computer vision and machine learning systems architecture/hardware and integration
• Ability to Process or interpret sensor data or signals or results
• Ability to investigate Avionics or Sensor peripherals, such as welders, controllers, or other equipment to design software based Electro-Mechanical systems
• Familiarity with C/C++ and Matlab required
• Familiarity with office software and computer-based productivity tools
• Excellent interpersonal written and oral communication skills.  Strong listening, questioning, clarifying and summarizing skills to effectively communicate in one-on-one and group settings
• Has respect for profit and strives to meet project schedule and budget

Other Matrixed Skills include:

• Proficiency with a deep learning framework such as TensorFlow or Keras
• Proficiency with Python and basic libraries for machine learning such as scikit-learn and pandas
• Expertise in visualizing and manipulating big datasets
• Proficiency with OpenCV
• Familiarity with Linux
• Ability to select hardware to run an ML model with the required latency
• Computational statistics
• Mathematical optimization
• Data mining
• Exploratory data analysis
• Predictive analytics

Other Qualifications & Desired Competencies

• Design/build experience is desired; UAV or R/C aircraft or other lightweight miniature robotic systems
• Successful government research proposal experience a plus
• Familiarity with Python or ROS (Robot Operating System) a plus
• An understanding of Control Theory and Transform functions helpful
• Exposure to Guidance Navigation & Control Systems along with Modeling Simulation & Control helpful
• Exposure to Model-Based Systems Engineering helpful but not required
• Demonstrates strong leadership and champions the process of change and promotes a culture of quick adaptation while helping team deal with effects of change
• Acknowledges how business unit level goals meet overall organizational objectives and works in a manner to meet or exceed expectations.
• Uses vision to think beyond the immediate situation, explore multiple potential paths, and adapt decision-making style based on the situational circumstances
• Inspires, motivates and empowers people to deliver organizational goals, while also delivering value back to employees
• Brings organizational values to life using personality, uniqueness and the creation of a shared vision
• Champions the process of change and promotes a culture of quick adaptation while helping others deal with the effects of change
• Demonstrates the ability to develop and maintain internal and external trusting, professional relationships

Physical Demands

• Ability to work in an office and manufacturing environment (Constant)
• Required to sit and stand for long periods; talk, hear, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer and telephone keyboard (Frequent)

The salary range for this role is:

$165,600 - $248,400

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 will be asked to provide specific documentation to verify U.S. person status under the ITAR and the EAR.  A “U.S. person” according to their 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.

AeroVironment Incorporated is an equal opportunity employer, M/F/D/V and works in compliance with both federal and state laws. We are committed to the concept regarding Equal Employment opportunity. Qualified candidates will be considered for employment regardless of race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, marital status, medical condition nor disability, genetics, veteran and all others that may apply.

ITAR

U.S. Citizenship required. Must be willing to work on government contracts and have the ability to obtain a security clearance.