Senior Payload Specialist

McLean, Virginia, United States DRONES Full-time Posted Sep 2, 2026
Apply on AEVEX Aerospace (opens in a new tab) Sourced via job-boards.greenhouse.io · Posted 2026-09-02

About this role

AEVEX Aerospace is hiring a Senior Payload Specialist, full-time, on-site in McLean, Virginia, United States, in the DRONES sector.

The Senior Payload Specialist will manage technical programs for the sponsor.

Essential Functions:

  • Provide technical expertise to aid in the generation of system requirements and associated support documentation.
  • Independently prioritize mission needs and workload. Understand where authority lies in given scenarios when working with various government and industry stakeholders.
  • Monitor task execution and completion. Provide input and assistance in preparing project briefs, compose project reports and documents, and other project related materials. Schedule and assist with organizing logistical support and hosting project related meetings, reviews, and video or teleconferences.
  • Assemble acquisition documents for purchase request packages.
  • Assist in portfolio, program, project planning and control. This includes technical performance, schedules, and government assigned action items: preparing project plans and milestones, status reports, and monitoring the execution of tasks.
  • Assist sponsor with determining technical and financial risk on operations and maintenance (O&M) requirements, and assist with collaboration on O&M support with industry partners.
  • Support travel to CONUS-based contractor and test facilities for programmatic reviews, technical exchanges, and system testing.
  • Support periodic, adhoc travel to OCONUS locations as a field support representative (FSR) for maintenance, repairs, upgrades, and support of platform and payload system hardware and software.

Qualifications:

  • Strong organizational and communication skills.
  • Engineering or other technical background and experience with complex, technical, airborne ISR collection platforms (system comprised of multiple systems and subsystems).
  • Ability to travel locally, CONUS, and OCONUS.

Education/Certifications:

  • Bachelor's degree preferred or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
  • Electrical, software, electrical, and/or aeronautical engineering background would be beneficial but not required.

Experience:

  • 5 - 10 years of experience preferred

Security Clearance:

  • Ability to obtain/maintain a Top Secret/SCI security clearance with polygraph
  • U.S. Citizenship required

About AEVEX

AEVEX, headquartered in Solana Beach, California, supports the U.S. national security mission and partner nation needs around the world by providing full-spectrum aviation, remote sensing, and analysis solutions. The company's capabilities include custom design and engineering; rapid prototyping; sensor integration and sustainment; aircraft modification and certification; flight test instrumentation and support; mission operations service; advanced intelligence data processing, exploitation, and dissemination solutions; and tailored hardware and software mission-system tools. AEVEX uses agile and customized approaches to rapidly define, develop, and deliver specialized solutions for airborne special mission needs for the U.S. Government, partner nations, and commercial businesses. AEVEX has major offices in California, Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, and Virginia.

AEVEX provides a full suite of comprehensive benefits, including a 401(k)-retirement plan, comprehensive Medical, Dental, Vision, Disability and Life insurance group coverage with a portion of the premiums paid by the company, professional development funds, and an Employee Assistance Plan (EAP) with counseling, legal help, child and elder care support, among other benefits for qualified employees.

Recruitment Communication Notice: All official correspondence regarding your application, application status, interviews, or the AEVEX hiring process will come directly from an AEVEX representative using an @aevex.com email address or through Greenhouse, our applicant tracking system. Please use caution with communications claiming to represent AEVEX from other email domains, and always verify the sender before responding or providing personal information.

Description from AEVEX Aerospace's official posting. Always confirm details on the company careers page.

Apply on AEVEX Aerospace Applications go directly to AEVEX Aerospace. Curated by Larry Sherwood Jr.

About AEVEX Aerospace

AEVEX Aerospace

Company in the mobility sector tracked nightly on the Mobility Jobs board.

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About Larry Sherwood Jr.

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Curated by Larry Sherwood Jr. on the free Mobility Jobs board. Pulled nightly from company applicant tracking systems. Apply directly on the source link above to be considered.