Job Description

Worker Type

Regular

AV is seeking a Cybersecurity & Anti-Tamper Engineering Subject Matter Expert (Senior Principal Engineer) to support the LOCUST product line. This position will serve as a key technical contributor responsible for cybersecurity, network security, information assurance, and Anti-Tamper (AT) strategy and engineering across the development, integration, qualification, production, and fielding lifecycle of LOCUST systems.

The Senior Cybersecurity & Anti-Tamper SME will work closely with Systems Engineering, Software, Electrical Engineering, Integration & Test, Program Management, and Government customers to ensure LOCUST products are designed and delivered with appropriate cybersecurity protections, secure network architectures, and Anti-Tamper capabilities.

This role requires a hands-on engineer who can translate DoD cybersecurity and Anti-Tamper requirements into practical system-level requirements, architectures, technical solutions, verification activities, and program documentation.

Position Responsibilities
Cybersecurity & Network Security Engineering
· Serve as a cybersecurity engineering subject matter expert for the LOCUST product line, supporting system development, production, integration, and fielding activities.
· Develop, maintain, and manage system-level cybersecurity requirements and ensure appropriate allocation to hardware, software, firmware, and network components.
· Evaluate LOCUST system and network architectures for cybersecurity vulnerabilities and recommend design solutions that reduce technical and operational risk.
· Support the design and implementation of secure communications, network segmentation, authentication, access control, encryption, logging, system hardening, and other cybersecurity controls.
· Perform cybersecurity engineering analyses including threat assessments, vulnerability assessments, attack-surface analysis, and cybersecurity risk assessments.
· Support secure integration of Government, third-party, and commercial hardware/software into LOCUST system architectures.
· Work directly with software and systems engineering teams to incorporate secure-by-design principles throughout the product lifecycle.
· Support vulnerability identification, remediation, patching, configuration management, and cybersecurity sustainment for deployed systems.
· Develop and execute cybersecurity verification and validation activities to demonstrate compliance with applicable system requirements.
Risk Management Framework & Compliance
· Support implementation of the DoD Risk Management Framework (RMF) and applicable cybersecurity requirements throughout the LOCUST product lifecycle.
· Develop and maintain technical cybersecurity artifacts supporting system authorization and customer accreditation activities.
· Assist with security control implementation, assessment, evidence development, POA&M resolution, and technical responses to cybersecurity findings.
· Support compliance with applicable DoD cybersecurity policies, Security Technical Implementation Guides (STIGs), and program-specific security requirements.
· Coordinate with internal security organizations, customer cybersecurity representatives, Authorizing Official representatives, and independent assessment organizations as required.
· Ensure cybersecurity requirements remain integrated with system configuration management and engineering change processes.
Anti-Tamper Engineering
· Serve as a technical contributor for Anti-Tamper engineering and implementation across LOCUST systems and critical technology.
· Support identification of Critical Program Information (CPI), critical technologies, and system components requiring protection.
· Perform technical assessments of potential exploitation pathways and recommend appropriate hardware, software, firmware, and system-level protection techniques.
· Support development and maintenance of Anti-Tamper plans, implementation strategies, technical documentation, verification approaches, and associated Government deliverables.
· Work with engineering teams to integrate Anti-Tamper requirements without unnecessarily impacting system performance, producibility, maintainability, or cost.
· Support Anti-Tamper verification, validation, test planning, and technical reviews.
· Coordinate with Government Anti-Tamper organizations and program security stakeholders as required.
Systems Engineering & Program Execution
· Participate in system architecture reviews, requirements reviews, design reviews, test readiness reviews, and other technical program reviews.
· Ensure cybersecurity and Anti-Tamper considerations are incorporated early into system architecture and design decisions rather than treated as downstream compliance activities.
· Develop technical requirements, interface requirements, verification criteria, engineering analyses, trade studies, and technical documentation.
· Support cybersecurity and AT inputs to proposals, statements of work, basis-of-estimate development, program schedules, and technical execution plans.
· Work across engineering disciplines to identify cybersecurity risks that could affect system performance, schedule, production, or customer acceptance.
· Support troubleshooting and root-cause analysis of cybersecurity and network-related issues during laboratory testing, system integration, demonstrations, acceptance testing, and field operations.
· Provide technical leadership and mentorship to engineers supporting cybersecurity and system security activities.

Key Competencies
· The successful candidate will demonstrate strong technical ownership and the ability to operate across traditional engineering boundaries.

· The position requires an engineer who can understand the complete LOCUST system architecture, identify where cyber and Anti-Tamper risks exist, and work directly with engineering teams to implement practical solutions.
· The ideal candidate combines cybersecurity depth with a systems-engineering mindset and understands that cybersecurity, network security, and Anti-Tamper are fundamental elements of product design, qualification, production, and operational effectiveness.
Role Impact
· The Senior Cybersecurity & Anti-Tamper Engineer will play a critical role in ensuring the LOCUST product line remains secure, resilient, and deployable in operational DoD environments.

· The position will directly influence LOCUST architecture and product maturation as the system transitions through continued development, production, customer integration, and fielding.
· This individual will help establish scalable cybersecurity and Anti-Tamper architectures and processes that can be applied across the LOCUST product family while balancing mission effectiveness, security, producibility, schedule, and cost.

Basic Qualifications (Required Skills & Experience)
· Bachelor's degree in Cybersecurity, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Systems Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
· Typically 15+ years of relevant engineering experience, with significant experience supporting cybersecurity, network security, system security engineering, or Anti-Tamper activities.
· Experience developing or implementing cybersecurity requirements for complex hardware/software systems.
· Strong understanding of networking fundamentals, including TCP/IP, routing, switching, network segmentation, firewalls, ports/protocols, and secure communications.
· Experience with cybersecurity risk identification, vulnerability assessment, system hardening, and mitigation development.
· Working knowledge of the DoD Risk Management Framework (RMF) and associated cybersecurity engineering processes.
· Experience working within formal systems engineering and configuration-management environments.
· Ability to develop clear technical documentation and communicate complex cybersecurity risks to engineering teams, program leadership, and customers.
· Ability to work effectively in a multidisciplinary engineering environment supporting aggressive development and production schedules.
· Ability to obtain and maintain the security clearance required for the position.

Other Qualifications & Desired Competencies
· Experience supporting DoD weapon systems, Counter-UAS, Directed Energy, air defense, sensors, targeting/tracking systems, or other mission-critical defense platforms.
· Experience with Anti-Tamper engineering, Critical Program Information protection, Program Protection Plans, or related technology-protection activities.
· Experience supporting RMF authorization packages for DoD systems.
· Familiarity with NIST SP 800-53, NIST SP 800-171, DISA STIGs, Security Technical Implementation Guides, and DoD cybersecurity policy.
· Experience with embedded Linux, Windows, real-time operating systems, or embedded computing environments.
· Understanding of secure boot, trusted computing, encryption, key management, code signing, hardware roots of trust, and related platform-security technologies.
· Experience conducting or supporting penetration testing, vulnerability scanning, cybersecurity testing, or adversarial assessments.
· Familiarity with cybersecurity considerations for tactical Ethernet, RF communications, data links, sensors, EO/IR systems, command-and-control interfaces, and distributed system architectures.
· Experience supporting cybersecurity requirements for systems transitioning from prototype development into production and operational fielding.
· Relevant certifications such as CISSP, Security+, CEH, GSEC, or equivalent are desirable.

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)

Clearance Level

Secret

The salary range for this role is:

$154,500 - $247,250

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.

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 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 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.

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.

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

U.S. Citizenship is required. Secret or Top Secret clearance, or the ability obtain a clearance is desired.