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Weapons Manufacturing Jobs in Kansas (NOW HIRING)

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But our secret weapon? Our people. It's the curiosity, dedication, and innovation that drive our ... manufacturing and personalization facilities. This role requires a technically fluent project ...

Shield AI

Flight Test Engineer, Staff (R5006)

Wichita, KS · On-site

$120K - $190K/yr

... manufacturing. What you'll do: * Develop, publish, and execute comprehensive flight test plans ... Experience in Group 4-5 UAS and/or fighter type capability or similar weapons systems * Familiarity ...

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Weapons Manufacturing information

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$4

$11

How much do weapons manufacturing jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 9, 2026, the average hourly pay for weapons manufacturing in Kansas is $11.15, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $11.15 and $11.15 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is weapons manufacturing?

Weapons manufacturing is the process of designing, producing, and assembling various types of weapons and defense equipment, such as firearms, ammunition, explosives, and military vehicles. This industry involves advanced engineering, strict safety protocols, and adherence to government regulations. Weapons manufacturers typically work closely with military organizations, law enforcement agencies, and sometimes private security firms to supply high-quality, reliable equipment. The field requires expertise in metallurgy, mechanical engineering, quality assurance, and often includes research into new technologies to improve weapon performance and safety.

What are some common challenges faced by professionals working in weapons manufacturing roles?

Professionals in weapons manufacturing often encounter challenges related to maintaining strict safety and quality standards, as the industry is highly regulated. Adhering to detailed protocols and documentation is essential to ensure compliance with government and international regulations. Additionally, working collaboratively with engineers, quality assurance teams, and supply chain partners is crucial to meet tight production deadlines and manage complex projects. Adapting to rapidly evolving technology and security requirements can also be demanding, but it offers valuable opportunities for skill development and career advancement.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in weapons manufacturing?

To excel in weapons manufacturing, you need strong mechanical aptitude, understanding of manufacturing processes, and often a background in engineering or skilled trades. Familiarity with CAD software, CNC machinery, quality control systems, and knowledge of industry regulations or relevant certifications (such as ITAR or ISO) is typically required. Attention to detail, problem-solving abilities, and a commitment to safety are crucial soft skills in this field. These skills and qualifications are vital to ensure products meet strict safety, quality, and legal standards in a highly regulated and precise industry.

How to get a job in weapons manufacturing?

The qualifications and skills that you need to get a weapons manufacturing job depend on the responsibilities of your position. Weapons engineering jobs require at least a bachelor’s degree in a relevant engineering or science subject. Specializations for this field include computer engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, or ballistic engineering. Assemblers and technicians need at least a high school diploma or vocational degree. Some employers prefer to hire weapons manufacturing professionals with previous military experience or training. Design jobs related to the military require that you obtain a security clearance.

What is the difference between Weapons Manufacturing vs Gunsmith?

AspectWeapons ManufacturingGunsmith
Required CredentialsTechnical certifications, manufacturing trainingGun repair and customization certifications
Work EnvironmentFactories, assembly lines, industrial settingsGun shops, repair facilities, custom shops
Industry UsageMass production of firearms and military equipmentCustom firearm repair, modification, and restoration

Weapons Manufacturing involves large-scale production of firearms and military equipment in industrial settings, often requiring technical certifications. Gunsmiths focus on repairing, customizing, and restoring firearms in specialized shops, with certifications in gun repair. While both roles work with firearms, weapons manufacturing emphasizes mass production, whereas gunsmithing centers on individual firearm customization and repair.

More about Weapons Manufacturing jobs
What are the most commonly searched types of Weapons Manufacturing jobs in Kansas? The most popular types of Weapons Manufacturing jobs in Kansas are:
What are popular job titles related to Weapons Manufacturing jobs in Kansas? For Weapons Manufacturing jobs in Kansas, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Weapons Manufacturing jobs in Kansas look for? The top searched job categories for Weapons Manufacturing jobs in Kansas are:
Weapons Manufacturing jobs near you
Infographic showing various Weapons Manufacturing job openings in Kansas as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Full Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $23,188 per year, or $11.1 per hour.

Staff Engineer, Quality Assurance (R5358)

Shield AI

Wichita, KS • On-site

$110K - $160K/yr

Full-time

Posted 11 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
$110,000 - $160,000 a year
#LI-JM1
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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.
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