ZipRecruiter

Log In

1

Missile Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

True Anomaly

GNC Engineer, Missile Defense

Denver, CO · On-site

... engineering experience in the aerospace and defense industry, preferably with tactical missile systems, interceptors, or guided munitions * Coursework or project experience in flight dynamics ...

KBR

Missile Systems Engineer Level IV

Washington, DC · Hybrid

$135K - $186K/yr

Missile Systems Engineer Level IV Belong. Connect. Grow. with KBR! KBR's National Security Solutions team provides high-end engineering and advanced technology solutions to our customers in the ...

next page

Showing results 1-20

All JobsMissile Engineer Jobs

Missile Engineer information

See salary details

$39K

$101.8K

$137.5K

How much do missile engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 21, 2026, the average yearly pay for missile engineer in the United States is $101,752.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $84,000.00 and $116,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the Missile Engineer position, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Missile Engineer, a strong background in aerospace or mechanical engineering, advanced mathematics, and physics is essential, typically supported by a relevant degree. Familiarity with CAD software, simulation tools like MATLAB or ANSYS, and compliance standards such as ITAR or DoD regulations is often required. Exceptional problem-solving, teamwork, and clear communication skills help engineers work effectively on complex, multidisciplinary projects. These technical and interpersonal skills ensure the safe, precise, and timely development of advanced missile systems according to strict industry standards.

What kind of teams do Missile Engineers typically work with, and how collaborative is the work environment?

Missile Engineers often work as part of multidisciplinary teams that include systems engineers, software developers, manufacturing specialists, and project managers. The work environment is highly collaborative, with regular team meetings, design reviews, and integration testing to ensure that all aspects of the missile system function cohesively. Effective communication and teamwork are crucial, as projects require input from many technical disciplines and coordination with suppliers or government agencies. This collaborative setup provides opportunities to learn from experts in various fields and to contribute to innovative technological solutions.

What is a Missile Engineer job?

A Missile Engineer is responsible for designing, developing, testing, and maintaining missile systems for defense or aerospace applications. They work with propulsion systems, guidance technologies, aerodynamics, and materials to ensure missile performance and reliability. Engineers in this field collaborate with cross-disciplinary teams, including software engineers and defense analysts, to optimize system functionality. Their work often involves simulation, prototyping, and compliance with government regulations.

More about Missile Engineer jobs
What cities are hiring for Missile Engineer jobs? Cities with the most Missile Engineer job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Missile Engineer jobs? The most popular types of Missile Engineer jobs are:
What states have the most Missile Engineer jobs? States with the most job openings for Missile Engineer jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Missile Engineer jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Missile Engineer jobs are:
Missile Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Missile Engineer job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 96% Full Time, 1% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $101,752 per year, or $48.9 per hour.
GNC Engineer, Missile Defense

GNC Engineer, Missile Defense

True Anomaly

Denver, CO • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 12 days ago

Job description

Space is a warfighting domain. True Anomaly seeks those with the talent and ambition to build the technology that secures it.
OUR MISSION
True Anomaly delivers decisive capabilities for space superiority. We build autonomous spacecraft, advanced payloads, mission software, and space-based interceptors - enabling the U.S. and its Allies to secure the space environment and counter threats from the ultimate high ground.
OUR VALUES
  • Be the offset. We create asymmetric advantages with creativity and ingenuity.
  • What would it take? We challenge assumptions to deliver ambitious results.
  • It's the people. Our team is our competitive advantage and we are better together.

RESPONSIBILITIES
  • Own all aspects of Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) system development for missile systems, including architecture definition, algorithm design, verification, hardware integration, flight test support, and operational deployment.
  • Design, test, and validate GNC flight software and embedded algorithms for missiles operating across multiple flight regimes and environmental conditions.
  • Develop and maintain navigation and state estimation algorithms, including sensor fusion frameworks (e.g., EKF, UKF, particle filters) integrating IMU, GPS/INS, seeker data, and other sensor modalities to provide high-rate, high-accuracy state estimates throughout the engagement timeline.
  • Develop guidance laws (proportional navigation, augmented PN, optimal guidance) and autopilot designs; implement them in flight software; verify performance and robustness through high-fidelity 6-DOF simulation, Monte Carlo analysis, hardware-in-the-loop testing, and flight test correlation.
  • Design, implement, and maintain high-fidelity simulation environments capturing aerodynamics, propulsion, atmospheric effects, target dynamics, sensor models, and actuator dynamics for SIL, HIL, and mission analysis across the full flight envelope.
  • Utilize frequency-domain and time-domain control analysis techniques to ensure stability margins.
  • Develop terminal guidance algorithms for intercept of maneuvering targets, including target tracking, aimpoint selection, miss distance prediction, time-to-go estimation, and endgame steering logic.

QUALIFICATIONS
  • Bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, physics, or related field
  • 5+ years of relevant GNC engineering experience in the aerospace and defense industry, preferably with tactical missile systems, interceptors, or guided munitions
  • Coursework or project experience in flight dynamics, aerodynamics, control systems, and state estimation
  • Strong understanding of physics, rigid body dynamics, intercept geometry, proportional navigation, and real-time software development principles
  • Experience with C++ and/or Python for algorithm development, numerical methods, real-time control, or simulation
  • Familiarity with missile GNC concepts including guidance laws, autopilot design, sensor fusion, inertial navigation, seeker operation, and aerodynamic/thrust vector control
  • Exposure to filtering and estimation methods (e.g., Kalman filters, complementary filters, INS/GPS integration) through internships, coursework, or projects
  • Ability to build, test, and debug flight software, real-time control systems, and simulation tools
  • Strong analytical skills with emphasis on dynamics, controls, and numerical methods; ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, multidisciplinary engineering environment
  • Demonstrated ability to take ownership of complex technical problems and drive solutions from concept through flight test
  • Ability to obtain and maintain TS/SCI US government security clearance

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE
  • Master's degree or PhD in aerospace engineering, control systems, or equivalent discipline
  • Experience with terminal guidance algorithms, proportional navigation variants, optimal guidance theory, or modern guidance techniques
  • Experience developing autopilot designs for agile missiles including gain scheduling, adaptive control, or nonlinear control methods
  • Experience with INS/GPS integration, sensor calibration, alignment algorithms, and error budget analysis
  • Experience with aerodynamic modeling, CFD correlation to flight data, or aeroservoelastic analysis
  • Experience developing and executing hardware-in-the-loop test campaigns with flight representative GNC hardware
  • Flight test experience including test planning, instrumentation selection, telemetry analysis, and flight data reconstruction
  • Experience with intercept kinematics, target tracking, miss distance analysis, and covariance propagation
  • Experience performing line-of-sight stability analysis including jitter, noise rejection, and seeker tracking performance
  • Hands-on experience with GNC hardware integration, sensor characterization, and actuator calibration
  • Familiarity with missile-specific tools and standards (e.g., MISSILE DATCOM, MIL-STD-1553, MIL-STD-1760)
  • Active TS/SCI clearance with Polygraph

COMPENSATION
  • Base Salary: $115,000 - $290,000
  • Equity + Benefits including Health, Dental, Vision, HRA/HSA options, PTO and paid holidays, 401K, Parental Leave

Your actual level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, location, and experience.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
  • Work Location-This is an onsite position, Successful candidates will be located near Denver, CO or Long Beach, CA
  • Work environment-the work environment; temperature, noise level, inside or outside, or other factors that will affect the person's working conditions while performing the job.
  • Physical demands-the physical demands of the job, including bending, sitting, lifting and driving.

This position will be open until it is successfully filled. To submit your application, please follow the directions below. #LI-Onsite
To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.
True Anomaly is committed to equal employment opportunity on any basis protected by applicable state and federal laws. If you have a disability or additional need that requires accommodation, please do not hesitate to let us.

Apply