Senior Systems Engineer - Weapons Systems

Location: Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Full‑time Onsite)

Quest Defense Systems & Solutions is seeking a Senior Systems Engineer with a strong background in systems architecture, requirements development, integration, and verification for advanced weapons systems. This role will support the development and sustainment of GPS‑enabled guidance and navigation solutions for next‑generation weapon platforms.

This position offers the opportunity to work hands‑on with cutting‑edge GPS receiver technology, resilient navigation methods, and mission‑critical flight hardware. Engineers in this role gain deep technical insight into GPS architecture, signal processing, and weapons system integration—all while contributing to the advancement of Quest’s precision‑guided weapon product lines.

Because of the need for consistent, secure, on‑site collaboration and specialized hardware access, this role is performed 100% onsite at our Cedar Rapids engineering facility.

Join Quest in our mission to deliver reliable, high‑assurance systems that support those who protect our nation.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead systems engineering activities spanning requirements development, system architecture, interface definition, test planning, integration, and qualification for weapons‑class GPS systems.
• Define and analyze system‑level requirements, decompositions, and traceability within a formal systems engineering framework.
• Support integration of GPS receivers and navigation subsystems into weapon platforms, collaborating closely with software, hardware, firmware, and test disciplines.
• Develop system‑level test plans, verification procedures, and qualification artifacts.
• Conduct technical reviews, support design maturation, and evaluate system performance in lab and field environments.
• Serve as a technical liaison for customers, internal stakeholders, and cross‑functional teams.
• Support issue resolution, configuration management, and risk mitigation activities throughout the product lifecycle.

Required Education, Experience & Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in a STEM discipline (Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, Mathematics, etc.) with a minimum of 4 years of relevant engineering experience.
• Strong understanding of formal systems engineering processes and product development methodologies.
• U.S. Citizenship is required.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. DoD Secret clearance.

Preferred Education, Experience & Skills

• Active DoD Secret clearance (or higher).
• Experience with systems engineering tools such as DOORS, JAMA, or Jira.
• Experience with Model‑Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) methodologies or tools (SysML, Cameo, Rhapsody).
• Familiarity with modern programming or scripting languages (C, C++, Python).
• Demonstrated ability to solve complex, multi‑disciplinary engineering problems.
• Ability to produce clear, complete technical documentation and communication for diverse audiences.
• Experience integrating navigation systems, GPS receivers, or weapon guidance subsystems.
• Ability to work effectively in a high‑performing, mission‑focused engineering team.
• Proactive, results‑driven mindset with a strong desire to innovate and improve systems.

Additional Required Technical Skills (recommended additions)

• Understanding of Assured Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (A‑PNT) systems, including resilient navigation concepts, anti‑jam/anti‑spoofing protection, and GPS integrity monitoring.
• Working knowledge of RF systems, RF propagation, filtering, antenna systems, and GPS RF front‑end behavior.
• Experience interpreting MIL‑STD, ICDs, and interface standards relevant to GPS or weapons systems.
• Familiarity with safety‑critical system development and compliance processes.
• Ability to decompose system‑level requirements into hardware, firmware, and software specifications.
• Experience performing system integration with mixed hardware/software environments, including lab bench setups and environmental testing.
• Ability to analyze system performance using logs, telemetry, RF captures, or navigation datasets.

Additional Preferred Technical Skills (advanced or domain‑specific additions)

• Experience implementing or testing Anti‑Jam (AJ) solutions such as controlled‑reception pattern antennas (CRPAs), null‑steering, beamforming, or space‑time processing.
• Knowledge of M‑Code, SAASM, or other secure/encrypted GPS technologies.
• Experience with flight‑critical or weapons‑class safety standards, including
– MIL‑STD‑882
– DO‑178C (software)
– DO‑254 (hardware)
– MIL‑STD‑1553, 1760, or similar weapons interfaces.
• Exposure to Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) methodologies.
• Familiarity with Kalman filters, estimation theory, inertial sensors, and GPS/INS integration.
• Experience with A‑PNT architectures, alternative navigation sources, or multi‑sensor fusion.
• Familiarity with EW threat environments, interference characterization, or survivability analysis.
• Experience testing navigation systems in hardware‑in‑the‑loop (HIL), signal generator, or flight test environments.
• Understanding of system modeling or simulation using MATLAB/Simulink, SysML, or comparable tools.
• Experience using configuration management systems, CI pipelines, or model‑based test automation.