Director of Manufacturing - Space Technologies
AeroVironment · Albuquerque, NM
- Level
- Director+
- Team
- Manufacturing
- Base pay
- $148k–$237k
- Degree
- Required (or equivalent experience)
- Experience asked
- 10+ years
- Industry
- Aerospace & defense
- Posted
- 16 days ago
The role in 30 seconds
A director-level manufacturing role at AeroVironment (aerospace & defense) in Albuquerque, NM.
- They ask for
- 10+ years · degree required (or equivalent experience)
- Tools it names
- Lean
- Base pay
- $148k–$237k
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of October 19, 2026
Manufacturing Engineer roles in New Mexico: typical posted base $104k–$140k. This one lists $148k–$237k.
Median of the low and high ends of 3 live postings that list pay, out of 5 manufacturing engineer openings in New Mexico, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
New Mexico plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 1624 other live manufacturing postings in the US.
- Base pay
- About 66% above similar roles
- Experience asked
- More than usual (10+ vs 5+)
Typical $96k–$136k, from 492 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- Tooling 49%
- Root cause 41%
- ✓ Lean 40%
- ✓ New product launch 39%
- Automation 31%
- Validation (IQ/OQ/PQ) 24%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
At a glance
Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.
How to get in at this plant
Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.
- 1
Pick 2–3 people on the Manufacturing team at AeroVironment
We found 1 person at this company and state: 1 in this kind of role. Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. See them ↓
- 2
Send a short, curious note
One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.
Write to Larry → (free) - 3
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- Is the work mostly new product launches or sustaining existing lines?
- How much time do you spend on the floor versus at a desk?
- How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
- 4
Apply with someone vouching for you
If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.
- 5
Bring proof to the interview
One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.
This plant: AeroVironment in Albuquerque
6 other open roles at this site · 1 person we found in manufacturing roles at AeroVironment.
- Senior Quality Engineer · Quality · Senior
- Senior Manufacturing Engineer - Space Technologies · Manufacturing · Senior
- Group Lead - Assembly Technician Team · Manufacturing · Technician
- Directed Energy Senior Manufacturing and Process Engineer · Process · Senior
- Directed Energy Manufacturing and Process Engineer II · Process
- Directed Energy Sr Operations Engineering Manager · Production · Manager
Full description from AeroVironmentAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
Responsibilities
- ◆Lead all aspects of space product manufacturing across a portfolio of ~10 products, including production readiness, rate ramp, quality, and delivery performance.
- ◆Own tactical execution across manufacturing operations, including PCBA production and space-qualified hardware fabrication.
- ◆Manage material planning, production scheduling, supply chain coordination, and supplier performance oversight.
- ◆Oversee quality execution, compliance, and defect reduction within high-reliability manufacturing environments.
- ◆Maintain daily/weekly operating cadence to ensure commitments are met.
- ◆Drive the transition from engineering development to full-rate production, implementing design-for-manufacturability, producibility, and cost optimization.
- ◆Partner closely with engineering to mature designs and implement robust build-to-print, configuration control, and production release processes.
- ◆Ensure full compliance with space manufacturing standards, including IPC J-STD
requirements
and applicable space addenda, mission assurance, and reliability expectations.
- ✓Establish and scale manufacturing processes meeting high-reliability, low-defect, and traceability
requirements
for space systems.
- ✓Lead cross-functional coordination across engineering, quality, supply chain, programs, and finance.
- ✓Partner with Global Operations to ensure alignment to enterprise initiatives, policies, and governance, including the adoption of Oracle Fusion and standardized metrics.
- ✓Drive lean manufacturing initiatives to improve throughput, reduce cycle time, and optimize cost structures.
- ✓Build and develop an organization across manufacturing, material planning, supply chain, and quality functions.
Basic
(Required Skills & Experience)
- ✓Education: Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations, or a related technical field (or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience).
- ✓Experience: Minimum 10 years of progressive experience in manufacturing or operations, with at least 6 to 8 years of direct managerial experience.
- ✓Core Technical Expertise:
- ✓Proven experience leading space hardware manufacturing organizations.
- ✓Required: Direct, hands-on experience manufacturing PCBA (Printed Circuit Board Assemblies) .
- ✓Required: Direct experience manufacturing Space-Qualified hardware .
- ✓Transitions & Standards: Demonstrated success transitioning products from engineering development into production at scale; deep expertise in space manufacturing standards, including IPC J-STD and applicable space addenda, quality, and mission assurance frameworks.
- ✓Operations & Systems: Understanding of material planning, supply chain operations, and quality systems in high-reliability environments; experience operating within enterprise ERP/MRP systems (such as Oracle Fusion).
Other
& Competencies (Desired Experience)
- ✓Experience working with Space Optics .
- ✓Experience working with Laser Communications .
- ✓Experience with multi-product space portfolios, including payloads, avionics, and space subsystems.
- ✓Background in high-mix, low-volume manufacturing transitioning to higher-rate production.
- ✓Experience supporting new product introduction (NPI) and production ramps.
- ✓Familiarity with commercial space trends and dual-use product strategies.
Requirements
- ✓U.S. Citizenship required
- ✓Occasionally may be required to travel Internationally and within the Continental U.S.
Clearance Level
No Clearance
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
Worker Type
Regular
Job Description
This role will serve as the leader responsible for all space product manufacturing, with end-to-end accountability for transitioning a portfolio of ten space products from engineering development into production. Reporting to the VP of Manufacturing for Space, Cyber and Directed Energy Segment at AV, this position will oversee manufacturing operations for space hardware, specifically requiring hands-on experience in the manufacturing of printed circuit board assemblies (PCBA) and space-qualified hardware.
This role has direct responsibility for tactical execution across manufacturing operations, including material planning, supply chain coordination, and quality performance. The leader will ensure day-to-day execution meets cost, schedule, and performance objectives while aligning closely with AV's Global Operations to adopt and enforce enterprise initiatives, policies, tools, and standardized processes.
Position
Leadership Profile
- •Forward-leaning, action-oriented leader who balances strategy with hands-on execution
- •Strong collaborator who drives alignment across engineering, operations, and Global Operations governance
- •Operates with urgency and accountability while maintaining rigor and quality standards
- •Able to translate enterprise priorities into daily execution and measurable outcomes
- •Committed to building scalable systems, disciplined processes, and high-performing teams
Scope & Impact
- •Direct ownership of manufacturing, material planning, supply chain, and quality execution for 10+ space products
- •Critical role in enabling revenue realization, margin expansion, and on-time delivery performance
- •Key leader in transitioning the organization from development-heavy to product-oriented manufacturing
- •Central to driving enterprise standardization, ERP adoption, and operational excellence in partnership with Global Operations
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)
Special
ITAR Requirement
This position requires access