Company

AeroVironment (AV)

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Location

Albuquerque, New Mexico

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Employment Type

Full-Time

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Level

Senior (10+ years experience)

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Location Type

Onsite

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Compensation

$188,000 – $217,875 USD

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Benefits

Full range of competitive benefits including medical, dental, vision, retirement plans, and PTO

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Anticipated Start Date

June/July 2026

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How to Apply

Email your resume and brief bio to jobs@stemboomerang.org

Subject Line: Director-AV_[YOUR Name]

About The Company

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 you’re ready to build technology that matters—with speed, scale, and purpose—there’s no better place to do it than AV.

About The Role

The Opportunity:

The Product Line Director (PLD) for the LOCUST family of Directed Energy systems is responsible for overall product line ownership, management of production programs, program execution, and lifecycle management across the LOCUST portfolio. This role serves as the business and execution lead for LOCUST programs, partnering closely with the Technical Product Line Director, and chief engineering team to drive the technical roadmap while ensuring disciplined execution from concept development through production, fielding, and sustainment.     
    
The PLD is accountable for program performance, cost, schedule, risk, and customer satisfaction, and acts as the primary interface between customers, internal engineering teams, supply chain, finance, and senior leadership. This position plays a critical role in scaling directed energy capabilities into operational systems for U.S. Government customers.     

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What You’ll Do:

Product Line & Program Leadership     

• Own end-to-end execution of the LOCUST product line across all phases of the program lifecycle: capture, development, integration, production, fielding, and sustainment     
• Serve as the primary programmatic authority for LOCUST programs, accountable for cost, schedule, technical performance, and delivery commitments     
• Partner with the Technical Product Line Director to align technical roadmap, architecture decisions, and capability evolution with customer requirements and business strategy     
• Lead cross-functional integrated product teams (IPTs) including engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, quality, contracts, and finance     

Financial and Program Control    

• Develop, manage, and execute program budgets, EACs, forecasts, and margin performance
• Ensure disciplined program controls, risk management, and change management across contracts     
• Drive affordability, scalability, and producibility initiatives aligned with customer acquisition strategies     
• Support pricing strategies, proposal development, and negotiation for new programs, follow-ons, and production options   

Customer & Stakeholder Engagement  

• Act as a senior customer interface for LOCUST programs with U.S. Army, NNSA, U.S. Air Force, and other DoD and interagency stakeholders     
• Support customer engagements including design reviews, program reviews, test events, fielding activities, and operational demonstrations     
• Translate evolving customer CONOPS and mission needs into executable program plans and product enhancements     
• Represent the LOCUST product line in internal and external executive-level forums       

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What you Bring:

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Physics, Business, or a related field (advanced degree preferred)     
• 10+ years of experience in defense programs, product line management, or program management
• Ability to obtain Top Secret clearance     
• Demonstrated experience leading directed energy, advanced weapons, or complex defense systems     
• Strong working knowledge of EACs, program financials, earned value concepts, and execution metrics     
• Experience working directly with U.S. Army, NNSA, U.S. Air Force, and/or other government customers     
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams delivering complex, mission-critical systems     
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, execution-driven environment     

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with high-energy laser (HEL) or counter-UAS systems     
• Background supporting rapid prototyping, fielding, and operational test events     
• Familiarity with DoD acquisition pathways, OTAs, rapid capability offices, and transition-to-program-of-record efforts