2026 PhD Graduate - Aerothermal Engineer

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory•Laurel, MD

13h

About The Position

Are you interested in hypersonic and reentry system design and prototyping? Do you want to make contributions that accelerate the readiness of our Nation’s defenses to support next generation hypersonic and reentry systems? If so, we're looking for someone like you to join our team at APL. We are seeking an aerothermal engineer to help us perform research, development, design, analysis and prototyping of next generation reentry systems, hypersonic vehicles, and enabling technologies to advance our Nation's premiere strategic weapons systems. As a member of our team, you’ll be making critical contributions to develop these next generation systems, ensuring the enduring effectiveness of our Nation’s strategic deterrent. You will be joining a complementary team of engineers who work together to provide impactful solutions to system level objectives and challenges. We are passionate about innovation and our team is committed to providing engaging challenging work and supporting continued learning and development. As a Reentry System Aerothermal Engineer… Collaborate with cross-discipline teams to develop advanced reentry system designs and prototypes Develop and execute component and/or system-level thermal finite element models to evaluate trajectory-based aerodynamic heating and performance Perform Thermal Protection System (TPS) characterization, selection, and analyses of ablative TPS materials Support aerothermal ground test activities, including test design, test operations, and data analysis. Conduct trade studies on vehicle TPS design concepts As needed, assist in developing software tools for high-speed aerothermal analyses Produce reports and presentations to communicate findings to team members, external organization partners, and government sponsors

Requirements

Have a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related discipline
Have experience in performing aerothermal analyses on hypersonic or reentry systems.
Have experience in thermal material response analysis to model thermal protection systems, including ablation.
Have strong computer experience and programming skills, including MATLAB
Have strong communication skills, both verbal and written
Are willing and able to travel occasionally to attend meetings or field tests at other government and contractor sites
Have initiative and drive to make critical contributions to an important mission
Can work effectively in multi-disciplinary teams comprised of APL staff, government sponsors, military personnel, and industry partners with varying experience levels and backgrounds
Are able to obtain a Secret level security clearance by your start date and can ultimately obtain a Top Secret level clearance. If selected, you will be subject to a government security clearance investigation and must meet the requirements for access to classified information. Eligibility requirements include U.S. citizenship.

Nice To Haves

Have experience with CART3D, CFD++, Kestrel, or other advanced CFD codes, as well as experience in grid generation using Pointwise, ICEM CFD, or similar software.
Have experience with heat conduction and ablations solvers
Have programming skills in Linux Bash (or similar) and/or Python and have experience with High Performance Clusters and batch queuing systems (PBS, Slurm, etc.)
Have experience or knowledge in design or testing of hypersonics systems
Have experience with Navy and/or Air Force strategic missiles, reentry systems, or hypersonic vehicles
Hold an active Secret or higher level clearance.

Responsibilities

Collaborate with cross-discipline teams to develop advanced reentry system designs and prototypes
Develop and execute component and/or system-level thermal finite element models to evaluate trajectory-based aerodynamic heating and performance
Perform Thermal Protection System (TPS) characterization, selection, and analyses of ablative TPS materials
Support aerothermal ground test activities, including test design, test operations, and data analysis.
Conduct trade studies on vehicle TPS design concepts
As needed, assist in developing software tools for high-speed aerothermal analyses
Produce reports and presentations to communicate findings to team members, external organization partners, and government sponsors