Junior Firearms Engineer/Senior Firearms Engineer
Location:
Department: Engineering — Small Arms / Weapon Systems
Reports to: Engineering Manager / Senior Firearms Engineer
Employment type: Full-time
Clearance: U.S. Person required; ability to obtain a Secret clearance
POSITION SUMMARY
Support the design, prototyping, and testing of firearms and components under the guidance of senior engineers. You will apply mechanical engineering fundamentals to help move defense products from concept to production while building hands-on expertise in firearms design, military specifications, and defense-industry engineering practices.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Assist in designing firearm components — receivers, barrels, trigger groups, magazines, and related assemblies — in 3D autodesk inventor.
- Build prototypes and conduct functional, durability, and environmental testing; collect, organize, and document results.
- Perform supporting analysis, including tolerance stack-ups, basic FEA, and materials research.
- Create and revise technical drawings and bills of materials (BOMs) with proper GD&T.
- Participate in design-for-manufacturability and assembly (DFM/DFA) reviews with manufacturing teams.
- Help maintain test plans, reports, and engineering documentation.
- Assist with root-cause investigations on production or test issues and track corrective actions.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field.
- 0–3 years of relevant experience; internships or co-ops count.
- Proficiency in 3D CAD and the creation of engineering drawings with GD&T.
- Foundational knowledge of manufacturing processes (CNC machining, injection molding, stamping).
- Strong fundamentals in engineering materials, mechanics, and tolerancing.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Internship or project experience with firearms, defense, or precision mechanical products.
- Exposure to FEA tools and basic internal/external ballistics concepts.
- Familiarity with MIL-STD / MIL-SPEC requirements.
CLEARANCE & COMPLIANCE
- U.S. Person status required. Due to ITAR (22 CFR Part 120) and federal export-control requirements, applicants must be a U.S. Person — a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, lawful permanent resident, or other protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3).
- Must be able to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance (e.g., Secret) if required by the assigned program.
- Must comply with all applicable export-control, safety, and facility-security requirements.
WORK ENVIRONMENT & PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
- Combination of office, engineering lab, and live-fire range / test facility.
- May require lifting up to 50 lbs, exposure to noise, and strict adherence to firearms-safety protocols.
Senior Firearms Engineer
Location:
Department: Engineering — Small Arms / Weapon Systems
Reports to: Engineering Manager / Director of Engineering
Employment type: Full-time
Clearance: U.S. Person required; active or obtainable Secret/Top Secret
POSITION SUMMARY
Lead the design and development of firearms and complex subsystems from concept through qualification and production. You will own technical direction on defense programs, mentor junior engineers, and serve as a primary engineering interface with manufacturing, program management, and government customers.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Lead end-to-end design of firearms and major subsystems, owning architecture and key engineering decisions.
- Drive design-verification and qualification testing to military specifications (functional, durability, environmental, and safety).
- Perform and review advanced analysis: FEA, tolerance and reliability analysis, and materials/process selection.
- Lead design reviews, DFMEA, and root-cause / corrective-action efforts.
- Partner with manufacturing to ensure producibility at scale (DFM/DFA, first-article inspection).
- Mentor and provide technical guidance to junior and mid-level engineers.
- Interface with DoD / government customers and support proposals, technical reviews, and program milestones.
- Ensure designs and documentation meet applicable regulations and standards (ATF, SAAMI, MIL-STD / MIL-SPEC).
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field (Master's a plus).
- 7+ years of mechanical design experience, with significant firearms or defense product experience.
- Demonstrated track record leading products through the full development lifecycle to production.
- Expert-level 3D CAD and GD&T; deep knowledge of manufacturing processes and engineering materials.
- Strong working knowledge of internal and external ballistics.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Prior experience on government / DoD contracts and military qualification programs.
- Familiarity with export-control compliance (ITAR / EAR) in an engineering setting.
- Six Sigma, DFMEA, or an equivalent quality methodology.
- Active U.S. Government security clearance.
CLEARANCE & COMPLIANCE
- U.S. Person status required. Due to ITAR (22 CFR Part 120) and federal export-control requirements, applicants must be a U.S. Person — a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, lawful permanent resident, or other protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3).
- Active, or the ability to obtain and maintain, a U.S. Government security clearance (e.g., Secret / Top Secret) per program requirements.
- Must comply with all applicable export-control, safety, and facility-security requirements.
WORK ENVIRONMENT & PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
- Combination of office, engineering lab, and live-fire range / test facility.
- May require lifting up to 50 lbs, exposure to noise, and strict adherence to firearms-safety protocols.
How to Apply
Submit your resume and a brief cover to [email protected]. Please do not include ITAR-controlled or classified technical data in your application materials.
Pay: $75,000.00 - $175,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Flexible schedule
- Health insurance
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Hoffman Estates, IL 60192
