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Weapons Engineer Jobs in Illinois (NOW HIRING)

EXPANSIA

E01-T07 Anti-Tamper Engineer

Mundelein, IL

$190K - $195K/yr

Apply engineering principles to investigate, analyze, plan, design, develop, implement, test or evaluate military weapons systems. * Review and prepares engineering and technical analyses, reports ...

Simvention

Cybersecurity Engineer

Dahlgren, IL · On-site

$100 - $156/hr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Two (2) of the five (5) years of engineering experience on Combat Weapons Systems experience in Aegis, SSDS, Zumwalt, or other Navy afloat tactical combat systems. Certified as IAT Level II or Level ...

Shield AI

Flight Test Engineer (R5006)

Mundelein, IL

$115K - $215K/yr

Experience in Group 4-5 UAS and/or fighter type capability or similar weapons systems * Familiarity ... engineer who is comfortable in control rooms, hangar/maintenance areas, and office type ...

U.S. Navy

Engineering Duty Officer

Aurora, IL · On-site

  • Medical

  • Retirement

  • PTO

As an Engineering Duty Officer, your job is to keep the fleet moving forward. The Navy will rely on ... Leading the design of new ships and their systems while supervising the integration of weapons and ...

U.S. Navy

Engineering Duty Officer

Edwardsville, IL · On-site

  • Medical

  • Retirement

  • PTO

As an Engineering Duty Officer, your job is to keep the fleet moving forward. The Navy will rely on ... Leading the design of new ships and their systems while supervising the integration of weapons and ...

U.S. Navy

Engineering Duty Officer

Springfield, IL · On-site

  • Medical

  • Retirement

  • PTO

As an Engineering Duty Officer, your job is to keep the fleet moving forward. The Navy will rely on ... Leading the design of new ships and their systems while supervising the integration of weapons and ...

U.S. Navy

Engineering Duty Officer

Chicago, IL · On-site

  • Medical

  • Retirement

  • PTO

As an Engineering Duty Officer, your job is to keep the fleet moving forward. The Navy will rely on ... Leading the design of new ships and their systems while supervising the integration of weapons and ...

U.S. Navy

Engineering Duty Officer

Dekalb, IL · On-site

  • Medical

  • Retirement

  • PTO

As an Engineering Duty Officer, your job is to keep the fleet moving forward. The Navy will rely on ... Leading the design of new ships and their systems while supervising the integration of weapons and ...

U.S. Navy

Engineering Duty Officer

Peoria, IL · On-site

  • Medical

  • Retirement

  • PTO

As an Engineering Duty Officer, your job is to keep the fleet moving forward. The Navy will rely on ... Leading the design of new ships and their systems while supervising the integration of weapons and ...

U.S. Navy

Engineering Duty Officer

Joliet, IL · On-site

  • Medical

  • Retirement

  • PTO

As an Engineering Duty Officer, your job is to keep the fleet moving forward. The Navy will rely on ... Leading the design of new ships and their systems while supervising the integration of weapons and ...

U.S. Navy

Engineering Duty Officer

Rockford, IL · On-site

  • Medical

  • Retirement

  • PTO

As an Engineering Duty Officer, your job is to keep the fleet moving forward. The Navy will rely on ... Leading the design of new ships and their systems while supervising the integration of weapons and ...

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All JobsWeapons Engineer JobsWeapons Engineer Jobs in Illinois

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.
More about Weapons Engineer jobs

What are the most commonly searched types of Weapons Engineer jobs in Illinois?

The most popular types of Weapons Engineer jobs in Illinois are:

What are popular job titles related to Weapons Engineer jobs in Illinois?

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

What job categories do people searching Weapons Engineer jobs in Illinois look for?

The top searched job categories for Weapons Engineer jobs in Illinois are:

What are popular job titles related to Weapons Engineer jobs in IL?

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

Weapons Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Weapons Engineer job openings in Illinois as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 95% Full Time, 2% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 85% Physical, 6% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution.

Staff Engineer, Quality Assurance (R5358)

Shield AI

Mundelein, IL • On-site

$110K - $160K/yr

Full-time

Posted 19 days ago

Job description

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, V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, and Aechelon simulation and synthetic reality technologies. 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:

Shield AI is seeking a Quality Engineer to support the development, inspection, execution, and continuous improvement of the X-BAT program. This fast-paced role is responsible for ensuring weapons system hardware, assemblies, suppliers, manufacturing processes, test processes, and final products meet engineering requirements and quality standards.

You will work closely with test operations, manufacturing, engineering, supply chain, program management, and suppliers to identify quality risks, resolve nonconformances, improve processes, and deliver reliable mission critical operations.

What you'll do:
  • Support quality planning, inspections, readiness, and acceptance activities for the weapons system and subsystems
  • Review engineering drawings, specifications, work instructions, inspection plans, and acceptance criteria
  • Develop and maintain quality documentation, including inspection plans, control plans, first article inspections, nonconformance reports, corrective actions, and quality records
  • Lead root cause analysis and corrective/preventive action efforts for manufacturing defects, supplier issues, test failures, process/procedure failures, and any other quality concerns
  • Support material review board activities, disposition of nonconforming material, and implementation of containment actions
  • Work with manufacturing and engineering teams to build, process capability, and product reliability
  • Analyze quality data, defect trends, performance, and escape rates to identify improvement opportunities
  • Participate in supplier quality activities, including issue resolution, corrective actions, and quality flow-down requirements
  • Ensure compliance with applicable aerospace, defense, customer, and internal quality requirements
  • Promote a culture of safety, compliance, accountability, and continuous improvement
Required qualifications:
  • Bachelor’s degree in science, Engineering, Technology, and Math (STEM), Quality Engineering or related field, or similar experience levels supporting developmental test operations.
  • 5-10 years of experience with developmental and/or operational ground and flight test, unmanned/manned aircraft systems, aircraft integration, or aerospace systems engineering
  • Experience in quality engineering, ground and flight test execution, maintenance, manufacturing engineering, supplier quality, production support, or aerospace hardware
  • Ability to interpret engineering drawings, technical specifications, bills of materials, work instructions, and inspection requirements
  • Proven experience with nonconformance management, root cause analysis, corrective action, trend analysis, and quality documentation
  • Familiarity with inspection methods, measurement tools, and manufacturing processes used in aerospace or complex hardware integration and development test environments
  • Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills
  • Ability to work cross-functionally with engineering, manufacturing, test operations, supply chain, and program leadership
  • Maintains liaison with manufacturing, engineering, material management, suppliers to resolve quality problems
  • Detail-oriented approach with a strong commitment to product quality and process discipline
  • Ability to work in a fast-paced ground and flight test environment
  • Willingness to travel and work outdoors at test ranges and other program requirements
  • Overtime and weekend coverage as required
Preferred qualifications:
  • 10+ years of experience with developmental and/or operational ground and flight test, unmanned aircraft systems, aircraft integration, or aerospace systems engineering
  • Knowledge of AS9100, ISO9001, FAA, DoW, and other aerospace and defense quality standards
  • Experience with first acritical inspections
  • Experience supporting protype aircraft, weapon systems, or mission critical aerospace systems
  • Familiarity with configuration management, drawing release processes, and engineering change processes
  • Experience using quality tools such as 8D, 5 Why’s, Fishbone diagrams, FMEA, control plans, or process capability analysis
  • Certified Quality Engineer, Six Sigma Green/Black Belt, or related certification
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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.