Senior Principal Industrial Engineer

Basic Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Manufacturing or Industrial Engineering, or a related Science, Engineering or Mathematics field, plus a minimum of 10 years of relevant experience; or Master's degree plus a minimum of 8 years of relevant experience.

Clearance Requirements:

Department of Defense Secret security clearance is preferred at time of hire. Candidates must be able to obtain a Secret clearance within a reasonable amount of time from date of hire. Applicants selected will be subject to a U.S. Government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information. Due to the nature of work performed within our facilities, U.S. citizenship is required.

Responsibilities for this Position

At General Dynamics Mission Systems, we create the technologies, products and services that help our nation's heroes keep our nation safe. The work we do is so advanced, we are continuously moving the boundaries of what's possible. Here you'll work with the best and your talent will be front and center on projects that impact the world. Are you up to the challenge?

We apply advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, AR/VR, Cloud Native and Quantum Physics to solve our customers' missions in cyber, RF, undersea, interstellar space and everything in between.

As our dedicated Industrial Engineer, you will systematically identify and eliminate production constraints to drive measurable cost savings and throughput improvements across all manufacturing programs. Using a combination of hands-on analysis (time studies, motion studies, value stream mapping) and data-driven methods (ERP data pulls, process simulation, agentic AI tools), you will own the continuous improvement roadmap for the site — turning observations into action and delivering results to the shop floor.

This Industrial Engineering role is new to the Marion site, giving the selected candidate significant freedom to define how Industrial Engineering will support and shape our operations moving forward. The position also offers substantial exposure to Senior Leadership, with opportunities to lead and support projects at other GDMS locations, including the precision optics facility in Cullman, Alabama. This is an excellent opportunity for an ambitious self-starter to gain meaningful experience and visibility as an Industrial Engineer within the Aerospace and Defense industry.

What you'll experience:

Technologies that aren't just top-notch, they're often top-secret

A team of bold thinkers committed to exploring what's next

Opportunities to gain new knowledge — as it's discovered

Ownership of site-wide continuous improvement goals with the autonomy to drive change from the shop floor up

What you bring to the table:

A Bachelor's degree in Industrial or Industrial Systems Engineering (or equivalent experience) plus a minimum of 10 years of relevant experience; or Master's degree plus a minimum of 8 years of relevant experience

Proficiency in lean manufacturing concepts including theory of constraints, waste reduction, value stream mapping, and 6S

Experience gathering and analyzing production data to identify process constraints, develop capital/expense justifications with supporting ROIs, and lead root cause corrective action (RCCA) events

Working knowledge of 2D/3D modeling software (e.g., Catia, AutoCAD) and production process simulation tools (e.g., SIMIO, Delmia)

Experience supporting the setup of new manufacturing work cells, including facility layout optimization, material storage analysis, and visual management systems (shadowboards, custom racking)

What sets you apart:

Ability to translate the voice of the customer (production employees) into actionable improvement projects and visual management systems

Experience building and managing metrics to track, predict, and improve production performance

Utilization of agentic AI tools such as Claude Code to rapidly analyze data, draw conclusions, and solve for constraints

Lean / Six Sigma Certification or APICS Certification

Proven ability to determine theoretical best output of production processes and establish best-standard goals to drive continuous performance gains

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Salary Note
This estimate represents the typical salary range for this position based on experience and other factors (geographic location, etc.). Actual pay may vary. This job posting will remain open until the position is filled.

Combined Salary Range
USD $158,161.00 - USD $175,946.00 /Yr.

Company Overview

General Dynamics Mission Systems (GDMS) engineers a diverse portfolio of high technology solutions, products and services that enable customers to successfully execute missions across all domains of operation. With a global team of 12,000+ top professionals, we partner with the best in industry to expand the bounds of innovation in the defense and scientific arenas. Given the nature of our work and who we are, we value trust, honesty, alignment and transparency. We offer highly competitive benefits and pride ourselves in being a great place to work with a shared sense of purpose. You will also enjoy a flexible work environment where contributions are recognized and rewarded. If who we are and what we do resonates with you, we invite you to join our high-performance team!