Directed Energy Senior Process Analyst

Worker Type

Regular

Job Description

Summary

The Directed Energy Sr. Process Analyst supports the development, implementation, standardization, documentation, and continuous improvement of processes throughout the complete product lifecycle from proof of concept and prototype development through research and development, Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP), Full-Rate Production (FRP), and sustaining operations.

This position translates corporate procedures, division procedures, program requirements, and project-specific processes into clear, practical, and repeatable operating practices. The role analyzes process performance, identifies gaps and inefficiencies, develops process documentation and training materials, coordinates technical training, and supports organizational readiness as products and programs mature.

The Sr. Process Analyst works cross-functionally with Engineering, Program Management, Operations, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Quality, Safety, Finance, Information Technology, and other stakeholders to ensure that processes are understood, consistently executed, properly documented, and aligned with company objectives, contractual requirements, quality standards, and product lifecycle needs.

Position Responsibilities

Product Lifecycle Process Support

• Support process development and implementation across all phases of the product lifecycle:
  • Proof of concept
  • Prototype development
  • Research and development
  • Design and engineering maturation
  • Low-Rate Initial Production
  • Full-Rate Production
  • Sustaining production and lifecycle support
• Develop process frameworks that scale appropriately with product maturity, organizational growth, production volume, and program complexity.
• Capture and incorporate lessons learned from proof-of-concept, prototype, R&D, LRIP, and FRP activities.
• Ensure processes support repeatability, traceability, quality, safety, cost control, schedule performance, and customer expectations.
• Support transition planning from development teams to production, operations, service, and sustaining organizations.

Process Analysis and Continuous Improvement

• Conduct interviews, workshops, observations, data reviews, and stakeholder assessments to understand how work is performed.
• Evaluate process effectiveness using qualitative and quantitative data.
• Lead or support root-cause analysis, corrective action, and preventive action activities.
• Track improvement actions through completion and verify that implemented changes produce the intended results.
• Promote standardization while allowing appropriate flexibility for program- or project-specific requirements.

Corporate, Division, Program, and Project Processes

• Support the deployment and consistent application of corporate procedures and business processes.
• Translate division-level procedures into practical workflows, work instructions, templates, checklists, and training materials.
• Support the development and maintenance of program- and project-specific procedures, processes, operating plans, and execution guides.
• Ensure alignment among:
  • Corporate policies and procedures
  • Division procedures and operating practices
  • Program management requirements
  • Project execution plans
  • Engineering and manufacturing processes
  • Quality management system requirements
  • Customer and contractual obligations
• Identify conflicts, gaps, duplication, or ambiguity between corporate, division, program, and project processes.
• Facilitate resolution of process ownership, approval, documentation, and implementation issues.
• Maintain traceability between process requirements, documented procedures, training content, and evidence of execution.
• Support process tailoring and deviation approval when standard processes are not appropriate for a specific program or project.
• Assist leaders and process owners in establishing clear accountability for process performance and maintenance.

Process Documentation and Governance

• Establish documentation standards to improve consistency, usability, readability, and accessibility.
• Coordinate reviews and approvals with process owners, subject-matter experts, Quality, Legal, Compliance, Security, and other applicable stakeholders.
• Ensure process documentation reflects the actual work being performed and remains current as systems, products, requirements, and organizational structures change.
• Support document control and records-management activities in accordance with applicable company and quality-system requirements.
• Develop process repositories, knowledge libraries, navigation structures, and content-management practices.
• Establish mechanisms for employees to provide process feedback and recommend improvements.
• Conduct periodic process and documentation reviews to confirm continued relevance and effectiveness.

Technical Training Coordination

• Coordinate technical and process training associated with corporate, division, program, project, engineering, engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, quality, and operational requirements.
• Conduct training needs analysis based on:
  • New product introductions
  • Process changes
  • Engineering changes
  • New equipment or systems
  • Production rate increases
  • Organizational changes
  • Compliance requirements
  • Audit findings
  • Corrective actions
  • Skills and qualification gaps
• Develop training plans and curricula for each phase of the product lifecycle.
• Create and maintain instructor-led, virtual, self-paced, and on-the-job training materials.
• Develop training presentations, facilitator guides, learner guides, assessments, demonstrations, simulations, quick-reference guides, and knowledge checks.
• Coordinate technical training with subject-matter experts, engineering personnel, manufacturing personnel, quality representatives, and functional leaders.
• Schedule training sessions, manage attendance, coordinate facilities or virtual platforms, and ensure required resources are available.
• Support qualification, certification, recertification, and proficiency programs where applicable.
• Ensure training content is consistent with current procedures, released engineering documentation, system functionality, safety requirements, and product configuration.
• Evaluate training effectiveness through assessments, learner feedback, performance observations, and operational metrics.
• Maintain accurate training records, completion status, qualification records, and retraining requirements.
• Coordinate timely retraining when procedures, systems, products, or requirements change.
• Support onboarding and role-specific training for new employees, transfers, contractors, and program personnel.

Product and Production Readiness

• Verify that personnel have access to the procedures, systems, tools, equipment, and training required to perform their assigned work.
• Coordinate training and process deployment before key program milestones and production events.
• Support rate transitions by identifying changes to staffing, roles, work content, process controls, training requirements, and documentation.
• Identify process and training risks that could affect product quality, schedule, cost, safety, or customer delivery.
• Develop mitigation plans and track readiness actions to closure.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with process owners to define objectives, inputs, outputs, controls, measures, and ownership.
• Collaborate with Program Management to align processes and training with program schedules, milestones, risks, and customer commitments.
• Coordinate with Operations and Manufacturing to ensure processes are practical, executable, and scalable.
• Partner with Quality to support audits, nonconformance investigations, corrective actions, process compliance, and quality-system improvements.
• Work with Supply Chain and Procurement to support supplier, material, purchasing, and logistics process training.
• Coordinate with Information Technology on business-system processes, system changes, user access, and system training.
• Engage functional leaders and subject-matter experts to validate content and promote process adoption.
• Communicate changes clearly to affected employees and stakeholders.

Change Management and Implementation

• Develop implementation plans for new or revised processes.
• Assess organizational impacts, affected roles, required communications, training needs, and implementation risks.
• Coordinate pilot activities, stakeholder reviews, rollout plans, and post-implementation assessments.
• Support change adoption by clearly communicating the purpose, benefits, responsibilities, and expected behaviors associated with process changes.
• Monitor implementation effectiveness and resolve adoption issues.
• Ensure obsolete procedures and training materials are removed from active use.
• Support transition from temporary prototype or development processes to controlled production processes.

Reporting and Performance Management

• Develop reports and dashboards that communicate process health, training status, readiness, compliance, and improvement progress.
• Track process-related metrics, including:
  • Procedure review and approval status
  • Training completion and overdue training
  • Qualification and certification status
  • Process deviations and exceptions
  • Audit findings
  • Corrective-action closure
  • Process cycle time
  • Rework and error rates
  • Readiness milestone completion
  • Employee feedback and training effectiveness
• Provide status updates to functional leaders, program managers, project managers, and executive stakeholders.
• Escalate process, documentation, training, and readiness risks in a timely manner.
• Maintain action registers and follow up on commitments through closure.

Basic Qualifications (Required Skills & Experience)

• Bachelor's degree in business, Operations Management, Industrial Engineering, Organizational Development, Education, Technical Communications, or a related field or years of service equivalent.
• **Must be a US citizen due to the Government contracts this role will be working on**
• 5-8 or more years of experience in process analysis, business process improvement, technical training, operations, manufacturing, engineering, program support, or a related discipline.
• Experience documenting and improving processes across multiple organizational levels.
• Experience developing and delivering technical, operational, or procedural training.
• Experience supporting new product introduction, product development, manufacturing, engineering, or other lifecycle-based environments.
• Demonstrated ability to work with corporate, division, program, and project-level requirements.
• Strong written, verbal, facilitation, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving abilities.
• Proficiency with process-mapping, documentation, presentation, spreadsheet, collaboration, and learning-management tools.
• Ability to manage multiple projects, priorities, stakeholders, and deadlines.
• Ability to understand complex technical information and convert it into clear and usable documentation and training content.

Other Qualifications & Desired Competencies

• Experience in aerospace, defense, electronics, or another highly regulated industry.
• Experience supporting products through proof of concept, prototype, R&D, LRIP, and FRP.
• Experience with engineering change management, configuration management, product lifecycle management, or enterprise resource planning systems.
• Experience with quality management systems, internal audits, corrective actions, and compliance requirements.
• Knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, value-stream mapping, or other process-improvement methodologies.
• Experience with instructional design, adult learning principles, train-the-trainer programs, or technical writing.
• Experience with learning management systems and training-record administration.
• Experience developing role-based competency or qualification programs.
• Certification in process improvement, instructional design, project management, business analysis, or technical writing.
• Familiarity with government contracting, customer requirements, export controls, cybersecurity, safety, or other regulated operating environments.

Core Competencies

• Process analysis and modeling
• Continuous improvement
• Technical communication
• Instructional design and facilitation
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Change management
• Stakeholder engagement
• Documentation governance
• Program and project coordination
• Data analysis and reporting
• Risk identification and mitigation
• Attention to detail
• Adaptability and initiative
• Ownership and accountability

Leadership and Coordination Responsibilities

Although this role may not directly supervise employees, the Process Analyst and Technical Training Coordinator is expected to:

• Coordinate cross-functional process and training initiatives.
• Facilitate working sessions, process reviews, and improvement workshops.
• Influence stakeholders without direct authority.
• Establish clear actions, owners, milestones, and completion criteria.
• Coordinate subject-matter experts and functional contributors.
• Promote consistent adoption of approved processes and training.
• Mentor process owners and trainers in documentation and implementation practices.
• Escalate unresolved issues and risks to the appropriate leadership level.

Physical Demands & Working Environment

• Work is performed in office, laboratory, manufacturing, warehouse, and other operational environments.
• Regular interaction with engineering, production, quality, supply chain, program, project, and corporate personnel is expected.
• May require access to production areas, test facilities, laboratories, and controlled work environments.
• Occasional travel may be required to support suppliers, manufacturing locations, customer activities, training events, or other company sites.
• Periodic schedule flexibility may be required to support production events, program milestones, training sessions, audits, and major process implementations.

Clearance Level

No Clearance

The salary range for this role is:

$91,000 - $154,500

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, 401(k) with company matching, and flexible work schedule options. Depending on your business unit, role, and customer contract requirements, select programs may offer a 9/80 work schedule and 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 required