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Weapons Engineer Jobs in Arizona (NOW HIRING)

... associated weapons, sensors, and support equipment. Imagine collaborating with some of the ... engineering offices. * Conduct research, development, test and evaluation to determine the ...

Embedded Engineer 3 9Clearance)

Chandler, AZ · On-site

$129K - $170K/yr

As a Software Engineer working for the Strike Weapons Program, you will play a pivotal role in performing software development for our program. This position will serve on-site at Launch Vehicles in ...

Showing results 21-40

Weapons Engineer information

See Arizona salary details

$65.9K

$83.8K

$99.5K

How much do weapons engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 12, 2026, the average yearly pay for weapons engineer in Arizona is $83,826.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $75,500.00 and $92,300.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are common challenges weapons engineers face when working on multidisciplinary defense projects?

Weapons Engineers often collaborate with specialists in electronics, materials science, software, and systems engineering. One common challenge is integrating complex subsystems to ensure reliability and safety, while meeting strict military specifications. Effective communication and project management skills are essential, as projects usually involve cross-functional teams and tight deadlines. Staying updated with evolving technologies and regulations is also crucial for success in this field.

What does a weapons engineer do?

As a weapons engineer, you design test, analyze, update, and improve military weapons systems, such as missile defense systems, fighter jets, body armor, and conventional weapons. Your duties depend on the type of industry in which you work. Many weapons systems are now very complex, requiring numerous systems and parts. For example, a fighter jet involves input from aerospace engineers or guidance systems design experts and optical engineers. However, many of your responsibilities are the same across industries. You work with teams of engineers in consultation with military experts to identify weaknesses in weapons and prepare prototypes before beginning full production.

What is a weapons engineer?

Weapons engineers are specialized professionals who design, develop, test, and maintain military weapons and defense systems. Their work involves applying principles of mechanical, electrical, and aerospace engineering to create advanced weaponry such as missiles, firearms, and defense technologies. Weapons engineers often collaborate with government agencies and defense contractors to ensure that their designs meet safety, reliability, and regulatory standards. They may also be involved in research and development to innovate new technologies for national security. This career requires strong technical skills, attention to detail, and adherence to strict ethical and legal guidelines.

What type of weapons engineers work on weapons?

Weapons engineers who work on weapons typically specialize in designing, developing, testing, and maintaining military or defense-related weapon systems such as firearms, missiles, or explosive devices. They often have expertise in areas like ballistics, materials science, and systems integration, and may work with tools like CAD software and testing facilities.

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

To thrive as a Weapons Engineer, you need a solid background in mechanical, electrical, or aerospace engineering, often supported by a relevant degree and security clearance. Familiarity with CAD software, simulation tools, and defense industry standards or certifications is typically required. Strong analytical thinking, attention to detail, and effective teamwork skills help you excel in this role. These competencies ensure the safe, innovative, and compliant development of advanced weapon systems in a highly regulated field.

What is the difference between Weapons Engineer vs Mechanical Engineer?

AspectWeapons EngineerMechanical Engineer
Required CredentialsBachelor's in Engineering, specialized training in weapon systems, security clearancesBachelor's in Mechanical Engineering, possibly a Professional Engineer (PE) license
Work EnvironmentDefense labs, military facilities, research centersManufacturing plants, design firms, industrial settings
Industry UsageDefense, aerospace, military technologyAutomotive, aerospace, manufacturing, energy

Weapons Engineers focus on designing, developing, and testing weapon systems within defense and military sectors, often requiring security clearances. Mechanical Engineers work across various industries, designing and analyzing mechanical systems. While both roles involve engineering principles, Weapons Engineers specialize in weaponry and defense applications, whereas Mechanical Engineers have broader applications in general machinery and product design.

What are the most commonly searched types of Weapons Engineer jobs in Arizona? The most popular types of Weapons Engineer jobs in Arizona are:
What are popular job titles related to Weapons Engineer jobs in Arizona? For Weapons Engineer jobs in Arizona, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Weapons Engineer jobs in Arizona look for? The top searched job categories for Weapons Engineer jobs in Arizona are:
What cities in Arizona are hiring for Weapons Engineer jobs? Cities in Arizona with the most Weapons Engineer job openings:
What are popular job titles related to Weapons Engineer jobs in AZ? For Weapons Engineer jobs in AZ, the most frequently searched job titles are:
Infographic showing various Weapons Engineer job openings in Arizona as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 86% Full Time, 11% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $83,826 per year, or $40.3 per hour.

Senior Software Engineer with Test Solutions

Raytheon

Tucson, AZ

$115K - $152K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 5 days ago


Raytheon rating

9.1

Company rating: 9.1 out of 10

Based on 99 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

2nd of 538 rated manufacturers


Job description

Date Posted:

2026-05-07

Country:

United States of America

Location:

US-AZ-TUCSON-801 ~ 1151 E Hermans Rd ~ BLDG 801 (External Site)

Position Role Type:

Onsite

U.S. Citizen, U.S. Person, or Immigration Status Requirements:

Active and transferable U.S. government issued security clearance is required prior to start date.​ U.S. citizenship is required, as only U.S. citizens are eligible for a security clearance​

Security Clearance Type:

DoD Clearance: Secret

Security Clearance Status:

Ability to obtain INTERIM U.S. government issued security clearance is required prior to start date

At Raytheon, the foundation of everything we do is rooted in our values and a higher calling – to help our nation and allies defend freedoms and deter aggression. We bring the strength of more than 100 years of experience and renowned engineering expertise to meet the needs of today’s mission and stay ahead of tomorrow’s threat. Our team solves tough, meaningful problems that create a safer, more secure world.

This position is 100% on site in Tucson, Arizona

Job Description:

The Test Equipment Engineering (TEE) team within the Hardware Discipline Center is a multi-discipline organization that provides test solutions to support production lines for our entire missile portfolio. The software team within TEE is responsible for developing advanced windows application solutions for all Raytheon products. We are hands-on, designing with the latest technology and tools, and integrating state-of-the-art software solutions with the most advanced engineering systems in the world. TEE products are in engineering labs, in the field, and in production environments utilized for weapon system products. TEE has job opportunities across all phases of the engineering lifecycle, including demonstrations, early engineering tests, design verification tests, production, and post-production sustainment.

The Senior Software Engineer with Test Equipment position is focused on the design, development, integration, and maintenance of software as a part of on-site factory support of systems to support weapon system product development. The selected candidate will develop applications, libraries, and instrument drivers using the software style, development language, and integrated development environment specified by the organization.

The selected candidate will contribute to multidiscipline engineering teams. Typical work involves the development of both engineering and production equipment, environments, and systems. As such, the candidate will contribute to the completion of all stages of product development for RMD weapon system products. They will be expected to work, either as a part of a team or independently, to design, develop, and implement system level applications in support of producing and maintaining weapon system products.

What You Will Do:

  • Design, develop and integrate object-oriented software applications using C#, C++ in Microsoft Visual Studio in a Windows Operating System (OS)
  • Prioritize and handle multiple software engineering tasks concurrently
  • Troubleshoot software and test equipment instrumentation
  • Work in a multidiscipline engineering team environment
  • Develop and derive requirements for software products

Qualifications You Must Have:

  • Typically requires a bachelor’s degree in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) and minimum 5 years prior relevant experience, or an Advanced degree in a related field and minimum 3 years’ experience.  
  • Five years’ experience developing and integrating software applications using C, C#, C++ programming languages in a test environment, as well as Java, Python or Visual Basic.
  • Experience with Windows Operating System and Microsoft Visual Studio is required.
  • The ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government issued (Secret) security clearance is required before starting. U.S. citizenship is required, as only U.S. Citizens are eligible for a security clearance.

Qualifications We Prefer:

  • Familiar with computer architecture and computer hardware optimization techniques
  • Working knowledge of the development of software drivers for the operation of computer hardware interfaces
  • Working knowledge in common computer hardware interface and data protocols such as TCP/IP, UDP, or RS-422
  • Familiarity with laboratory test instrumentation, electronics, and software (Ex. oscilloscopes, power supplies, digital multimeters)
  • Experience with Unified Modeling Language (UML) to visualize software architecture and design
  • Experience of software development lifecycles, such as Waterfall and Agile
  • Experience with Software Configuration Management principles
  • Experience with Microsoft Azure DevOps Server or GitHub
  • Good written and interpersonal communication skills

What We Offer:

Our values drive our actions, behaviors, and performance with a vision for a safer, more connected world. At RTX we value: Safety, Trust, Respect, Accountability, Collaboration, and Innovation.

Learn More & Apply Now:

Please consider the following role type definition as you apply for this role.  Onsite: Employees who are working in Onsite roles will work primarily onsite. This includes all production and maintenance employees, as they are essential to the development of our products.

This position requires onsite work in Tucson, AZ: https://careers.rtx.com/global/en/raytheon-tucson,-az-location

#TestEngineering

As part of our commitment to maintaining a secure hiring process, candidates may be asked to attend select steps of the interview process in-person at one of our office locations, regardless of whether the role is designated as on-site, hybrid or remote.

The salary range for this role is 86,800 USD - 165,200 USD. The salary range provided is a good faith estimate representative of all experience levels. RTX considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the role, function and associated responsibilities, a candidate’s work experience, location, education/training, and key skills. Hired applicants may be eligible for benefits, including but not limited to, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, 401(k) match, flexible spending accounts, flexible work schedules, employee assistance program, Employee Scholar Program, parental leave, paid time off, and holidays. Specific benefits are dependent upon the specific business unit as well as whether or not the position is covered by a collective-bargaining agreement. Hired applicants may be eligible for annual short-term and/or long-term incentive compensation programs depending on the level of the position and whether or not it is covered by a collective-bargaining agreement. Payments under these annual programs are not guaranteed and are dependent upon a variety of factors including, but not limited to, individual performance, business unit performance, and/or the company’s performance. This role is a U.S.-based role. If the successful candidate resides in a U.S. territory, the appropriate pay structure and benefits will apply. RTX anticipates the application window closing approximately 40 days from the date the notice was posted. However, factors such as candidate flow and business necessity may require RTX to shorten or extend the application window.

RTX is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or veteran status, or any other applicable state or federal protected class. RTX provides affirmative action in employment for qualified Individuals with a Disability and Protected Veterans in compliance with Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act.

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