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Weapon Engineering Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc.

What if you could use your engineering skills to transform the U.S. Navy's directed energy portfolio? As a Laser Weapon System Test Engineer and Scientist, you understand the power behind complex ...

Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc.

What if you could use your engineering skills to transform the U.S. Navy's directed energy portfolio? As a Laser Weapon System Test Engineer and Scientist, you understand the power behind complex ...

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Weapon Engineering information

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$86.5K

$121.4K

$165.5K

How much do weapon engineering jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 18, 2026, the average yearly pay for weapon engineering in the United States is $121,377.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $107,500.00 and $132,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What engineers make $500,000?

Senior weapon engineers or specialized defense engineers with extensive experience, advanced degrees, and expertise in areas like missile systems or aerospace can earn salaries approaching or exceeding $500,000 annually, especially with bonuses and benefits. High-level roles often require security clearances, leadership skills, and proficiency with complex engineering tools and simulations.

What is weapon engineering?

Weapon engineering is a specialized field of engineering focused on the design, development, testing, and maintenance of weapons and defense systems. This discipline combines principles from mechanical, electrical, and materials engineering to create technologies for military and security applications. Weapon engineers work on a wide range of projects, including firearms, explosives, missiles, and advanced defense technologies. They ensure these systems are effective, reliable, and safe to use in various operational environments.

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 an engineering degree and relevant security clearances. Familiarity with CAD software, simulation tools, and defense industry standards, as well as certifications like Professional Engineer (PE), are commonly required. Strong problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and effective teamwork are crucial soft skills for this role. These skills and qualifications ensure the safe, innovative, and precise development of advanced weapon systems under strict regulatory and safety standards.

What are some common challenges faced by weapon engineering professionals in a collaborative team environment?

Weapon engineering professionals often work in multidisciplinary teams that include mechanical, electrical, and software engineers, as well as project managers and defense specialists. A common challenge is ensuring seamless communication and integration across these diverse areas to meet strict safety, performance, and regulatory standards. Balancing innovation with compliance, adhering to tight project timelines, and maintaining confidentiality are also key aspects of the role. Successful professionals develop strong collaboration and problem-solving skills to navigate these complexities and deliver reliable, effective weapon systems.

How can I become a weapons engineer?

To become a weapons engineer, typically a bachelor's degree in engineering, physics, or a related field is required, often followed by specialized training or experience in defense systems or armaments. Strong skills in mathematics, computer-aided design (CAD), and familiarity with military standards are important, and security clearances may be necessary for certain positions.

What engineers make $300,000 a year?

In the field of weapon engineering, senior engineers with extensive experience, specialized skills, and security clearances can earn salaries approaching or exceeding $300,000 annually, especially in defense contracting or aerospace industries. High-level roles often require advanced degrees, certifications, and leadership responsibilities, with compensation reflecting the complexity and security requirements of the work.

What type of engineers work on weapons?

Weapon engineering typically involves mechanical, aerospace, electrical, and systems engineers who design, develop, and test weapon systems and related components. These engineers often work in defense or military industries and require knowledge of materials, electronics, and safety standards.

What is the difference between Weapon Engineering vs Mechanical Engineering?

AspectWeapon EngineeringMechanical Engineering
Required CredentialsBachelor's in Mechanical, Electrical, or Weapon Systems Engineering; possibly security clearancesBachelor's or higher in Mechanical Engineering; professional licensure often preferred
Work EnvironmentDefense labs, military facilities, manufacturing plantsFactories, design firms, research labs
Industry UsageMilitary, defense contractors, aerospaceAutomotive, aerospace, manufacturing, energy

Weapon Engineering focuses on designing, developing, and testing weapon systems, often within defense and military contexts. Mechanical Engineering has a broader scope, involving the design and analysis of mechanical systems across various industries. While both roles require strong engineering fundamentals, Weapon Engineering emphasizes specialized knowledge of weapon systems and security clearances, whereas Mechanical Engineering offers more diverse career paths.

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Weapon Engineering jobs near you
Infographic showing various Weapon Engineering job openings in the United States as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 97% Full Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $121,377 per year, or $58.4 per hour.
Principal Systems Engineer, Weapon System Integration

Principal Systems Engineer, Weapon System Integration

Vertex

Indianapolis, IN • On-site

Full-time

Posted yesterday

Job description

V2X is seeking a Principal Systems Engineer to join our Systems Engineering team in Indianapolis, IN, supporting programs in next-generation avionics and weapon system integration. Our Indianapolis facility supports a variety of product lines serving multiple DoD customers providing the opportunity to work on a diverse set of programs and roles supporting the continued advancement of your career.
The ideal candidate embraces modern development processes and techniques that improve product quality & team productivity and has experience developing and integrating advanced systems including situational awareness displays, mission computers, avionics, sensors, mission equipment, and radar systems. We are looking for engineers that enjoy a challenge and have a passion to support our DoD customers and international allies.
The Principal Systems provides technical and programmatic leadership throughout the development life cycle, from concept development, requirements definition, functional analysis, design review support, system implementation, integration, verification, and validation. The Principal Systems will work within a cross-functional Integrated Product Team (IPT), where strong communication and team building skills are critical to success.
Required Skills:
  • At least twelve (12) years of related engineering experience in systems, software, or hardware engineering.
  • Experience with design, integration, and certification of embedded hardware and software subsystems, transitioning products.

  • Experience with Agile software development methodologies

  • Knowledge and experience working with digital data standards such as: MIL-STD-1553, MIL-STD-1760, Radio Frequency (RF) communication, and ENET protocols.
  • Experience providing leadership, technical direction, and guidance to large multi-discipline teams.
  • Experience leading all systems engineering tasks and cross-product activities across the program.
  • Ability to take ownership of the engineering scope within the program and drive the necessary tasks to ultimately ensure the cross-function team meets the technical
    requirements.
  • Experience developing technical baselines (requirements/architecture); leading development teams; and developing and reviewing Engineering Change Requests.
  • Experience leading Trade Studies, performing Risk and Opportunity analyses, and tracking and mitigating risks.
  • Strong communication skills and ability to effectively communicate to internal and external stakeholders including leading both internal and customer design reviews.
  • In-depth understanding of the System Engineering Lifecycle and processes.
  • Experience mentoring engineers of all grade levels.
  • Must be a U.S. Citizen with ability to obtain a DoD Secret Clearance.

Desired Skills:
  • Experience with weapon systems, military avionic systems, and aircraft integration programs
  • Experience with circuit card, controls systems, and/or component design for weapon systems.
  • Comprehensive understanding the Universal Armament Interface (UAI) interface
  • Experience with Mission Store and/or Carriage System (Type I and Type II) development including design criteria standards (ex. MIL-STD-8591, MIL-STD-2088B)
  • Experience with the design and development of weapon safety critical functions

  • Direct experience working with government customers including the US Army, US Navy, USMC and/or USAF.
  • Experience working the front end of the business, creating/reviewing RFPs, SOWs, BOEs, technical volumes, proposals, cost, and schedule estimates.
  • Project management experience including cost, schedule, supplier management, risk, and opportunity assessment.

Education / Certifications:
  • Bachelor's Degree in Engineering or related STEM discipline.

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Equal Opportunity Employer
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