2027 PhD Graduate - Autonomous Systems Seeker and Sensor Engineer

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory•Laurel, MD

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Strike Guidance, Navigation, Controls (GNC), and Seekers group is seeking newly graduating PhD engineers, mathematicians, physicists, and scientists to join their team. The group's vision is to ensure the United States maintains a technological advantage by leading the development and prototyping of advanced weapons and autonomous systems. They provide state-of-the-art design solutions focusing on seekers and sensors, guidance, navigation, and control systems, as well as embedded systems and multi-disciplinary design, simulation, and optimization. This role involves designing and evaluating advanced weapons and autonomous systems seekers and sensors.

Requirements

PhD in Electrical Engineering, Physics, or Mathematics.
Passionate about creative problem solving and applying skills to the design and development of the nation's next-generation weapons and autonomous systems.
Academic background and interest in one or more of the following technical areas: Electromagnetics, RF System Design, RF Antennas and Technologies, RF Communications, Radar Systems, Optics, EO/IR System Design, EO/IR Imagers, Focal Plane Arrays, Digital Signal/Image Processing, Detection and Classification Algorithms, Circuits/Electronics, Software Defined Radios and Hardware Design.
Conducted research, completed one or more internships, and/or possess practical skills in RF, EO/IR, or related fields.
Able to obtain an Interim Secret security clearance by the start date and ultimately obtain a Secret level clearance.
U.S. citizenship is required for security clearance eligibility.

Nice To Haves

Classroom, project, or internship experience working with seekers, sensors, and/or autonomous systems.
Familiarity with complementary disciplines such as modeling, simulation and analysis; design optimization; software or algorithm development; and hardware testing.

Responsibilities

Conduct cutting-edge seeker and sensor research, design, modeling, simulation, and analysis while collaborating with adjacent technical domains in the development of next-generation autonomous systems and weapons.
Develop innovative ways of simulating and predicting seeker and sensor performance in complex operational environments.
Lab test seeker and sensor hardware and software to identify operational capabilities and limitations.
Work closely with seeker and sensor subject matter experts for training and mentorship.
Collaborate with teams of engineers and interact with government sponsors, including platform designers in multi-disciplinary optimization studies for early-phase vehicle development.
Continue education through technical short courses, graduate degree programs, and other opportunities.