Principal Engineer - Weapons

Hanwha Defense USA Inc•Arlington, VA

19h•$200,000 - $300,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Principal Engineer is a senior technical authority for Hanwha Defense USA’s weapons portfolio, translating warfighter needs into credible, competitive technical solutions. The role combines systems engineering leadership, advanced concept development, independent technical assessment, and business development support. The Principal Engineer defines system-of-systems architectures, shapes opportunities with customers and sponsors, and helps lead the design, development, test, and deployment of weapons products for U.S. customers. The position also serves as a technical bridge between Hanwha Defense USA and Hanwha’s global engineering teams. The role is on-site in Rosslyn, Virginia. It includes travel up to 25% of the time, including domestic and occasional international travel. The position requires normal sitting or standing, average mobility around an office environment, and the ability to work at a computer.

Requirements

20 or more years of progressive experience in defense or weapon systems engineering, including senior technical leadership responsibilities.
Demonstrated experience defining system-level architectures and flowing requirements to subsystems.
Experience leading formal technical reviews, such as SRR, PDR, CDR, and TRAs.
Experience supporting proposals, capture efforts, or customer-facing technical engagements.
Demonstrated ability to brief senior leaders and external stakeholders.
Active SECRET security clearance.
Bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering, systems engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, or a closely related technical discipline.
Strong knowledge of weapon and defense systems, including sensor, fire control, and interceptor interactions.
Strong foundation in dynamics and guidance, navigation, and control (GNC).
Proficiency in modeling, simulation, and analysis tools, with the ability to build custom frameworks.
Working knowledge of test and evaluation practices and requirements development.
Familiarity with applying AI/ML tools to engineering workflows.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to deliver candid assessments to senior leadership.
Self-directed, comfortable operating with ambiguity in a fast-paced organization.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, Cameo, and Matlab/Simulink, Python, C++, or another software development language.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree or Ph.D.
Experience on U.S. Army, Navy, or MDA air and defense programs.
Experience with layered defense architectures and system-of-systems trade studies.
Experience with counter-UAS or low-cost, mass-producible interceptor concepts.
Experience building modeling and simulation frameworks for integrated capability assessment, such as AFSIM.
Experience with MBSE and digital engineering environments.
Experience adapting foreign-origin products to U.S. customer requirements and regulations, or working within a U.S. subsidiary of a foreign defense parent company under export-control boundaries.
Experience delivering capability on compressed or rapid response schedules.
Experience supporting government acquisition processes, including proposals, white papers, and OTA or prototype efforts.

Responsibilities

Define system-of-systems architectures, balance performance requirements across sensors, fire control, and interceptors, and flow requirements down to each subsystem.
Help lead the design, development, test, and deployment of weapons and weapon-related products for U.S. customers.
Maintain the technical standard across the portfolio and provide leadership candid assessments of risk and readiness.
Mentor and develop engineering staff and set technical standards for the weapons organization.
Build modeling, simulation, and analysis frameworks and tools to assess integrated requirements, concepts, and designs.
Develop studies, prototypes, and demonstrations that show the warfighting value of emerging technologies and proposed solutions.
Work with the Technical Director to develop technology roadmaps and identify emerging or repurposed technologies with portfolio-wide application.
Evaluate and help integrate AI into products and engineering workflows to improve performance.
Lead independent technical reviews, including requirements reviews, design reviews, and technology readiness assessments, using government-style review processes.
Evaluate weapons and defense programs for technical, programmatic, and fiscal merit, and recommend corrective actions and solutions.
Serve as a technical liaison between Hanwha Defense USA and Hanwha global engineering teams, driving technical excellence across joint programs.
Translate warfighter needs into competitive technical solutions and teaming strategies.
Collaborate with business development and program managers to pursue and win new work, including science and technology and prototyping efforts, and shape scope and funding with customers and sponsors.
Support negotiation of teaming and partnering arrangements, including CRADAs, OTAs, and subcontracts, with industry, academic, and government partners.
Brief senior leaders and support meetings with customers, services, and executive stakeholders.