Aerospace Systems Engineer – Reentry Systems Analysis

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory • Laurel, MD

2d

About The Position

APL is seeking an Aerospace Systems Engineer to support design assessments, performance evaluations, and data analysis for strategic reentry systems associated with ballistic missile and long-range hypersonic strike programs. The systems may carry conventional or nuclear payloads and support the Nation’s strategic deterrent. The engineer will collaborate with experienced engineers to investigate technical challenges, evaluate design trades, and support system integration and testing throughout the product lifecycle, from development through deployment and retirement.

The role involves analyzing reentry systems and components, reviewing design and production information and ground and flight test results, contributing to engineering trade studies, and developing or improving modeling, simulation, data-processing, and visualization tools. The engineer will work with multidisciplinary teams, support independent assessments for government and industry partners, communicate findings through reports and presentations, and contribute to integration, test planning, and testing, with opportunities to participate in field tests. The position offers opportunities to develop technical depth across the reentry system lifecycle.

Requirements

• Bachelor of Science in Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical, or another relevant engineering discipline.
• At least 2 years of relevant engineering experience.
• A solid foundation in one or more of the following: aerodynamics, flight dynamics, mechanical systems, subsystem performance, systems engineering, or modeling and simulation.
• Experience applying analytical methods and computational tools to engineering problems, such as MATLAB, Simulink, Python, or comparable tools.
• Demonstrated problem-solving skills and ability to evaluate technical data and communicate conclusions.
• Ability to work effectively with colleagues from different technical backgrounds and experience levels.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, initiative, and interest in learning new technical disciplines.
• Comfort working in closed-area facilities and ability to travel for meetings and field tests, approximately 30–35 days per year.
• Ability to obtain a Secret security clearance by the start date and ultimately obtain a Top Secret clearance; eligibility requires U.S. citizenship.

Nice To Haves

• Graduate degree in a relevant engineering field or 5 or more years of related engineering experience.
• Experience with aerospace vehicle dynamics, computational fluid dynamics, aerothermal analysis, flight testing, or system-level performance assessment.
• Experience in reentry system design, integration, production, or testing, including flight testing.
• Experience with hypersonic or nuclear deterrent systems, or Navy and Air Force strategic missile and reentry programs.
• Experience with requirements management, verification, and engineering trade studies.
• Experience with bench, laboratory, or flight instrumentation and associated data collection, processing, or analysis.
• Familiarity with Nuclear Security Enterprise organizations or developmental and stockpile deterrent systems, including Joint Test Assemblies.
• Active Secret or Top Secret clearance.

Responsibilities

• Conduct engineering analyses and assess the performance of reentry systems and their components.
• Review and analyze design information, production data, and ground and flight test results to understand system behavior and performance.
• Contribute to engineering trade studies and evaluations of design alternatives.
• Develop, apply, and improve modeling, simulation, data-processing, and visualization tools.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to investigate technical challenges and support independent assessments for government and industry partners.
• Prepare reports and presentations that clearly communicate technical methods, findings, and recommendations.
• Support reentry system integration, test planning, and testing activities, with opportunities to participate in field tests.

Benefits

• Robust education assistance program
• Retirement contributions and retirement plans
• Paid time off
• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Life insurance
• Short-term disability insurance
• Long-term disability insurance
• Flexible spending accounts
• Training and development
• Potential sign-on bonus, relocation benefits, locality allowance, or discretionary payments for exceptional performance

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level