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$38K

$115.9K

$191.5K

How much do survivability engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 4, 2026, the average yearly pay for survivability engineer in the United States is $115,864.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $83,000.00 and $151,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a Survivability Engineer job?

A Survivability Engineer is responsible for enhancing the ability of military vehicles, aircraft, or systems to withstand and recover from threats such as ballistic impacts, electronic warfare, and cyberattacks. They analyze vulnerabilities, develop protective technologies, and integrate stealth, armor, and countermeasure systems. Their work involves threat assessment, materials research, and system design to improve mission effectiveness and crew safety. Survivability Engineers collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, including defense contractors and military personnel, to ensure systems meet operational and safety requirements.

What are some typical projects or challenges a Survivability Engineer might work on?

As a Survivability Engineer, you’ll often be tasked with evaluating and improving the ability of military vehicles, aircraft, or naval vessels to withstand and recover from hostile threats or adverse environments. This may include conducting vulnerability assessments, developing protection solutions against ballistic or electronic attacks, and working closely with design, testing, and validation teams. A common challenge involves balancing system protection with performance and weight constraints, requiring innovative engineering solutions. You will also collaborate regularly across departments, including R&D, manufacturing, and field operations, making communication and teamwork essential. These experiences build strong foundations for advancement into leadership or specialized technical roles within the defense industry.

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

To excel as a Survivability Engineer, you need a solid background in systems engineering, materials science, and threat analysis, typically supported by a relevant engineering degree. Experience with modeling and simulation software (such as MATLAB or ANSYS), and familiarity with military standards or certifications in defense systems, are commonly required. Strong analytical thinking, meticulous attention to detail, and effective teamwork and communication skills set top candidates apart. These competencies are crucial because Survivability Engineers must evaluate and enhance system resilience against complex threats, collaborating with multidisciplinary teams to ensure operational effectiveness and safety.

More about Survivability Engineer jobs
What states have the most Survivability Engineer jobs? States with the most job openings for Survivability Engineer jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Survivability Engineer jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Survivability Engineer jobs are:
Survivability Engineer jobs near you
Principal Engineer, Survivability (R4608)

Principal Engineer, Survivability (R4608)

Shield AI

Dallas, TX

$200K - $310K/yr

Full-time

Posted 28 days ago

Job description

Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include Hivemind autonomy software and V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft. With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Shield AI's technology actively supports operations worldwide. For more information, visit www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and YouTube. 

Job Description:

At Shield AI, we're building the most intelligent autonomous aircraft ever deployed. As we push the boundaries of what's possible in contested environments, we are looking for a Survivability Engineer to shape and optimize the low observable (LO) performance of our next-generation autonomous aircraft.

This role is ideal for an experienced engineer with expertise in radar cross-section (RCS) shaping, LO materials, and electromagnetic signature modeling who thrives in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment. You'll work across disciplines to ensure our aircraft can survive, evade, and complete missions in highly contested airspace.

What you'll do:
  • Design and optimize low observable (LO) features across the airframe focusing on shaping, edge treatments, radar-absorbing materials, and subsystem integration.
  • Conduct modeling and simulation of electromagnetic signatures using industry-standard tools such as HFSS, CST Studio Suite, Xpatch, and SENTRi.
  • Work with multidisciplinary teams in propulsion, avionics, structures, and AI to ensure survivability is baked into the system architecture from day one.
  • Lead or support signature testing efforts, including indoor and outdoor RCS range tests, validation campaigns, and supplier-level hardware evaluations.
  • Translate mission threats and requirements into survivability features that address RCS, thermal, visual, and acoustic observability constraints.
  • Partner with materials scientists to mature radar-absorbing coatings and structural RAM for manufacturability and field durability.
  • Support internal and customer assessments, threat modeling reviews, and milestone decisions throughout the program lifecycle.
Required qualifications:
  • B.S. or M.S. in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Physics, or a related discipline.
  • 10+ years of hands-on experience in LO or survivability engineering, preferably on tactical aircraft, UAVs, or stealth systems.
  • Proficiency with EM simulation tools such as HFSS, CST, Xpatch, or SENTRi.
  • Strong understanding of RCS shaping principles, edge treatments, cavity suppression, and materials integration.
  • Practical experience with LO testing methods and RCS measurement equipment.
  • Familiarity with radar-absorbing materials (RAM), LO coatings, and structural LO trade studies.
  • Solid collaboration and communication skills with the ability to work across design, test, and manufacturing teams.
  • U.S. Citizenship and active Secret clearance required.
  • Ability to obtain a S//SAR level security clearance desired.
Preferred qualifications:
  • Experience with military UAV platforms or 5th-gen fighter programs.
  • Background in survivability analysis in contested environments (e.g., IADS, radar networks).
  • Familiarity with platform CONOPS, threat modeling, and mission-level survivability assessments.
  • Ability to contribute to the design, test, and fielding of a fully integrated LO platform.
  • Active Top Secret or SCI clearance.
$200,000 - $310,000 a year
#LI-AD6
#LF

Full-time regular employee offer package:
Pay within range listed + Bonus + Benefits + Equity
 
Temporary employee offer package:
Pay within range listed above + temporary benefits package (applicable after 60 days of employment)
 
Salary compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, licenses and certifications, and specific work location. All offers are contingent on a cleared background and possible reference check. Military fellows and part-time employees are not eligible for benefits. Please speak to your talent acquisition representative for more information.
 
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Shield AI is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know. 
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.
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