R&D Eng SME (SRM)

General Dynamics - Ordnance and Tactical Systems (AL); Huntsville (AL); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 235,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid holidays

Annual paid time off (PTO)

Paid family leave

Job summary

General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems (OTS) seeks an R&D Engineer (SME) to lead advanced SRM technologies. You will drive feasibility studies, applied research, design, development, and testing of propulsion concepts, and serve as the primary technical interface for IPTs and customers.

This hybrid role can be based in Huntsville, AL, or other approved locations, requiring up to 25% travel and a strong track record in propulsion, systems engineering, and technical leadership.

Qualifications

• Associate's Degree and 12-15 years' experience.
• Engineering degree required.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint)

Responsibilities

• Conducts research, design, and development activities to create new or improved products or services.
• Collaborates with manufacturing partners to optimize designs for producibility.
• Uses CAD/CAE to model designs and produce engineering drawings.
• Summarizes research results and communicates findings to internal and external bodies.
• Develops technical documentation for projects.

Skills

Critical thinking

Analytical thinking

Oral and written communication

Education

Associate's Degree

Bachelor's Degree

Tools

Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint)

Excel

Word

PowerPoint

Job description

Job Locations

• US-AL-Huntsville

Job Details

• Requisition ID: 2026-37562
• Position Type: Full Time
• Position Classification: Hybrid
• Job Function: Engineering

Company Overview

General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems (OTS) is a global leader in the design, engineering and production of munitions, energetics, weapons, armaments, and missile subsystems around the world. OTS empowers the U.S. military and its allies with an extensive range of overarching product segments applied across all levels of strategic and tactical operations, providing a cutting- edge advantage to our warfighters.

Our Ethos of Honesty, Trust, Transparency, and Alignment, are the guiding principles that form the foundation of everything we do. Integrity is paramount, innovation fuels our passion, customer satisfaction is at the core of our mission, and collaboration is key to our success – fostering a culture of teamwork and mutual respect among employees, partners, and stakeholders.

Whether you're just starting out on your career journey or are an experienced professional, we offer a robust total rewards package that goes above and beyond with compensation; healthcare, wellness, retirement, and work/life benefits that include career development and recognition programs.

If who we are and what we do resonates with you, we invite you to join our high-performance team!

Job Summary

We are seeking a R&D Engineer (SME) to lead advanced research and development for Solid Rocket Motor (SRM) technologies. This role drives feasibility studies, applied research, design, development, and testing of new propulsion concepts.

The SME provides technical leadership across SRM programs, ensures sound engineering decisions, and guides the transition of technologies from development into production. This position also serves as the primary technical interface for the Integrated Product Team (IPT) and key internal and external customers.

This position can be remote or at our Huntsville, AL., Niceville, FL., or Hampton, AR. facility.

Impact of the Role

General Profile

Recognized as an external thought leader within a strategic organization function or job discipline and requires broad and comprehensive expertise in leading-edge theories, techniques and/or technologies within own field.

• Proactively identifies and solves problems that impact the management and direction of the business
• May participate in the development of the product or business strategy
• Progression to this level is typically restricted on the basis of individual capabilities and business requirements
• Is part of & speaks at industry forums.
• Has written publications, white papers or other technical papers.
• Called upon by customers or other industry companies for their expertise.
• Consistent exercise of discretion & judgment

Essential Functions

• Conducts research, design, and development activities with the goal of developing new or improved products, processes, or services.
• Collaborates with internal manufacturing partners, contract manufacturers, designers and product specialists to optimize designs for manufacturability.
• Utilizes CAD (Computer Aided Design) or CAE (Computer Aided Engineering) systems to model new designs and produce detailed engineering drawings.
• Conducts market research, tracks projects, builds spreadsheets evaluating trade space, designs presentation slides, and executes business-oriented tasks.
• Draws on technical background to learn complex systems, systems of systems, and technologies needed to understand products and services; then, applies a creative and open-minded approach to problem solve, seeking and finding new robust solutions.
• Evolves business strategy through assimilation of new technology, evaluating competition, researching industry movement, road-mapping, and conducting SWOTs.
• Conducts initial business case evaluations, building strategy and identifying value propositions mutually beneficial to the business and customer alike (e.g. differentiation, price to win, etc.).
• Summarizes research results and communicates findings to internal and external bodies.
• Develops technical documentation for all projects.
• Requires the use of advanced techniques and the modification or extension of theories, concepts, and practices.

Required Qualifications

• Required education and experience: Associate's Degree and 12-15 years' experience
• Discipline/Major: Engineering degree required
• Critical professional related technical skills; computer skills: Proficient in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint)

Preferred Qualifications

• Preferred education and experience: Bachelor's Degree
• Knowledge, skills & abilities: Product innovation. Product intelligence. Product research. Project scoping. Quantitative research. Research and development. Research documentation. Oral and written communication skills. Critical thinking. Analytical thinking.

Physical Requirements

• Must be able to remain in a stationary position at a desk and/or computer for extended periods of time.
• Work primarily in a climate-controlled environment with minimal safety/health hazard potential.

Travel Requirements

Up to 25% travel likely.

Pay Range (USD)

$180,000-$235,000

Paid Time Off

Employees will receive paid holidays and 120 hours of PTO annually and up to 3 weeks paid family leave.

The above statements describe the general nature and level of work only. The statements do not represent an exhaustive list of required responsibilities and skills. Other duties may be added or this job description may be amended at any time. This job description does not alter an employee's at-will employment status or create an employment agreement or contract, implied or otherwise.