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Weapon Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

CDG boasts a multidisciplinary team of engineers performing research, development, and analysis and test for developmental weapon programs. The Weapons/Munitions Systems Engineer provides technical ...

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Weapon Engineer information

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$44K

$106.4K

$173.5K

How much do weapon engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 20, 2026, the average yearly pay for weapon engineer in the United States is $106,386.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $76,000.00 and $132,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What engineers make $500,000?

Senior engineers in specialized fields such as aerospace, petroleum, or software engineering can earn $500,000 or more annually, especially with experience, advanced skills, and leadership roles. High compensation often involves bonuses, stock options, or working in high-demand industries with complex projects.

What are some common challenges faced by Weapon Engineers when collaborating with multidisciplinary teams?

Weapon Engineers frequently work alongside professionals from fields such as electronics, software, and mechanical engineering. One common challenge is ensuring clear communication across these disciplines, as each may use different technical languages and design approaches. Successfully integrating various subsystems into a cohesive weapon system also requires strong project management and adaptability to evolving defense requirements. Building strong relationships and maintaining open, solution-focused dialogue with team members are key to overcoming these challenges.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Weapon Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Weapon Engineer, you need a solid background in mechanical or electrical engineering, physics, and mathematics, typically supported by a relevant engineering degree. Familiarity with CAD software, simulation tools, and adherence to defense industry standards and certifications such as ITAR compliance are commonly required. Strong problem-solving, attention to detail, and effective teamwork skills help individuals excel in designing and testing complex weapon systems. These skills ensure the safety, reliability, and effectiveness of weapons, which are critical for national security and defense objectives.

What does a weapons engineer do?

A weapons engineer designs, develops, tests, and maintains weapon systems, including firearms, missiles, and other military or defense-related technology. They often work with specialized tools, computer-aided design (CAD) software, and adhere to strict safety and regulatory standards. Their work may involve research, materials selection, and ensuring weapon performance and safety.

What does a Weapon Engineer do?

A Weapon Engineer is a professional who designs, develops, tests, and maintains weapons systems and related technology. They work on a wide range of projects, including firearms, missiles, explosives, and defense systems, ensuring that these weapons are safe, effective, and reliable. Weapon Engineers may also be involved in research, improving existing technologies, and ensuring compliance with safety and regulatory standards. They often collaborate with other engineers, military personnel, and government agencies to meet specific defense requirements.

How much money do weapon engineers make?

Weapon engineers typically earn a median annual salary ranging from $70,000 to $120,000, depending on experience, education, and security clearance levels. Salaries can be higher in defense contracting and government agencies, especially for those with specialized skills in missile systems, firearms, or military technology.

What engineers make $200,000 a year?

Senior weapon engineers, aerospace engineers, and systems engineers with extensive experience and specialized skills can earn $200,000 or more annually. These roles often require advanced degrees, security clearances, and expertise in areas such as defense systems, missile technology, or military hardware design.

What is the difference between Weapon Engineer vs Armament Specialist?

AspectWeapon EngineerArmament Specialist
CredentialsEngineering degree, security clearancesTechnical certifications, security clearances
Work EnvironmentResearch labs, manufacturing facilitiesField operations, testing sites
Industry UsageDefense contractors, militaryMilitary units, defense agencies

Weapon Engineers focus on designing, developing, and testing weapons systems, often working in labs or manufacturing. Armament Specialists typically handle the deployment, maintenance, and operational support of weapons in the field. While both roles require technical knowledge and security clearances, Weapon Engineers are more involved in the creation process, whereas Armament Specialists focus on operational use and support.

More about Weapon Engineer jobs
What cities are hiring for Weapon Engineer jobs? Cities with the most Weapon Engineer job openings:
What states have the most Weapon Engineer jobs? States with the most job openings for Weapon Engineer jobs include:
Infographic showing various Weapon Engineer job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 95% Full Time, 2% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $106,386 per year, or $51.1 per hour.
Weapon Systems Surveillance Engineer (R&D Engineer 3)

Weapon Systems Surveillance Engineer (R&D Engineer 3)

Los Alamos National Laboratory

Los Alamos, NM • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 19 days ago


Los Alamos National Laboratory rating

9.2

Company rating: 9.2 out of 10

Based on 33 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

8th of 105 rated laboratories


Job description

Description
Job Title Weapon Systems Surveillance Engineer (R&D Engineer 3)
Location Los Alamos, NM, US
Organization Name W-9/Weapons Systems Surveillance
Minimum Salary 128000
Maximum Salary 215900
What You Will Do
This position is open for external candidates only to apply.
The Weapon Systems Engineering (W) Division provides systems engineering, technical leadership and program management to ensure the safety, reliability, and security of our nation's nuclear stockpile throughout its life cycle. Within W Division, the Weapon Systems Surveillance Group (W-9) supports stockpile surveillance and assessment by establishing test requirements, coordinating surveillance activities across the Nuclear Security Enterprise, evaluating results, and communicating technical findings that inform annual assessment and long-term health decisions.
The successful candidate will serve as a Weapon System Surveillance Engineer for the W88 system. In this role, you will help plan and execute surveillance activities for stockpile-return components and materials, coordinate with production agencies and design stakeholders, evaluate surveillance data and communicate results to engineering, physics, programmatic, and federal partners. This position offers a high degree of technical independence, broad interaction across LANL and the Nuclear Security Enterprise, and the opportunity to contribute directly to decisions that support the continued safety and reliability of the nuclear stockpile. Additional responsibilities may include:
  • Translate Design Agency surveillance requirements into executable test direction, sample-selection instructions, engineering authorization documents, and production agency guidance.
  • Lead or support qualification of new and existing surveillance tests including development of test requirements, experimental methods, procedures, work packages, and supporting documentation
  • Evaluate surveillance data from components, materials, production agency reports, and other data streams to assess system health, identify aging trends, and support engineering judgment.
  • Prepare annual surveillance summaries, briefings, and inputs to the W88 Annual Assessment process including communicating technical results to engineering, physics, management and federal stakeholders.
  • Lead or support investigations of anomalous observations reported during surveillance.
  • Coordinate with component surveillance engineers, and program partners to identify knowledge gaps, evaluate new diagnostic or test capabilities and recommend improvements to surveillance methods.
  • Represent the surveillance program in technical meetings, planning committees, reviews and stakeholder briefings, including advocating for recommendations.
  • Maintain and improve surveillance program requirements, documentation, schedules, and records to ensure a healthy, comprehensive, and defensible surveillance program.

What You Need
Minimum Job Requirements:
R&D Engineer 3 ($128,000 - $215,900):
Engineering Experience
Demonstrated knowledge of engineering principles relevant to complex systems, components, materials, testing, reliability, production, or surveillance. Relevant experience may include nuclear weapon systems, aerospace, defense, nuclear, high-consequence operations, manufacturing, quality, or other regulated technical environments.
Technical Leadership
Demonstrated ability to lead technical tasks or projects, coordinate contributors across organizations, manage milestones and deliverables, risks and recommendations.
Data Evaluation and Problem Solving
Demonstrated ability to evaluate technical data, identify trends or anomalies, integrate information from multiple sources, and develop defensible conclusions or recommendations.
Technical Documentation and Requirements
Experience developing, reviewing or maintaining technical requirements, procedures, work instructions, test plans, reports or other formal technical documentation.
Communication and Teamwork
Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively through written documentation, briefings, and technical discussions with coworkers, management and customers. Proven record of working effectively as a team member. Demonstrated ability to seek technical input from experts.
Education/Experience at lower level: Position requires a Master's Degree in Engineering from an accredited institution and 6 years of related experience; or, an equivalent combination of education and experience directly related to the occupation. At this level a Ph.D. may be preferred
Desired Qualifications:
  • General knowledge of the engineering authorization system and document management systems
  • Experience with surveillance, reliability, sustainment, aging, qualification, or lifecycle management programs
  • Experience with anomaly resolution, nonconformance evaluation, causal analysis, or risk assessment processes
  • Working experience at one or more of the NNSA design labs or production plants
  • Working experience with classified computing systems and classified documents

Work Location: The work location for this position is onsite and located in Los Alamos, NM. All work locations are at the discretion of management.
Position commitment: Regular appointment employees are required to serve a period of continuous service in their current position in order to be eligible to apply for posted jobs throughout the Laboratory. If an employee has not served the time required, they may only apply for Laboratory jobs with the documented approval of their Division Leader. The position commitment for this position is 1 year.
Note to Applicants:
  • Please submit a detailed cover letter with your resume addressing all required and desired skills. (Please save cover letter with job number and name).
  • Candidates from a variety of technical backgrounds are encouraged to apply. While direct nuclear weapons or stockpile surveillance experience is valuable, we recognize that relevant experience may also come from aerospace, defense, nuclear energy, manufacturing, quality, reliability, systems engineering, test engineering, production support, or other highly regulated technical environments. If you have experience coordinating complex technical work, evaluating data, solving ambiguous engineering problems, and communicating recommendations to stakeholders, we encourage you to describe that experience in your cover letter.
  • Applicants must currently hold a Q Clearance with Sigma 15 authorization, or have the ability to obtain a Q clearance and Sigma 15 authorization.

Due to federal restrictions contained in the current National Defense Authorization Act, citizens of the People's Republic of China-including the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau-as well as citizens of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea), and the Russian Federation, who are not Lawful Permanent Residents ("green card" holders) are prohibited from accessing facilities that support the mission, functions, and operations of national security laboratories and nuclear weapons production facilities, which includes Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Where You Will Work
Located in beautiful northern New Mexico, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is a multidisciplinary research institution engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security. Our generous benefits package includes:
  • PPO or High Deductible medical insurance with the same large nationwide network
  • Dental and vision insurance
  • Free basic life and disability insurance
  • Paid childbirth and parental leave
  • Award-winning 401(k) (6% matching plus 3.5% annually)
  • Learning opportunities and tuition assistance
  • Flexible schedules and time off (PTO and holidays)
  • Onsite gyms and wellness programs
  • Extensive relocation packages (outside a 50 mile radius)

Additional Details
Directive 206.2 - Employment with Triad requires a favorable decision by NNSA indicating employee is suitable under NNSA Supplemental Directive 206.2 . Please note that this requirement applies only to citizens of the United States. Foreign nationals are subject to a similar requirement under DOE Order 142.3A.
Clearance: Q (Position will be cleared to this level). Selected applicants will be subject to a background investigation conducted by or on behalf of the Federal Government, and must meet eligibility requirements* for access to classified matter. This position requires a Q clearance, and obtaining such clearance requires US Citizenship except in extremely rare circumstances. Dependent upon the position, additional authorization to access classified information may be required, which may or may not be available to dual citizens. Receipt of a Q clearance and additional access authorization ultimately is a decision of the Federal Government and not of Triad.
*Eligibility requirements: To obtain a clearance, an individual must be at least 18 years of age; U.S. citizenship is required except in very limited circumstances. See DOE Order 472.2 for additional information.
New-Employment Drug Test: The Laboratory requires successful applicants to complete a new-employment drug test and maintains a substance abuse policy that includes random drug testing. Although New Mexico and other states have legalized the use of marijuana, use and possession of marijuana remain illegal under federal law. A positive drug test for marijuana will result in termination of employment, even if the use was pre-offer.
Equal Opportunity: Los Alamos National Laboratory is an equal opportunity employer. All employment practices are based on qualification and merit, without regard to protected categories such as race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status or spousal affiliation, physical or mental disability, medical conditions, pregnancy, status as a protected veteran, genetic information, or citizenship within the limits imposed by federal, state, and local laws and regulations. The Laboratory is also committed to making our workplace accessible to individuals with disabilities and will provide reasonable accommodations, upon request, for individuals to participate in the application and hiring process. To request such an accommodation, please send an email to applyhelp@lanl.gov or call (505)-664-6947.
Employment Status Full Time
Appointment Type Regular
Regular
Contact Details
Contact Name Robinson, Loren
Email lrob@lanl.gov
Work Telephone

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