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Weapons Engineer Jobs in Idaho (NOW HIRING)

Entrust Datacard

$50 - $68.50/hr

But our secret weapon? Our people. It's the curiosity, dedication, and innovation that drive our success and help us anticipate the future. We're looking for an experienced Principal Cloud DevOps ...

Primary Weapons Systems

QC/QA Manager

Boise, ID · On-site

QA Manager/Sr CMM / VMM Programmer Job Title: Quality Control Manager Department: Quality Control Reports To: COO FLSA Status: Exempt Position Summary: Responsible for leading the quality function to ...

Primary Weapons Systems

QC/QA Manager

Boise, ID

QA Manager/Sr CMM / VMM Programmer Job Title: Quality Control Manager Department: Quality Control Reports To: COO FLSA Status: Exempt Position Summary: Responsible for leading the quality function to ...

Primary Weapons Systems

QC/QA Manager

Boise, ID · On-site

QA Manager/Sr CMM / VMM Programmer Job Title: Quality Control Manager Department: Quality Control Reports To: COO FLSA Status: Exempt Position Summary: Responsible for leading the quality function to ...

Primary Weapons Systems

Machinist - Firearms

Boise, ID

$19.50 - $26.75/hr

Fabricates piece parts based on engineering models using CNC equipment. 4 days a week 10 hours per day Essential Duties and Responsibilities: * Operate CNC machines for production. * Inspect parts ...

Primary Weapons Systems

Machinist - Firearms

Boise, ID · On-site

$19.50 - $26.75/hr

Fabricates piece parts based on engineering models using CNC equipment. 4 days a week 10 hours per day Essential Duties and Responsibilities: * Operate CNC machines for production. * Inspect parts ...

Primary Weapons Systems

Machinist - Firearms

Boise, ID · On-site

$19.50 - $26.75/hr

Fabricates piece parts based on engineering models using CNC equipment. 4 days a week 10 hours per day Essential Duties and Responsibilities: * Operate CNC machines for production. * Inspect parts ...

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Weapons Engineer information

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 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 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 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 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.

Is weapons engineering a good career?

Weapons engineering is a specialized field involving the design, development, and testing of weapon systems, often requiring a background in engineering, physics, or related sciences. It typically offers high-demand skills, security clearances, and competitive salaries, but may involve working in regulated or classified environments. Career prospects depend on industry needs and government contracts, with opportunities in defense, aerospace, and research sectors.

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 backgrounds in mechanical, electrical, or aerospace engineering and may work with advanced tools like CAD software and simulation programs in secure environments.
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The top searched job categories for Weapons Engineer jobs in Idaho are:

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For Weapons Engineer jobs in ID, the most frequently searched job titles are:

Weapons Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Weapons Engineer job openings in Idaho as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 92% Full Time, 4% Part Time, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 85% Physical, 6% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution.

Senior System Security Engineer (SSE)

General Dynamics Mission Systems, Inc

Boise, ID • On-site

$142K - $150K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Retirement

Re-posted 28 days ago

General Dynamics Mission Systems rating

8.1

Company rating: 8.1 out of 10

Based on 31 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

114th of 246 rated software companies

Job description

Basic Qualifications
Education Requirements:
Bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering, or a related Science, Engineering or Mathematics field, plus a minimum of 8 years of relevant experience; or Master's degree, plus a minimum of 6 years of relevant experience.
Clearance Requirements:
Ability to obtain a Department of Defense Secret security clearance is required at time of hire. Applicants selected will be subject to a U.S. Government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information. Due to the nature of work performed within our facilities, U.S. citizenship is required.
Responsibilities for this Position
ROLE AND POSITION OBJECTIVES:
A successful candidate will possess implemtation level details of vulnerabilities and their countermeasures across a wide range of system types including microcontrollers, FPGA based system-on-chip (SoC) system, and workstation grade single board computers. GDMS is equally interested in physical and virtual threat vectors.
Example Physical threats:
- Side Channel Analysis against crypto systems
- Glitching and fault injection
- Invasive and non-invasive chip and circuit card level failure analysis techniques
- JTAG and in-circuit debug
- Direct Memory access and bus protocol exploitation
Example Virtual threats:
- Software exploitation
- Firmware Exploitation
- Root Kits and Boot Kits
- Protocol exploitation
- Cryptanalysis
- CPU Side Channel Analysis
- Rowhammer
The primary responsibility of this candidate is to individually contribute to the vulnerability analysis and countermeasure selection/design for subsystem and component (circuit card or device level) elements within U.S. weapon systems.
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES
  • Evaluate proposed or existing system architectures for reverse engineering and cyber exploitation vulnerabilities
  • Document vulnerabilities in white papers and attack countermeasure analysis
  • Architect system level security design and requirements to address the vulnerabilities enumerated within U.S. weapon systems.
  • Prepare for, attend, and brief and customer and government design review meetings
  • Participate in all aspects of the product design life cycle including system architecture, design, development, and verification
  • Distill complex technical concepts into clear and concise writing to support proposals for new opportunities
  • Contribute to new product ideas and proposals
  • Participate in industry working groups and provide security recommendations to relevant government and commercial standards, policies, and procedures

What sets you apart:
  • More than five (5) years of proven past performance in embedded systems security design; preference given to candidates who have experience with US Department of Defense (DoD) embedded systems security
  • Advanced knowledge of crypto algorithms, when and how to use each algorithm, vulnerabilities of each algorithm and vulnerabilities inherent to an implementation of each algorithm
  • Advanced knowledge of attacks and vulnerabilities against hardware and software, as well as an understanding of balancing solutions with acceptable residual vulnerabilities
  • Advanced understanding of computer hardware and software architectures, including being able to clearly articulate how a CPU works, how a FPGA works, how Operating Systems work and how user space application runtime environments work
  • Ability to clearly capture complex technical concepts in writing for both technical and general audiences
  • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
  • Must be highly creative and have experience interfacing directly with external customers negotiation and the ability to meet challenging customer requirements with win-win solutions
  • Commitment to ongoing professional development for yourself and others
  • Identifies opportunities to apply AI for continuous improvement and innovation

Our Commitment to You:
  • An exciting career path with opportunities for continuous learning and development.
  • Research oriented work, alongside award winning teams developing practical solutions for our nation's security
  • Flexible schedules with every other Friday off work, if desired (9/80 schedule)
  • Competitive benefits, including 401k matching, flex time off, paid parental leave, healthcare benefits, health & wellness programs, employee resource and social groups, and more
  • See more at gdmissionsystems.com/careers/why-work-for-us/benefits

Workplace Options:
This position is expected to be in the Salt Lake City, Utah or Boise, Idaho office.
#LI-JH1
#LI-Hybrid
Salary Note
This estimate represents the typical salary range for this position based on experience and other factors (geographic location, etc.). Actual pay may vary. This job posting will remain open until the position is filled.
Combined Salary Range
USD $142,407.00 - USD $150,195.00 /Yr.
Company Overview
General Dynamics Mission Systems (GDMS) engineers a diverse portfolio of high technology solutions, products and services that enable customers to successfully execute missions across all domains of operation. With a global team of 12,000+ top professionals, we partner with the best in industry to expand the bounds of innovation in the defense and scientific arenas. Given the nature of our work and who we are, we value trust, honesty, alignment and transparency. We offer highly competitive benefits and pride ourselves in being a great place to work with a shared sense of purpose. You will also enjoy a flexible work environment where contributions are recognized and rewarded. If who we are and what we do resonates with you, we invite you to join our high-performance team!
Equal Opportunity Employer / Individuals with Disabilities / Protected Veterans

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