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Small Defense Contractor Jobs (NOW HIRING)

B4Corp

811933 Systems Engineer $225,000.00

Herndon, VA · On-site

B4Corp is a small defense contracting company focused on supporting the United States intelligence community. They are seeking a Data Engineer responsible for designing data models, building data ...

Aston Carter

Cost Accountant - Defense

Auburn Hills, MI · On-site

$40 - $50/hr

DCAA Compliance Accountant / Cost Accountant - Government Contracting This role focuses on ... As part of a small, growing defense organization, this role offers the opportunity to wear multiple ...

Karman Space & Defense

Quality Manager

Albany, OR · On-site

$80K - $100K/yr

... defense contractor. This role serves as the senior authority for the Quality Management System (QMS) and ensures compliance with AS9100, customer, contractual, and regulatory requirements. In a small ...

Applied Intuition

Defense Software Engineer

Washington, DC · On-site

$140K - $180K/yr

... ll work in small teams and own end-to-end execution of high stakes projects. You'll be the ... defense contractors years to develop. You'll tackle problems spanning core software engineering ...

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Small Defense Contractor information

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$82.6K

$142.5K

How much do small defense contractor jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 9, 2026, the average yearly pay for small defense contractor in the United States is $82,588.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $53,000.00 and $113,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the Small Defense Contractor position, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Small Defense Contractor, you need strong project management skills, a solid understanding of defense industry standards, and relevant technical expertise in fields like engineering or information technology. Familiarity with government contracting processes, compliance systems such as FAR/DFARS, and security clearances are often required. Exceptional attention to detail, effective communication, and the ability to collaborate with both clients and internal teams are key soft skills for success. These competencies ensure the delivery of compliant, high-quality solutions while navigating the complexities and regulations unique to the defense sector.

What is a Small Defense Contractor job?

A Small Defense Contractor job involves working for a private company that provides goods or services to the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) on a smaller scale. These companies support military operations by supplying technology, equipment, logistics, cybersecurity, and other essential services. Employees may work in engineering, project management, procurement, or compliance to meet strict government regulations. This role requires knowledge of defense contracting procedures, security clearances, and adherence to federal acquisition guidelines. It offers opportunities to contribute to national security while working within a competitive business environment.

What are some typical challenges a Small Defense Contractor might face in this role?

Small Defense Contractors commonly face challenges such as navigating complex government regulations, managing tight project deadlines, and maintaining strict security standards. As resources are often more limited compared to larger firms, employees frequently wear multiple hats and must adapt quickly to changing client requirements. Collaboration within small teams and clear communication with government clients are essential for successfully delivering on contracts. However, these challenges also present valuable opportunities to gain a broad range of experience and develop specialized skills in a dynamic and impactful industry.

More about Small Defense Contractor jobs
What cities are hiring for Small Defense Contractor jobs? Cities with the most Small Defense Contractor job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Small Defense Contractor jobs? The most popular types of Small Defense Contractor jobs are:
What states have the most Small Defense Contractor jobs? States with the most job openings for Small Defense Contractor jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Small Defense Contractor jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Small Defense Contractor jobs are:
Small Defense Contractor jobs near you
Infographic showing various Small Defense Contractor job openings in the United States as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 79% Full Time, 14% Part Time, and 7% Contract. Highlights an 90% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $82,588 per year, or $39.7 per hour.

Ground System Test Engineer

Acuity Innovations

Boulder, CO • On-site

Full-time

PTO

Posted 17 days ago

Job description

Salary: $86,000-$195,000 Based on experience

Acuity Innovations LLC is a small, defense contracting company that provides enterprise architecture, solution design, digital engineering, defensive cyberspace operations, system integration, and test and evaluation products and services that improve performance and decrease decision timelines. Our fundamental, repeatable service offering is bound in architecting, designing, securing, integrating, and verifying the operational readiness of data ecosystems.

Do you want to be part of a unique, small business that differentiates itself by:

  • Delivering the best products, integrated systems, and mission capabilities for the warfighter
  • Building long-term relationships and treating its employees as family
  • Deploying small but powerful High-Performance Teams, like elite Special Forces teams to each task
  • Collaborating within and across the Acuity Innovations teams as well as with the customer
  • Providing a growth path to partnership/ownership opportunities

If you have this type of passion and desire to be part of a collaborative team environment with the innovation, initiative, and confidence to make things better, then Acuity Innovations may be the right place to realize your personal and professional goals.

Package includes:

  • Competitive salary
  • 3 weeks paid time off
  • 11 Federal Holidays
  • Flexible Hours
  • Benefits
  • Career Development/Mentorship Opportunities
  • Company Sponsored Social Events

We seek technical individuals who will succeed in a highly collaborative work environment.

Acuity Innovations LLC: Overview | LinkedIn

www.acuityinnovationsllc.com


As a Test Engineer, youll work with the U.S. Space Force to develop and rapidly deploy the next generation of resilient Missile Warning (MW), Tactical Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (TISR), and Environmental Monitoring (EM) capabilities to deter attacks and provide critical information to our warfighters. Your customer will trust you to not only test, analyze, evaluate, verify, and validate these systems, but also identify areas requiring urgent mitigation up-front and early to develop this system with advanced technology solutions. Grow your skills by merging innovative engineering methodologies and cross-disciplinary coordination to create tomorrows solutions.

Required Skills and Experience:

  • 6+ years of experience working/planning on test and evaluation, and system integration on Major Defense Acquisition Programs, including complex ground software, and hardware systems
  • 6+ years of experience working in a collaborative team environment, developing test strategies, plans, reports, and briefings, and participating in test execution, verification, or analysis
  • Experience supporting overall engineering integration of systems engineering and integration efforts for the DoD, government agencies, or commercial programs
  • Knowledge of systems engineering standards, including IEEE 15288.1 and IEEE 15288.2
  • Ability to define, develop, maintain, and execute large-scale system test plans and overarching test and evaluation strategy documents, including Test and Evaluation Strategy (TES), Test and Evaluation Master Plans (TEMP), System Integration Test Plans (SITP), Enterprise Verification Plans (EVP), Verification Cross Reference Matrices (VCRM), and Requirements Verification Files (RVFs)
  • Ability to communicate and establish collaborative relationships with government clients, Federally Funded Research and Developmental Centers (FFRDC), and associate contractor teammates to achieve program goals
  • Secret clearance
  • Bachelor's degree in an Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, or Technology field

Nice If You Have:

  • Experience performing systems engineering, integration, and testing on ground-based remote sensing systems
  • Experience with portfolio and program verification, interoperability, validation and certification, and operational acceptance
  • Experience planning, executing, and reporting testing on behalf of the Lead Developmental Test Organization or the Operational Test Agency.
  • Experience planning and executing program reviews throughout the lifecycle of the system
  • Experience using Model-Based Systems Engineering tools to manage system definitions and technical baselines
  • Knowledge of DoD 5000.01, 5000.02, 5000.89, 5000.98 or 5000.100
  • TS/SCI clearance
  • Masters degree in an Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, or Technology field
  • CTEP or INCOSE Systems Engineering Professional Certifications such as ASEP, CSEP, or ESEP Certification

Compensation:

$86,000-$195,000 based on years of experience, knowledge, education, and contract-specific affordability.