AeroVironment's 450-Job Albuquerque Expansion: Who It's Hiring and How to Get In
ALBUQUERQUE, NM — One of Albuquerque's fastest-growing defense manufacturers has promised the state it will more than double its local workforce. AeroVironment, which until recently operated here as BlueHalo, has committed to adding more than 450 jobs at its campus in the Sandia Science & Technology Park, backed by a $30 million-plus expansion of its southeast-side plants.
The hiring runs over ten years, not ten weeks, and many of the roles posted now require a security clearance. Here's who AV is looking for, what it builds, and how to position yourself.
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| Employer | AeroVironment (AV), formerly BlueHalo in Albuquerque |
| Location | Three facilities in the Sandia Science & Technology Park, southeast Albuquerque |
| Investment | More than $30 million |
| Current local workforce | More than 400 |
| New jobs | More than 450, over the next ten years |
| Products | Laser and directed energy systems, space payloads, defense electronics, drone technology |
| Public support | $5 million from the state, $1 million from the city, both through LEDA |
What AV Is Building on the Southeast Side
The deal was announced in March by the company, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's office and Mayor Tim Keller. According to the New Mexico Economic Development Department, AV will expand and modernize its three existing buildings in the tech park off Eubank, next door to Kirtland Air Force Base and Sandia National Laboratories, and turn them into a single campus that handles the whole production process in-house.
The work is serious hardware: high-energy laser systems, satellite payloads, radio frequency gear, precision optics and tracking systems. AV bought BlueHalo in 2025, and the local operation has more than doubled its headcount since 2023. State officials estimate the expansion's economic impact at more than $670 million over the decade.
The public money comes with strings. The $6 million in Local Economic Development Act funding is paid as reimbursements tied to hiring milestones, with clawbacks if AV falls short.
🔥 Who They're Recruiting Right Now
Current AV postings for Albuquerque lean heavily toward engineering. Recent openings include software engineers, systems engineers, modeling and simulation engineers and analysts, RF circuit board design and test engineers, and operations managers for the directed energy line. Product and program management roles show up too.
The company hasn't published a breakdown of the 450 future positions or a hiring schedule by year, so nobody outside AV knows yet how many will be production, technician or entry-level roles. If you're a machinist, electronics tech or assembler, get your resume ready and watch the postings. Manufacturing expansions usually need hands on the floor, but that is not an announced number.
⚠️ Read This Before You Apply
Most of the engineering roles posted lately call for a Secret, Top Secret or TS/SCI clearance. That generally means U.S. citizenship and a background investigation. Some defense employers will sponsor a clearance for the right candidate, so read each posting closely rather than assuming you're shut out.
No pay scale has been released for the expansion jobs. State and city officials describe them only as high-wage. When the state's Job Training Incentive Program helped BlueHalo add 14 workers in 2024, those jobs averaged $54.29 an hour, according to the Albuquerque Journal. That is an older, small group, not a promise about what new hires will earn.
Apply through AV's official careers page, which links to its full list of open positions. Filter for Albuquerque.
🔎 Where to Aim Your Defense Job Search
AV isn't the only game in the tech park. Sandia Labs, Kirtland and a ring of contractors recruit from the same talent pool, so widen your search to the neighbors.
Start here:
- AeroVironment jobs in Albuquerque
- Systems engineer jobs
- Software engineer jobs
- Electrical engineer jobs
- RF engineer jobs
- Jobs requiring a security clearance
- Electronics technician jobs
- Machinist jobs
- Defense industry jobs
Frequently Asked Questions
How many jobs is AeroVironment adding in Albuquerque?
More than 450 new jobs over the next ten years, on top of a local workforce that already tops 400.
Where is AeroVironment located in Albuquerque?
In three buildings inside the Sandia Science & Technology Park in southeast Albuquerque, near Kirtland Air Force Base.
Do I need a security clearance to work there?
Many current engineering postings require Secret, Top Secret or TS/SCI clearance. Requirements vary by job, so check each listing.
What does AeroVironment pay in Albuquerque?
The company hasn't published pay for the expansion jobs. Officials call them high-wage, and individual postings are the best guide.
Get Ready Before the Next Round of Postings
Defense hiring moves in waves as contracts land. Create a free LocalJobPage account to save searches and get alerts for new Albuquerque openings, and browse the Career Center for guides on building a technical resume.
Employers: Hiring engineers, technicians or cleared staff in the Albuquerque metro? Post your jobs on LocalJobPage and reach local candidates.
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From the Sandia foothills to Gibson Boulevard, the southeast side has long been where Albuquerque builds things for the Pentagon. For the next decade, it's also where hundreds of new paychecks will start.