Machine Learning Engineer

SummaryThe Manager, Software Engineering, coordinates with other departments to meet the milestones during product development cycles. As a member of the Engineering management team, the Software Engineering Manager participates in defining and executing the overall engineering product development strategy, budget, team development and evaluation., Manages a group of software engineers, including budget planning, staffing, training, performance evaluation and career development. Attracts and retains high caliber staff and provides mentorship Collaborates with management, production, and marketing to define product design requirements Plans, coordinates, and directs engineering development projects. Reviews and approve product design decisions Designs, modifies, develops, writes and implements software applications as an individual contributor Design and implement embedded software drivers and applications on a micro-controller Verify and document product designs according to quality and regulatory guidelines Works in an Agile environment to coordinate software development projects including scope, scheduling and resourcing Participates in the testing process through test review and analysis, test witnessing and certification of software. Tests, analyzes, and debugs embedded software and digital electronics Frequently interacts with subordinate supervisors, customers and/or functional peer group managers, normally involving matters between functional areas Establishes and assures adherence to budgets, schedules and work plans. Interacts with senior management Other duties as assigned, AV is seeking a Software Engineer 3 with Machine Learning (ML) & Artificial Intelligence (AI) experience, for our PRIME contract. The ideal candidate will be responsible for designing and developing robust software solutions that leverage ML and AI techniques to enhance cyber defense and cyber intelligence solutions. This role requires a deep understanding of both programming languages, as well as experience in implementing ML/AI algorithms and frameworks. You will be part of a talented software team focused on developing solutions to innovate mission-critical systems and applications. Those interested in this position should be comfortable with change and learning new technologies, as this opportunity is focused on finding innovative solutions to our customer's toughest challenges. The team will also address additional challenges related to provisioning of infrastructure and cloud migration within a hybrid, multi-cloud environment (e.g., VMware, AWS &, * Evaluating models for applicability to mission problems, including speed, accuracy, security, and compliance.

• Understanding of standard AI / ML data formats for models, weights, and data interchange.
• Applying industry standard techniques for compressing and fine-tuning models to fit target platforms. This would include CPU-only implementations and edge devices.
• Optimizing performance and efficiency of ML/AI models through continuous testing and refinement.
• Designing and developing ML and AI algorithms and integrate those ML and AI algorithms into systems to solve emerging mission critical problems.
• Providing Leadership and support for corporate AI efforts, including the AI Working Group, Innovation Center, and proposal activities.
• Collaborating with cross-functional teams to understand business requirements and translate them into technical solutions.
• Conducting research and experiments to identify and evaluate the most suitable ML/AI techniques for specific use cases.
• Staying up to date with the latest advancements in ML/AI technologies and best practices. Researching new technologies, understanding emerging challenges to mission critical solutions and quick reaction problem identification & resolution.
• Analyzing, designing, developing, testing deploying, and maintaining Java & Python based innovative solutions to address emerging mission challenges, using industry best practices and frameworks.
• Documenting experiment results, prototype software solutions and ensuring that all technical documentation (i.e. configuration guides, install guides) meets requirements.
• Collaborating with other team members and stakeholders to jointly solve problems and find solutions as a team.
• Working collaboratively in an Agile development environment.

BS degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related is required or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience 12+ years of experience in embedded programming and knowledge in embedded system design At least 2+ years in a supervisory role and successfully managing a technical design team 8+ years' experience on multiple engineering projects including research and development efforts, with a focus on embedded software aspects of the project life cycle Experienced in and knowledgeable of real-time operating systems (RTOS), I/O drivers, and micro-controllers Experienced in and knowledgeable of data communication protocols (i.e. I2C, SPI, CAN, USB) Demonstrated expert programming ability with C language Occasionally may be required to travel within the Continental U.S.

Other Qualifications & Desired Competencies Advanced degree is desired Demonstrates competency in communicating technically and effectively with electrical, mechanical and software groups and staff Skilled at identifying, communicating and mitigating technical risks and issues Understands schematics and is skilled at using a logic analyzer Demonstrates strong interpersonal, written and oral communication skills Exercises independent judgment in methods, techniques and evaluation criteria for obtaining results 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 Assesses the degree of risk and opportunity in plans or actions and takes appropriate action to mitigate them or makes plans to build on the opportunity

Physical Demands Ability to work in an office and production 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), Azure), Cyber Threat Intelligence, DevOps, and Containerization & Orchestration. If you are a software engineer with experience in both Java and Python, have experience in ML and AI, and are interested in solving new challenges, we certainly would like to have you as a part of our team., * Deep understanding of AI/ML capabilities within client environment.

• Strong software development skills with Java, Python, Object Oriented Programming concepts and patterns.
• Experience with machine learning libraries and frameworks such as TensorFlow, PyTorch, scikit-learn, or similar.
• Solid understanding of data structures, algorithms, and computational complexity.
• Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills, with keen attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently as well as collaborate effectively within a team environment.
• Experience in the full SDLC (Software Development Life Cycle) that includes Requirements Analysis, Design, Coding, Testing, Implementation, Maintenance with the Agile Methodology

Desired Skills:

• Good understanding of software project management tools (GitLab, Jenkins, Maven, Jira, Confluence)
• Previous experience in developing and deploying ML/AI models in real-world applications.
• Knowledge of distributed computing frameworks such as Apache Spark or Hadoop.
• Knowledge of data science workflows, ETL, and data lakes.
• Experience with cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud Platform.
• Familiarity with containerization technologies such as Docker and Kubernetes.
• Contributions to open-source projects or active participation in the developer community., (20)Twenty years experience as a SWE in programs and contracts of similar scope, type, and complexity is required. Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related discipline from an accredited college or university is required. Four (4) years of additional SWE experience on projects with similar software processes may be substituted for a bachelor's degree., 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, U.S. Citizenship is required. Secret or Top Secret clearance, or the ability obtain a clearance is desired.

Salary range: $245,000 - $260,000

Clearance Level

Top Secret with Poly

The salary range for this role is: $150,000 - $236,250

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.

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.