Senior Principal Industrial Engineer
General Dynamics Mission Systems · Marion, VA
- Level
- Senior
- Team
- Industrial
- Degree
- Preferred
- Experience asked
- 10+ years
- Industry
- Aerospace & defense
- Posted
- 10 days ago
The role in 30 seconds
A senior industrial role at General Dynamics Mission Systems (aerospace & defense) in Marion, VA. 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.
- They ask for
- 10+ years · degree preferred
- Tools it names
- Lean, Six Sigma, Value stream mapping, Root cause, Time studies, Plant layout
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of November 2, 2026
Industrial Engineer roles in the US: typical posted base $84k–$124k.
Median of the low and high ends of 84 live postings that list pay, out of 384 industrial engineer openings in the US, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
Virginia plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 8 other live industrial postings in Virginia.
- Experience asked
- More than usual (10+ vs 5+)
Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- ✓ Lean 100%
- ✓ Time studies 67%
- ✓ AutoCAD 67%
- ✓ Six Sigma 56%
- ✓ Value stream mapping 44%
- ✓ Root cause 44%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
At a glance
Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.
How to get in at this plant
Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.
- 1
Pick 2–3 people on the Industrial team at General Dynamics Mission Systems
Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. Use the team search on this page to find them.
- 2
Send a short, curious note
One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.
- 3
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- Is it more layout and capacity work, or time studies and standard work?
- How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
- 4
Apply with someone vouching for you
If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.
- 5
Bring proof to the interview
One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.
This plant: General Dynamics Mission Systems in Marion
9 other open roles at this site.
- Manufacturing Maintenance Technician · Reliability · Technician
- Senior Manufacturing Engineering Technician · Manufacturing · Senior
- Senior Manufacturing Engineer · Manufacturing · Senior
- Advanced Engineering Technician · Manufacturing
- Advanced Manufacturing Engineer · Manufacturing
- Advanced Materials & Process Engineer - Composites · Process
Full description from General Dynamics Mission SystemsAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
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
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
Basic
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
Salary Note
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!
