Senior Engineer

Join a Company Where You Can Make a Real Impact - and Own a Piece of the Future

Are you energized by the idea of helping a company grow smarter, serve our customers better, and connect more deeply? Do you thrive in an environment where your ideas matter, your voice is heard, and your work drives real results? If so, we'd love to meet you.

We're a mid-sized, employee-owned company on a mission to create meaningful value for both our employees and our customers. That means we're not just looking for someone to fill a seat - we're looking for someone who wants to build, innovate, and evolve with us.

Our company primarily serves the Navy and other Department of Defense clients, offering a dynamic environment where your expertise will make a difference.

About the Role

AVIAN is seeking a Senior Weapons Systems Engineer to support advanced weapons acquisition, development, integration, and sustainment efforts within the Precision Strike Weapons portfolio. This position supports multiple high-visibility programs across the acquisition lifecycle, ranging from pre-Milestone A concept development and requirements analysis to rapid acquisition initiatives and fielded weapons sustainment.

The successful candidate will serve as a key technical adviser to Government leadership, providing engineering analysis, acquisition expertise, and systems engineering support for some of the Navy's most critical strike weapon programs. This role requires the ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced environment where priorities span emerging technologies, rapid capability development, and long-term sustainment of operational weapon systems.

Responsibilities

Provide systems engineering, technical analysis, and acquisition support across all phases of the Department of Defense acquisition lifecycle.
• Support early-stage concept development, requirements definition, trade studies, and technology assessments for emerging weapon system capabilities.
• Analyze technical, programmatic, and operational requirements to support acquisition decision-making and capability development.
• Develop and review engineering documentation, specifications, technical reports, acquisition artifacts, and program roadmaps.
• Evaluate contractor and manufacturer technical proposals and provide recommendations regarding technical feasibility, risk, performance, and integration considerations.
• Support design reviews, technical interchange meetings, engineering working groups, and program management reviews.
• Identify technical risks and develop mitigation strategies to support successful program execution.
• Coordinate engineering activities through design, integration, test, production, fielding, and sustainment phases.
• Collaborate with Government personnel, industry partners, and subject matter experts to ensure alignment between technical execution and program objectives.
• Apply knowledge of Department of Defense acquisition policy and guidance, including DoDI 5000 series frameworks, to support program planning and execution.
• Provide technical recommendations to senior leadership regarding weapon system development, modernization, rapid acquisition initiatives, and sustainment strategies.
• Support the integration of new capabilities while ensuring compatibility with existing operational systems and infrastructure.
• Assist in resolving complex technical, engineering, and acquisition challenges in dynamic and highly classified environments.

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Physics, Mathematics, Systems Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical discipline.
• Master's degree is desired.

Experience:

• Minimum of 10 years of experience supporting Department of Defense acquisition programs.
• Demonstrated experience supporting multiple phases of the acquisition lifecycle, including requirements development, engineering analysis, integration, testing, production, fielding, and sustainment.
• Experience supporting Navy weapons systems, missile systems, precision strike capabilities, or related defense programs.
• Experience conducting technical reviews, engineering assessments, trade studies, and risk analyses.
• Experience operating within complex, schedule-driven environments requiring coordination across multiple stakeholders.
• Experience working within classified environments and across multiple security domains.

• Strong understanding of DoD acquisition processes, policies, and documentation requirements.
• Knowledge of systems engineering principles and lifecycle management practices.
• Ability to interpret and communicate complex technical information to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Ability to manage competing priorities across multiple programs and acquisition efforts.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently while effectively collaborating within integrated product teams.

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Experience with systems engineering and modeling tools such as Cameo, MagicDraw, IBM Rhapsody, or similar tools is desired.

• Experience supporting Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), Program Executive Offices (PEOs), or related acquisition organizations.
• Experience supporting weapons systems development, missile integration, strike warfare programs, or rapid capability acquisition initiatives.
• Familiarity with systems engineering methodologies, Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE), and digital engineering concepts.
• Experience supporting milestone reviews, acquisition strategies, capability development documents, and technical baseline management.
• DAWIA certification or equivalent acquisition credentials are desired.

Additional Requirements/Information

• Must posses and maintain a Top Secret Department of Defense security clearance.
• Due to the sensitivity of customer-related requirements, U.S. Citizenship is required.
• Salary range: $170,000 - $190,000 (The offered rate will be based on the selected candidate's knowledge, skills, abilities, and/or experience and in consideration of internal parity.)

About being a part of Team AVIAN

As an employee-owner, you'll be a catalyst for progress - helping us find new opportunities with current or new customers, company efficiencies, streamline processes, and bring people and ideas together in smarter ways. Whether it's helping us optimize workflows, enhancing the employee experience, or delivering more impactful solutions to our customers, your inputs will have reach and relevance across the organization.

Taking care of each other is a cornerstone of our AVIAN philosophy. Being part of the AVIAN team means being part of a team that takes pride in being expansive in our community because our impact doesn't stop in the workplace. We actively engage in community initiatives, empowering our employees to make a meaningful difference.

You'll Succeed Here If You...

• See opportunities where others see routine
• Are curious, collaborative, and passionate about making things better
• Enjoy connecting dots across teams, tools, and tasks
• Believe in doing the right thing the right way - even when no one's watching
• Play an active role in our growth, using your ideas and initiative to shape how we work, serve, and succeed together
• Embrace a "one team" mindset knowing we are stronger together through trust, transparency and teamwork.
• Understand the power of ownership - and are excited to be part of an employee-owned culture

Why Join Us?

• Employee Ownership: We're not just building a company - we're building a legacy. As an employee-owner, you'll share in our success and have a direct stake in our future.
• Real Growth: We're expanding, evolving, and exploring new ways to serve. Your contributions will shape our direction and help us grow stronger.
• Purpose-Driven Work: Every improvement you help make is one that adds value - not just for us, but for the people and missions we support.
• Culture of Collaboration: We're big enough to take on meaningful challenges, but small enough that everyone still knows your name.
• Comprehensive Benefits Package: Designed to support your health, financial security, and overall well-being, our health and wellness benefits include medical, dental, and vision coverage, along with telemedicine services and a TRICARE supplement for veterans.
• Flexible Leave Benefits: we prioritize a balanced, supportive environment that allows you to thrive both personally and professionally and offer flexible and paid time off, 11 paid holidays, paid sick leave, maternity and bonding leave, and military training leave.

AVIAN is a service-based organization. As an equal opportunity employer, our policy of business is to seek the most qualified candidate for each talent opportunity without regard to race, creed, color, sex, age, religious belief, marital status, national origin, ancestry, sexual preference, physical or mental handicap, lawful political affiliation or veteran's status.