Modeling & Simulation Engineer

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory•Fort Walton Beach, FL

About The Position

The Modeling & Simulation Engineer develops physics-based simulations of U.S. weapons, threat missiles, and submersibles to support defense capabilities. The role involves collaborating across teams throughout system development, from concept through integration, and developing or modifying algorithms and physics-based models for dynamic simulations using MATLAB/Simulink and modern C++. The engineer may contribute to or lead technical teams. The position includes building high-fidelity six-degree-of-freedom simulations to analyze flight dynamics, guidance algorithms, and seeker capabilities. Work spans multidisciplinary technical areas, from pre-design analysis to hardware testing before deployment. The engineer also works directly with program sponsors to understand their needs, convey those needs to the broader APL team, and communicate technical results. Sponsor meetings may take place onsite at sponsor locations.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree or higher in Engineering, Physics, Computer Science, Applied Mathematics, or another related technical field.
At least 5 years of technical experience.
Ability to independently execute technical analysis, compile and validate results, and present findings to external sponsors.
Demonstrated ability to develop physics-based models and simulations.
Significant experience with MATLAB/Simulink, Python, and/or C++.
Experience with Air Force, Navy, or other defense-related projects.
Ability to work directly with program sponsors, including attending onsite meetings at sponsor locations.
Ability to obtain an Interim Secret security clearance by the start date and ultimately obtain a Secret clearance.
U.S. citizenship, as required for eligibility for access to classified information.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree or PhD in Engineering, Physics, Computer Science, Applied Mathematics, or another related technical field.
10 or more years of technical experience.
Background in guidance, navigation, and control.
Experience researching and developing vehicle designs for applications such as missiles, hypersonics, autonomous aerial vehicles, autonomous underwater vehicles, and submersibles.
Ability to absorb perspectives on unfamiliar sophisticated systems from team members and form a cohesive system-level view.
Experience balancing analysis fidelity to answer questions.
Depth in numerical methods to understand or bypass potential shortcomings and select appropriate algorithms for a given problem.
Experience developing and maintaining large software architectures.
Demonstrated experience in multidisciplinary analysis and optimization (MDAO).
DoD Secret clearance.

Responsibilities

Collaborate with other teams across the full system-development pipeline, from conception to integration.
Contribute to or lead technical teams developing and modifying algorithms and physics-based models for dynamic simulations.
Build high-fidelity six-degree-of-freedom simulations, including models of flight dynamics, guidance algorithms, and seeker capabilities.
Analyze the performance of a variety of systems.
Work across subject areas to solve multidisciplinary problems and provide solutions to sponsors, from pre-design efforts through hardware testing before deployment.
Work directly with program sponsors to understand and communicate their needs to the APL team and report technical outputs back to sponsors.
Independently execute technical analysis, compile and validate results, and present findings to external sponsors.

Benefits

Robust education assistance program
Retirement contributions
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 performance payments