How to hire a weapons officer

How to hire a weapons officer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step weapons officer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a weapons officer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new weapons officer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a weapons officer, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A weapons officer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, weapons officers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents weapons officer salaries for various positions.

   Type of Weapons Officer	Description	Hourly rate
   Weapons Officer		$11-51

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Combat Systems
   • DOD
   • USAF
   • Fighter
   • Weapons Systems
   • Training Programs
   • Mission Planning
   • Law Enforcement
   • Physical Security
   • WSO
   • Anti-Terrorism
   • Warfare
   • Ammunition
   • Direct Support

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead the field logistics teams in developing effective stocking and inventory-managementsystems to minimize loss and maximize performance.
   • Sign, and inventory, and responsible for 180 tons of weapons and ammunition exceeding a value of 23 million dollars.
   • Maintain combat capability to respond to worldwide wartime commitments and contingency tasking in multirole fighter missions.
   • Lead all efforts for shipboard anti-terrorism and force protection operations in foreign ports guaranteeing flawless security results.
   • Enable the unit to repeatedly adapt through redeployment, restoration of vehicles, and equipment recovery operations successfully.
   • Provide guidance on all special technical operations and military deception management issues to other team members for assign requirements and systems.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your weapons officer job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A weapons officer salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, weapons officers' average salary in wyoming is 47% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level weapons officers earn 78% less than senior-level weapons officers.
   • Certifications. A weapons officer with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a weapons officer's salary.

   Average weapons officer salary

   $51,605yearly

   $24.81 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level weapons officer salary

   $24,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 31, 2026

4. Writing a weapons officer job description

   A good weapons officer job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a weapons officer job description:

   Weapons officer job description example

   Responsibilities

   OBXtek is staffing for Contract Instructor Weapon Systems Officers with the AC-130J MDS for the Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) 492 Special Operation Wing (SOW) and operational units. AFSOC requires on-site contract instructor support for the 492 SOW training operations.

   This position is located at Hurlburt Field, FL.

   Responsibilities:

   
   Provide instruction to meet USAF proficiency and qualification standards on Air Force-administered written examinations and flight evaluations for preparatory courses, initial qualification (basic, instrument, mission), transition (conversion, requalification), upgrade qualification (instructor, aircraft commander, special mission, evaluator, dual qualification of sensor operators), and key staff, continuation, refresher course, etc. training as required to meet the On-Time Graduation and annual student throughput requirements of this contract.
   Ensure syllabus tasks are 100% complete within the time specified for the lesson.
   Provide Scenario Development (simulator and flight) as required to meet the requirements of this contract.
   Ensure completion of Aircrew Graduate Evaluation Program (AGEP) in accordance with (IAW) AFIs and training syllabi.
   Support instruction of the Crew Resource Management Course (CRM).

   Qualifications

   • Minimum of 5 years AFSOC aircrew experience
   • Instructor candidates who were instructor certified in the proposed MDS and were current in U.S. military aircraft within the previous two years;
     OR
     Instructors formerly instructor certified (in the proposed U.S. military MDS aircraft) within the previous four (4) years if the following conditions are met at the time of hiring:
     the candidate performed eight (8) years of military operational flying duty; and at least two (2) years or 200 hours experience as an inflight instructor in the proposed MDS and associated mission sets

   Security Clearance Secret Company Information

   COVID Policy: Prospective and/or new employees will be required to adhere with OBXtek's COVID-19 policy. Employees working onsite at a customer location must comply with customer COVID-19 policy which may include any or all the following: social distancing, masks, vaccination, mandatory statements regarding one's vaccination status and mandatory testing .

   Headquartered in McLean, Virginia and founded in 2009, OBXtek is a fast-growing leader in the government contracting field. Our mission is Our People…Our Reputation. Our people are trained professionals who enhance our customers' knowledge and innovation using technology, collaboration, and education.

   We offer a robust suite of benefits including comprehensive medical, dental and vision plans, Flexible Spending Accounts, matching 401K, paid time off, tuition reimbursement plans and much more.

   As a prime contractor for 93% of our current work, OBXtek pairs lessons learned across disciplines with industry standard quality practices such as CMMI-Dev Level III, ITIL, 6Sigma, PMI, and ISO. Our rapid growth has been recognized by INC500, the Washington Business Journal, and Washington Technology magazine.

   OBXtek is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, gender identity, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation or any other classification protected by federal, state or local law.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find weapons officers for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any weapons officers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level weapons officers with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your weapons officer job on Zippia to find and recruit weapons officer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting weapons officers requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new weapons officer

   Once you have selected a candidate for the weapons officer position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new weapons officer first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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