Dynamics Analyst

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory•Laurel, MD

7d•Onsite

About The Position

At APL we push the boundaries of air‑ and missile‑defense technology. Our multidisciplinary teams bring together experts in aerospace, mechanical engineering, physics, and more to transform bold ideas into operational capabilities. We foster a collaborative, inclusive culture where curiosity is rewarded, and every engineer has the freedom to explore innovative solutions. Aerospace vehicles operate in extreme environments—high‑speed flight, intense vibration, shock, and rapid thermal changes. Our Dynamics team provides the fundamental analysis that guarantees safety, performance, and lethality.

Requirements

Have a BS Degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering, or equivalent.
Have 6+ years of research and/or professional experience in dynamics.
Are proficient in MATLAB.
Are willing and able to work full-time based out of the APL campus in Laurel, MD. Telework may be available up to two days per week under certain conditions.
Have the ability to work both independently and as part of a team, with a history of important contributions to multidisciplinary teams on a variety of analysis problems.
Are a demonstrated self-starter with the ability to set direction and work successfully with little supervision.
Can demonstrate proficiently in one or more related fields. These include but are not limited to Lagrangian dynamics, multi-body dynamics simulation, modal analysis, LabVIEW development, flight hardware qualification, multi-physics simulation, and force reconstruction.
Have strong written and oral presentation skills; comfortable communicating complex technical concepts to diverse audiences.
Have a willingness to travel up to 5% of the time as needed.
Are able to obtain Secret level security 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.

Responsibilities

Develop and validate mathematical models of aerospace systems using MATLAB and commercial tools (e.g., Abaqus, SIMPACK, ANSYS).
Translate first‑principles physics into robust simulation tools and models.
Perform first‑principles dynamics, vibration, and aeroelastic stability analyses.
Generate realistic load cases for flight‑vehicle simulations.
Support on‑site and off‑site shock, vibration, and performance testing and process test data to reconcile results with predictions.
Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams (aerodynamics, structures, thermal, mission planning) to integrate multi‑physics solutions.
Document analyses, produce technical reports, and present findings to internal teams, sponsors, and external partners.
Leverage internal funding streams to pursue self‑directed research, patents, or conference papers.
Produce concise technical reports, design reviews, and briefings.
Present findings to internal teams, sponsors, and peer organizations.