This role pays more than
62%
of similar roles. Most pay
$147,872–$193,000
— the shaded band above.
At the midpoint, this role pays about
$179k
versus about
$170k
for comparable roles.
Based on 240 similar postings.
Employer
About General Dynamics
General Dynamics is a global aerospace and defense company offering a broad portfolio of products and services in business aviation, ship construction, land combat vehicles, and information technology. It serves customers in the U.S. government, allied governments, and a diverse array of commercial markets.
General Dynamics currently has
1123 open roles
on FindRole.
Listed pay typically runs
$124,093–$150,385
across 984 roles with salary data.
As a Senior Principal Systems Engineer - Weapons and Energetics on the Advanced Electronics Systems team, you will provide technical leadership for high-consequence hardware including warheads, energetic payloads, and munitions. You will be responsible for defining payload architecture, decomposing system requirements into interfaces, and managing complex integrations between initiation systems, mechanical structures, and delivery platforms. Your daily work involves leading verification, qualification, and live-fire test activities while ensuring safety-critical components meet rigorous production standards. To succeed, you must utilize tools such as MATLAB, Ansys, Hydrocode, CTH, and Digital Twins to perform physics-based analysis and modeling. You will navigate critical trade studies involving mission effects, survivability, and insensitive-munitions objectives. This role solves complex engineering challenges in the defense sector by ensuring that energetic hardware transitions successfully from development into qualified, repeatable production for military use.
What does a Systems Engineer earn?
Median $158250 from 186 postings across 30 companies.
Own the design, qualification, and production readiness of warheads, energetic payloads, and munitions.
Define payload architecture and decompose system requirements into interfaces, verification evidence, and risk-reduction plans.
Manage technical interfaces between energetic payloads, initiation systems, mechanical structures, and delivery platforms.
Plan and lead verification, qualification, environmental, and live-fire test activities while driving corrective actions.
Apply system-safety practices and hazard analysis for energetic or safety-critical hardware components.
Provide supplier oversight, configuration control, and technical data reviews for controlled components.
Utilize modeling and simulation tools like MATLAB and Hydrocode to support payload design decisions.
Lead technical reviews and mentor engineers in disciplined engineering practices.
What we're looking for
Bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering or a related field plus 10 years of experience, or a Master's degree plus 8 years of experience.
Active Department of Defense Secret security clearance and U.S. citizenship are required.
Demonstrated technical ownership of warhead, energetic payload, munitions, or comparable high-consequence hardware through design, qualification, and production readiness.
Experience defining payload architecture and decomposing system requirements into interfaces, verification evidence, trade studies, and risk-reduction plans.
Experience managing interfaces among energetic payloads, initiation systems, mechanical structures, and weapon platforms.
Experience planning and leading verification, qualification, environmental, and live-fire test activities while interpreting results for corrective action.
Experience applying system-safety, hazard-analysis, and safety-evidence practices for energetic or safety-critical hardware.
Experience with supplier oversight, configuration control, traceability, and technical-data review for controlled components.
Systems Engineering
Requirements Analysis
System Design
Software Architecture
Integration and Testing
Data Analysis
Simulation
AI
Interface Definition Studies
Trade Studies
Data Collection Systems
Systems Engineering
Agile
Requirements Management
System Modeling
Software Integration
verification, and validation
AI
Fire Control Systems
Documentation Management