2026 Graduate - Threat Modeling Engineer

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory • Laurel, MD

75d • $85,000 - $155,000

About The Position

Would you like to be part of a multidisciplinary team that combines a deep understanding of threats and advanced technologies to develop novel, tactically relevant defense solutions? Do you want to become an expert in modeling, analyzing, and understanding adversary system capabilities and non-kinetic technologies for defense applications against those adversary weapons? If you are graduating with a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Applied Math, Physics, or Computer Science and are interested in using those skills to develop novel defense capabilities, we'd love to have you join our team! We are seeking a highly motivated recent graduate to help us understand and develop models and simulations of adversary strike weapons (cruise, ballistic, and hypersonic missiles and unmanned aerial systems (UAVs)) and how US defensive systems can successfully defeat them. Our group works on some of the most difficult and influential problems in the defense industry - how to defend our military and homeland from advanced adversary weapons - using a deep knowledge of the foreign threats, as well as domain expertise and curiosity to figure out how to defeat them through novel, non-kinetic defeat mechanisms (High Power Microwave (HPM), High Energy Laser (HEL), Electronic Warfare (EW), and more). You will be joining a hardworking, cross-functional team of engineers and scientists who apply domain expertise and technical skills to develop, test, and analyze various advanced missile defense technologies. This team also provides insights to the Air and Missile Defense Sector and our sponsors about adversary weapon capabilities as we develop innovative defenses to defend the US homeland, our allies, and our troops overseas. We strive to foster an environment of collaboration and commitment to the mission of Revolutionizing the Art of Defense. Our team core values are Courageous Curiosity, Enthusiastic Empathy, and Inspired Improvement as we grow our capabilities and expertise based on a solid foundation of teamwork and cooperation.

Requirements

• Have a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Math, Physics, Computer Science, or related fields.
• Experience and comfort with at least one programming language such as MATLAB, Python, C/C++, Java, Rust, or similar
• Willing and able to occasionally travel within the US to support meetings or test events.
• Can clearly communicate (written and verbal) technical concepts to a wide range of technical and non-technical audiences
• Able to obtain an Interim Secret level security clearance by your start date and can ultimately obtain Secret level clearance.

Nice To Haves

• Currently hold, or are able to obtain, a Top Secret or TS/SCI level security clearance
• Skilled in and/or have knowledge of one or more of: flight mechanics, propulsion, guidance, navigation, and control (GNC), or physics-based modeling
• Previous academic or professional experience modeling kinematic performance of missile systems

Responsibilities

• Develop and use models and simulations of adversary systems, characterizing their performance
• Understand foreign missile systems to the level that you can clearly communicate the threat capabilities and limitations to programs and sponsors
• Provide insight on possible threat vulnerabilities that could be exploited for their defeat
• Design, develop, test, and evaluate defeat mechanisms for those threats
• Analyze system level performance against threat missile systems, including developing novel concepts for the employment of these capabilities.

Benefits

• Generous benefits including a robust education assistance program
• Unparalleled retirement contributions
• Healthy work/life balance
• Comprehensive benefits package including retirement plans, paid time off, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, flexible spending accounts, education assistance, and training and development.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Industry: Educational Services
• Education Level: Bachelor's degree
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees