Hundreds of new job openings at companies in the defense industry

In recent months, both in geopolitical and economic terms, there has been a marked increase in global interest in the importance and growth potential of the defense sector. However, this rapid progress is accompanied by a growing demand for qualified personnel. See how companies in the industry are responding to this!

Introduction

In 2025, many multinational companies achieved record-high stock prices, a result of current global events and projects that have gained recognition among stock market investors. A significant increase in companies’ market capitalization in just a few weeks—as was the case, for example, with Rheinmetall — can serve as a catalyst for creating new jobs.

This is also the case in Poland, in part due to announcements made by by Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego regarding possible investments in defense and dual-use initiatives, the domestic market is becoming increasingly active. The prospect of potential state support is so attractive to some companies that it accelerates their decisions to expand their teams of specialists.

Helicopter Manufacturing

Katarzyna Wiązowska from the website Bankier. As part of her article, she conducted a brief interview with Marta Rokoszak—HR director and member of the management board at PZL Mielec. As she revealed, the company hired over 300 new employees in 2024!

In 2025, the company plans to increase its workforce by another 100 people. Although this is fewer than last year, it is important to note that last year’s figure referred to the number of people employed, not the number of positions created—meaning it did not account for staff turnover. Rokoszak also emphasized that the greatest staffing needs in the near future are in the production department.

Currently on the careers page PZL Mielec lists job openings for three positions: aircraft structure assembler, aircraft mechanic, and aviation electrical technician. It can be assumed that the company is looking for more than one employee for each of these positions, although the number of vacancies has not been specified.

PZL Mielec also allows you to submit an application for future job openings—in the production, finance, and technical departments.

Companies within the PGZ Group

Companies belonging to the Polish Defense Group (organizer of the the 2025 Polish Defense Industry Forum) are also stepping up their recruitment efforts. According to PGZ on its website, there are currently 200 job openings from more than 50 companies within the group.

The companies offering the most job openings are PIT-RADWAR S.A., which specializes in, among other things, radar and air defense systems (44 job postings), and PGZ Stocznia Wojenna, which is responsible for the construction and maintenance of vessels for Polish Navy (22 offers).

Among the most interesting job openings currently available through PGZ , it is worth mentioning the position of sales director at the the “Łucznik” Arms Factory and the Strategic Procurement Specialist position at Huta Stalowa Wola S.A.

KNDS

One of the major international companies that has been in the news recently in connection with a possible initial public offering is KNDS — a German-French defense contractor. Its website currently lists about 190 job openings. The vast majority—as many as 181—are in Germany; one position has been posted in France, while the remaining seven are in the United Kingdom.

The difference in the number of job postings between countries may raise questions, but it’s worth noting that the postings from France and the United Kingdom are recent—published in March. This may suggest that the branches in those countries are just beginning an intensive expansion of their teams, while the German division of the company is already in a more advanced stage of recruitment.

Rheinmetall

Rheinmetall, the German company mentioned at the beginning, has become a symbol of the defense market’s dynamic growth since 2020. An example? Just before the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, the company’s shares were worth about 97 euros. The latest record—set on March 18—stands at a whopping 1,445.5 euros. This represents an increase in value of nearly 1,400% in less than 3.5 years.

There are currently 1,138 job postings on the company’s website. Of these, as many as 856 are aimed at experienced professionals in various fields. The company also offers several dozen internship and apprenticeship opportunities designed to help young people gain experience at one of the industry’s leading companies.

BAE Systems

The last company on the list—and not by chance, since it has the most job openings—is the British giant BAE Systems. Given its numerous subsidiaries operating independently in various countries, accurately counting all of its bids is quite a challenge.

Most of the job postings come from the U.S. branch—as many as 1,254—of which only three are not for positions in the U.S. The locations listed in the postings include Germany, France, and South Korea.

The UK office ranks second—there are currently 575 active job openings there. The company is also hiring in countries such as Sweden (28 openings), Oman, and Turkey (no openings at this time).

BAE Systems BAE Systems Australia currently has exactly 100 active job postings, while its Saudi Arabia branch has 91. In addition, the company has posted 72 job openings in its digital intelligence division, four of which are for positions in Poland.

Assuming that job postings do not overlap across regions or departments, the total number of active job openings at BAE Systems reaches as high as 2,120. Importantly, these are not long-standing job postings—some of them, such as those for jobs in Saudi Arabia, were posted this week.

Summary

An analysis of the current employment situation in the defense industry clearly indicates the rapid growth of this sector of the economy. This growth is driven by both geopolitical challenges and increased investment by governments and private companies.

Companies such as Rheinmetall, BAE Systems or companies PGZ are constantly expanding their workforces, creating hundreds—and, on a global scale, even thousands—of new jobs. Recruitment efforts target both experienced professionals and those just entering the job market. It is clear that the defense sector is not only gaining strategic importance for nations but is also becoming a viable career path in a stable and modern work environment.