Senior hardware repair technician at AeroVironment (defense/autonomous systems) acting as technical lead and subject-matter expert for diagnosing, repairing, refurbishing, and testing returned hardware, including RF assemblies and ruggedized computing systems. On-site in San Diego; requires 5+ years experience, RF/electronics expertise, and U.S. citizenship.
Compensation
$38–$58 / hr
Location
San Diego, United States
Work setup
Onsite
Seniority
Senior
Employment
Contract
Experience
5+ years
Category
Hardware
Posted
Skills
ai
assembly
corrective-action
firmware
itar
oracle
soldering
version-control
Must have
Associate degree, technical certification, trade-school training, or equivalent practical experience in electrical/mechanical engineering, robotics, mechatronics, electronics, or related discipline
Minimum 5 years of related experience in hardware repair, technical debugging, electronics manufacturing, systems integration, maintenance, or defect/failure analysis
Demonstrated experience as a senior technician, technical lead, or subject-matter expert
Specialized expertise in electronics repair, mechanical repair, RF systems, system-level troubleshooting, functional testing, or failure analysis
Strong mechanical aptitude and proficiency with hand tools for electronics assembly and precision mechanical work
Strong electronics troubleshooting skills including multimeters and standard electronic test equipment
Experience with soldering, connector rework, cable repair, and wire-harness repair
Familiarity with system-level, functional, acceptance, and validation testing
Experience reading schematics, block diagrams, mechanical drawings, and engineering documentation
Understanding of system integration and ability to isolate mechanical, electrical, firmware, and software faults
Strong understanding of RF principles including frequency, impedance, gain, noise, and modulation
Excellent hands-on skills, attention to detail, and methodical troubleshooting approach
Strong documentation, communication, collaboration, and computer skills
Ability to follow test procedures and comply with change-control requirements
Ability to manage multiple repair activities concurrently while meeting quality, throughput, and schedule objectives
Commitment to quality, safety, process discipline, and ESD-control requirements
Ability to lift unit assemblies up to 40 pounds and wheeled cases up to 75 pounds
U.S. citizenship required (ITAR)
Nice to have
Bachelor's degree in electrical, mechanical, or robotics engineering, mechatronics, or related discipline
Experience mentoring or providing technical guidance to technicians
Experience with Oracle Fusion (inventory, purchasing, materials management, work orders, repair operations)
Experience assembling and repairing ruggedized or hardened computer systems for MIL-STD, vibration, EMC, or harsh-environment requirements
Experience with failure-analysis tools including microscopes and thermal imaging equipment
Experience with mechanical repair, alignment, micromechanics, and precision assemblies
Experience debugging RF electronic systems including transmitters, receivers, amplifiers, and RF modules
Experience with manufacturing test, acceptance test, field-return, warranty, or customer-support programs
Familiarity with version-control systems, defect-tracking systems, repair databases, and ERP tools
IPC soldering, IPC rework, or other electronics-repair certifications
Prior experience in aerospace, defense, medical-device, rugged-electronics, or other highly regulated industries
Experience developing or improving repair procedures, work instructions, test fixtures, tooling, and process documentation
Full description
Worker Type
Regular
Job Description
Senior Hardware Repair Technician
Compensation Grade: TS4
Location: 7480 Mission Valley Rd., Suite 101, San Diego, CA 92108
Work Arrangement: On-site, regular business hours
Minimum Experience: 5+ years of related experience
Clearance: U.S. Citizenship Required
Position Summary
AV is seeking a highly skilled and motivated Senior Hardware Repair Technician to join our team in San Diego.
The Senior Hardware Repair Technician will serve as a senior technical lead and subject-matter expert for hardware repair, warranty, service, refurbishment, upgrade, and returned-material activities. This position will receive, diagnose, troubleshoot, repair, modify, and test hardware to ensure that units meet quality, performance, reliability, and customer requirements.
The position will support engineering, manufacturing, quality, and operations organizations while maintaining throughput throughout the repair pipeline. The Senior Hardware Repair Technician will work closely with mechanical, electrical, systems, manufacturing, quality, and operations teams to resolve complex hardware issues and improve repair processes.
This role requires strong hands-on expertise with advanced electronics, RF assemblies, ruggedized computing systems, and system-level debugging. The successful candidate will provide technical guidance, mentoring, and work coordination to repair team members while maintaining a methodical, quality-focused approach. This position does not have formal supervisory or people-management accountability.
Key Responsibilities
· Serve as the senior technical lead and subject-matter expert for hardware repairs, warranty returns, service activities, upgrades, refurbishment, and defect-management processes.
· Receive, log, inspect, triage, and prioritize incoming hardware returns, defective units, and upgrade requests.
· Independently complete complex repairs, refurbishment, upgrade, and returned-material assignments.
· Coordinate repair priorities and facilitate work activities across hardware repair, engineering, manufacturing, quality, and operations teams.
· Provide technical guidance, mentoring, coaching, and knowledge transfer to less-experienced technicians without formal supervisory responsibility.
· Perform detailed diagnostics and troubleshooting to isolate mechanical, electrical, firmware, connectivity, RF, and system-level faults.
· Repair RF assemblies, including connectors, cables, wire harnesses, sensors, mechanical subassemblies, and related electronic components.
Senior Hardware Repair Technician at AV (San Diego, United States) — aijobsearch
· Support firmware updates, calibration, alignment, burn-in, validation testing, and functional testing following repairs.
· Collaborate with mechanical, electrical, and systems engineering to obtain schematics, test procedures, engineering change notices, engineering change orders, and applicable tolerances.
· Implement approved corrective modifications, retrofits, and engineering changes.
· Refurbish, rework, or upgrade units in accordance with specifications, procedures, work instructions, or customer requirements.
· Perform and document root-cause and failure analysis and identify recurring failure trends.
· Document repair steps, test results, root causes, corrective actions, and lessons learned.
· Maintain accurate repair logs, databases, work orders, and related documentation.
· Provide input to failure-analysis and continuous-improvement programs.
· Track repair pipeline performance, including backlog, turnaround time, quality, first-pass yield, documentation accuracy, and schedule adherence.
· Maintain spare-parts, consumables, tooling, and repair-material inventories.
· Use Oracle Fusion, as applicable, for inventory, purchasing, materials-management, work-order, and repair-operation activities.
· Ensure that repairs comply with quality, safety, regulatory, ESD-control, cleanroom, certification, and internal requirements.
· Recommend improvements to repair processes, tooling, work instructions, test fixtures, documentation, and methods.
· Independently coordinate issue resolution across repair, engineering, manufacturing, quality, and operations teams.
· Communicate repair status, technical risks, resource needs, recurring issues, and process concerns for engineering and operations leadership.
· Assist engineering with prototype debugging, mechanical modifications, test-fixture development, and system-level integration activities as needed.
· Support technical onboarding and knowledge transfer as requested.
· Perform other related duties as assigned.
Required Qualifications
· Associate degree, technical certification, trade-school training, or equivalent practical experience in electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, robotics, mechatronics, electronics, or a related technical discipline.
· Minimum of five years of related experience in hardware repair, technical debugging, electronics manufacturing, systems integration, maintenance, or defect and failure analysis.
· Demonstrated experience serving as a senior technician, technical lead, subject-matter expert, or equivalent technical resource.
· Specialized technical expertise in electronics repair, mechanical repair, RF systems, system-level troubleshooting, functional testing, or failure analysis.
· Strong mechanical aptitude and proficiency with hand tools used in electronics assembly, precision mechanical work, and repair.
· Strong electronics troubleshooting skills, including proficiency with multimeters and standard electronic test equipment.
· Experience with soldering, connector rework, cable repair, and wire-harness repair.
· Familiarity with system-level, functional, acceptance, and validation testing.
· Understanding of system integration and the ability to isolate mechanical, electrical, firmware, and software-related faults.
· Strong understanding of RF principles, including frequency, impedance, gain, noise, and modulation.
· Excellent hands-on skills, attention to detail, and a methodical approach to troubleshooting.
· Strong documentation, communication, collaboration, and computer skills.
· Ability to exchange advanced technical information and ideas effectively with technical and operational stakeholders.
· Ability to work closely with engineering and operations personnel, follow test procedures, and comply with change-control requirements.
· Ability to manage multiple repair activities concurrently while meeting quality, throughput, and schedule objectives.
· Commitment to quality, safety, process discipline, and ESD-control requirements.
· Ability to lift and maneuver unit assemblies weighing up to 40 pounds and wheeled cases weighing up to 75 pounds.
Oracle Fusion
Oracle Fusion experience is preferred but not required. Candidates without prior Oracle Fusion experience may learn the system after hire. The selected candidate must demonstrate the ability to learn and effectively use enterprise business systems relevant to inventory, purchasing, materials management, work orders, and repair operations.
Preferred Qualifications
· Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, robotics engineering, mechatronics, or a related technical discipline.
· Experience serving as a senior technician, technical lead, subject-matter expert, or project/team lead without formal people-management accountability.
· Experience mentoring or providing technical guidance to technicians.
· Experience with Oracle Fusion, particularly inventory, purchasing, materials management, work orders, or repair operations.
· Experience assembling and repairing ruggedized or hardened computer systems designed for MIL-STD, vibration, EMC, or harsh-environment requirements.
· Experience with failure-analysis tools, including microscopes, thermal imaging equipment, and other diagnostic equipment.
· Experience with mechanical repair, alignment, micromechanics, and precision assemblies.
· Experience debugging RF electronic systems.
· Experience troubleshooting transmitters, receivers, amplifiers, and RF modules.
· Experience with manufacturing test, acceptance test, field-return, warranty, or customer-support programs.
· Familiarity with version-control systems, defect-tracking systems, repair databases, and enterprise-resource-planning tools.
· IPC soldering, IPC rework, or other electronics-repair certifications.
· Prior experience in aerospace, defense, medical-device, rugged-electronics, or other highly regulated industries.
· Experience developing or improving repair procedures, work instructions, test fixtures, tooling, and process documentation.
Technical Leadership and Collaboration
· Impacts the effectiveness and throughput of the hardware repair team and closely related engineering, manufacturing, quality, and operations teams.
· May coordinate daily technical priorities and facilitate work activities across related teams.
· Provides technical guidance, mentoring, coaching, and knowledge transfer to more junior technicians.
· Uses tact, diplomacy, and sound judgment when coordinating work and resolving issues across functional teams.
· Understands how hardware repair and returned-material activities affect product quality, reliability, manufacturing throughput, customer satisfaction, and broader organizational objectives.
· Works autonomously within established procedures, work instructions, engineering documentation, and change-control requirements.
· Identifies and recommends improvements to processes, methods, tooling, test fixtures, and documentation.
Complexity and Problem Solving
· Gathers, evaluates, and analyzes technical and operational data to identify and solve complex hardware problems, including issues with little or no precedent.
· Diagnoses and isolates mechanical, electrical, firmware, connectivity, RF, and system-level faults.
· Performs root-cause and failure analysis and identifies recurring failure trends.
· Resolves complex repair issues by coordinating with engineering, manufacturing, quality, and operations personnel.
· Applies engineering changes, corrective modifications, retrofits, refurbishment requirements, and customer-specific requirements in accordance with approved procedures.
· Use of sound technical judgment to determine repair approaches while maintaining compliance with quality, safety, ESD-control, certification, and change-control requirements.
· Documents repair steps, test results, failure causes, corrective actions, and lessons learned accurately and completely.
Working Conditions and Physical Demands
· Work is primarily performed in a laboratory, workshop, or repair-bay environment and may include cleanroom or other controlled-environment conditions.
· Frequent use of test equipment, microscopes, handheld tools, and small-part handling.
· Strict adherence to ESD-control protocols, safety requirements, and quality standards.
· May require overtime or schedule flexibility to meet repair deadlines.
· Must be able to lift and maneuver unit assemblies weighing up to 40 pounds and wheeled cases weighing up to 75 pounds.
· Routine CONUS/OCONUS travel is not required for this position.
People-Management Accountability
This position does not have formal supervisory or people-management responsibility. The Senior Hardware Repair Technician may coordinate technical priorities, facilitate work activities, provide technical guidance, mentor technicians, and support knowledge transfer. The position is not responsible for hiring, staffing decisions, performance evaluations, disciplinary actions, compensation decisions, or direct employee management.
Clearance Level
No Clearance
The salary range for this role is:
$38 - $58
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](http://www.avinc.com/myavbenefits).
We also encourage you to review our company website at [http://www.avinc.com](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._