Survivability Engineer

Responsibilities for this Position

Position Title: Survivability Engineer

Location: Sterling Heights, MI, United States

Category: Engineering

Job Type: Full-Time

Country: United States

State: MI

City: Sterling Heights

Remote Work Options: On-Site

Security Clearance Required: Ability to obtain security clearance

Career Level: Junior

Requisition ID: 15951236

Date Posted: Apr 11, 2025

Description: Job Description

The Survivability Engineer position is a product design and development engineering role within the Advanced Structures & Survivability Group. The charter of the Advanced Structures & Survivability Group is the design, development, verification, and implementation of components related to Primary Hull and Turret Structure, Integral and Applique Armor, Crew Hatches and Access Panels, including accompanying mechanisms, and Covers and Guards. This functional engineering team supports the entire portfolio of products and programs within GDLS ranging from new technology demonstration to pre-production development and ultimately full scale vehicle production.

As a member of this functional engineering team, the Survivability Engineer will execute the design and development of assigned detail hardware and/or assemblies associated with Integral Armor, Applique Armor, and Spall subsystems across all vehicle platforms. Achieving this broad function will involve the following activities:

• Operating within cross-functional teams supporting program deliverables related to technical requirements, cost and schedule
• Developing detail hardware concepts using CAD modeling tools and ensuring developed concepts meet all technical, cost, and manufacturing requirements
• Collaborating with engineering peers within the project team to ensure developed concepts support a balanced system level approach that achieves the necessary performance requirements
• Conducting subsystem level trade studies and providing input to vehicle level trade studies
• Collaborating with drafting personnel in maturing design concepts to a production-ready state
• Oversee the release of hardware models and drawings
• Collaborate with the manufacturing organization during product development to ensure manufacturability needs are met and subsequently provide support in the fabrication and integration verification of developed hardware onto prototype and/or production platforms
• Provide support, as required, for offsite testing and verification of developed hardware
• Provide support for Root Cause and Corrective Action (RCCA) analysis to resolve identified technical issues with prototype and/or production hardware
• Support the Survivability Lead with Armor technology research and development activities including recipe design, alternative material investigation, and offsite testing to verify concepts

The Survivability Engineer role is a junior to mid-level engineering position. Successful candidates will meet the following qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree or higher in Mechanical Engineering or Material Science Engineering
• 5-7 years of experience developing and releasing technical designs on a vehicle program level is required.
• Experience executing designs from paper to physical hardware and overseeing their successful integration at a system level is required
• Technical familiarity with Armor recipe development, ballistic performance requirements, and ballistic testing methods is desired
• Experience developing Armor and Spall Liner Subsystem hardware is desired
• Experience with RCCA methods is required
• Experience with Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing methods is required
• Familiarity with Teamcenter is desired
• Must be proficient with CAD modeling techniques. Proficiency with specific CAD software packages, Visualization Mock-Up (VIS), Siemens NX and/or Creo, is desired
• Experience with numerical modeling and computer programming is desired
• Must be proficient with MS Office applications
• Must possess good communication skills including proficiency with technical writing and creating presentations
• Must be able to work on-site full-time
• Must be able to travel as required
• Must be able to work up to 10% overtime as required
• Must have or be able to obtain a DoD Secret Clearance

Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, General Dynamics is a global aerospace and defense company offering a broad portfolio of products and services in business aviation; ship construction and repair; land combat vehicles, weapons systems and munitions; and technology products and services. General Dynamics employs more than 100,000 people across 65 countries worldwide and in all 50 U.S. states, more information is available at www.gd.com. General Dynamics Land Systems, is a business unit of General Dynamics, and is an innovative leader of ground combat systems' equipment and software for our clients. Our performance-driven team partners with the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corp and other militaries across the Globe to ensure that next generation ground combat vehicles are ready to protect our fighting men and women in uniform. General Dynamics Lands Systems provides a competitive compensation package, site specific flexible work schedules, 401(k) with Company Match; Bonus Eligibility, Employee Development Opportunities, Tuition Reimbursement, On-site Amenities, and comprehensive Medical/Dental/Vision Insurance.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, General Dynamics Land Systems ("GDLS") provides all persons with equal opportunity and access to all aspects of employment process, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, marital status, age, disability, status as a protected veteran, or membership in any group protected by federal, state, or local anti-discrimination laws. GDLS also is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans.. If, due to a disability, you need an accommodation to search or apply for an opportunity with GDLS, please call 586-825-4000 or send an e-mail to for assistance and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.
Job Description

The Survivability Engineer position is a product design and development engineering role within the Advanced Structures & Survivability Group. The charter of the Advanced Structures & Survivability Group is the design, development, verification, and implementation of components related to Primary Hull and Turret Structure, Integral and Applique Armor, Crew Hatches and Access Panels, including accompanying mechanisms, and Covers and Guards. This functional engineering team supports the entire portfolio of products and programs within GDLS ranging from new technology demonstration to pre-production development and ultimately full scale vehicle production.

As a member of this functional engineering team, the Survivability Engineer will execute the design and development of assigned detail hardware and/or assemblies associated with Integral Armor, Applique Armor, and Spall subsystems across all vehicle platforms. Achieving this broad function will involve the following activities:

• Operating within cross-functional teams supporting program deliverables related to technical requirements, cost and schedule
• Developing detail hardware concepts using CAD modeling tools and ensuring developed concepts meet all technical, cost, and manufacturing requirements
• Collaborating with engineering peers within the project team to ensure developed concepts support a balanced system level approach that achieves the necessary performance requirements
• Conducting subsystem level trade studies and providing input to vehicle level trade studies
• Collaborating with drafting personnel in maturing design concepts to a production-ready state
• Oversee the release of hardware models and drawings
• Collaborate with the manufacturing organization during product development to ensure manufacturability needs are met and subsequently provide support in the fabrication and integration verification of developed hardware onto prototype and/or production platforms
• Provide support, as required, for offsite testing and verification of developed hardware
• Provide support for Root Cause and Corrective Action (RCCA) analysis to resolve identified technical issues with prototype and/or production hardware
• Support the Survivability Lead with Armor technology research and development activities including recipe design, alternative material investigation, and offsite testing to verify concepts

The Survivability Engineer role is a junior to mid-level engineering position. Successful candidates will meet the following qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree or higher in Mechanical Engineering or Material Science Engineering
• 5-7 years of experience developing and releasing technical designs on a vehicle program level is required.
• Experience executing designs from paper to physical hardware and overseeing their successful integration at a system level is required
• Technical familiarity with Armor recipe development, ballistic performance requirements, and ballistic testing methods is desired
• Experience developing Armor and Spall Liner Subsystem hardware is desired
• Experience with RCCA methods is required
• Experience with Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing methods is required
• Familiarity with Teamcenter is desired
• Must be proficient with CAD modeling techniques. Proficiency with specific CAD software packages, Visualization Mock-Up (VIS), Siemens NX and/or Creo, is desired
• Experience with numerical modeling and computer programming is desired
• Must be proficient with MS Office applications
• Must possess good communication skills including proficiency with technical writing and creating presentations
• Must be able to work on-site full-time
• Must be able to travel as required
• Must be able to work up to 10% overtime as required
• Must have or be able to obtain a DoD Secret Clearance

Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, General Dynamics is a global aerospace and defense company offering a broad portfolio of products and services in business aviation; ship construction and repair; land combat vehicles, weapons systems and munitions; and technology products and services. General Dynamics employs more than 100,000 people across 65 countries worldwide and in all 50 U.S. states, more information is available at www.gd.com. General Dynamics Land Systems, is a business unit of General Dynamics, and is an innovative leader of ground combat systems' equipment and software for our clients. Our performance-driven team partners with the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corp and other militaries across the Globe to ensure that next generation ground combat vehicles are ready to protect our fighting men and women in uniform. General Dynamics Lands Systems provides a competitive compensation package, site specific flexible work schedules, 401(k) with Company Match; Bonus Eligibility, Employee Development Opportunities, Tuition Reimbursement, On-site Amenities, and comprehensive Medical/Dental/Vision Insurance.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, General Dynamics Land Systems ("GDLS") provides all persons with equal opportunity and access to all aspects of employment process, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, marital status, age, disability, status as a protected veteran, or membership in any group protected by federal, state, or local anti-discrimination laws. GDLS also is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans.. If, due to a disability, you need an accommodation to search or apply for an opportunity with GDLS, please call 586-825-4000 or send an e-mail to for assistance and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.

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