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Senior Engineer - M&S

AeroVironment

Colorado Springs, COJobSeen 1w agoSeen in employer's feed 4 days ago

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At a glance

Compensation
No compensation found
Location
Colorado Springs, CO
Work Authorization
Not specified

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Requirements

Credentials this posting asks for.

Top Secret clearanceMaster's degree

Job overview

AeroVironment seeks a Senior Engineer - M&S to support the Missile Defense Agency’s Systems Engineering Enterprise Ground Test Assessment and Verification Directorate. The role leads engineers and analysts in accrediting models and simulations for use in missile defense testing, advises government customers, and coordinates across program organizations and test agencies. The engineer also manages test schedules, reviews technical materials, identifies risks, and develops mitigation strategies and plans for known model limitations.

Skills & qualifications

RequiredNice to have

Skills

Missile Defense SystemsSystems EngineeringTest and EvaluationRisk ManagementModeling and SimulationM&S Verification and ValidationM&S AccreditationWritten CommunicationVerbal CommunicationInterpersonal SkillsDecision BriefingsTechnical Report WritingInitiativeAttention to DetailIndependent WorkDoD Project Officer SupportPPBE Process

Qualifications

Master's in STEM12+ Years ExperienceActive Secret ClearanceAbility to Obtain Top Secret Clearance

Benefits

Medical Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
401(k) Match
Paid Time Off

Full job description

Colorado Springs, CO

9228

Worker Type

Regular

Job Description

AV is looking for a highly talented Senior Engineer - M&S to join our team! In this role, you will support the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) Systems Engineering Enterprise Ground Test Assessment and Verification Directorate (MDA/SEQ) by leading a functional team of engineers and analysts to solve complex problems, establish policy and procedures, and to accredit a federation of models and simulations (M&S) for their intended use by the Missile Defense Agency (MDA), Operational Test Agency Team (OTA), Combatant Commanders (COCOMS), and the Director, Operational Test & Evaluation (DOT&E) to support Missile Defense System (MDS) combined developmental (DT&E) and operational (OT&E) testing.

Job Description:

  • Provide senior technical/project management

  • Interact with and coordinate across multiple program organizations within MDA, as well as Service Component program offices and test agencies

  • Advise Government customers on advanced and wide-ranging projects

  • Develop and manage test event schedules to include all milestones and products

  • Work with the engineering and analysis teams to create and deliver high quality technical products on time

  • Attend and participate in meetings that are relevant to the test events

  • Analyze other organizations' plans, reports, briefings for sufficiency and understanding

  • Identify risks and develop mitigation strategies

  • Provide regular status updates to the leadership team

  • Ongoing review and evolution of processes and products to identify innovative solutions

  • Develop Programs of Action and Milestones (POA&M) to address known model limitations

Required:

  • Master's degree in a Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math (STEM) field

  • 12+ years of experience

  • Active Secret clearance with ability to obtain a Top Secret clearance

  • Specialized depth and breadth of expertise and knowledge of the Missile Defense System (MDS), Systems Engineering (SE), Test and Evaluation (T&E), and Risk Management principles

  • Demonstrated experience in modeling & simulation (M&S), and M&S verification, validation, and accreditation (VV&A) policy, processes, and best practices

  • Outstanding written and verbal communication skills

  • Outstanding interpersonal skills

  • Demonstrated experience developing information and decision briefings and writing technical reports

  • Self-starter with initiative and attention to detail

  • Able to work independently with ambiguous requirements and direction when necessary

Desired:

  • Experience as a Project officer supporting DoD flag/general officer staff

  • Knowledge of DoD Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution (PPBE) process

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.

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

About AV:

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.

Careers at AeroVironment (https://www.avinc.com/careers/our-team)

How this job compares

Set against the 3,018 open Systems Engineering jobs on Olive Jobs, counted November 8, 2026.

Pay
  • This postingNot listed
  • Colorado median$120–181K/yr212 salary ranges
  • Colorado median$27–36/hr25 hourly ranges
Openings
Olive Jobs lists 252 open Systems Engineering jobs in Colorado and 3,018 across the US. 5% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
Hiring the most in Colorado
Experience
This posting asks for at least 12 years of experience — more than three in four Systems Engineering postings that state a minimum ask for (median 7 years, across 2,392 postings).
Education
This posting asks for a master's degree; 74 of the 3,018 open Systems Engineering jobs (2%) ask for a master's degree or higher.

Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on November 8, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.

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