On-Site Rad-Hard Electrical Engineer (Hill AFB, Utah)

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory•Laurel, MD

1d•Onsite

About The Position

This position is an exciting opportunity to represent APL on-site at Hill AFB on a significant program of national importance while working directly with Sponsors, industry peers and other APL team members. The role focuses on rad-hard electronics in a fast-paced, high impact environment. We are seeking an electrical engineer to help evaluate the Sentinel strategic missile system. This will be an on-site position, working at Hill Air Force base alongside other on-site APL personnel, our government sponsor, other government mission partners, and the Sentinel contractor. The primary responsibility is to serve as part of APL’s HAFB-based team supporting the Sentinel program, enhancing APL’s ability as an organization to support our government sponsor. This involves maintaining regular communications with APL’s program and project managers, line-side leaders and organizations in Laurel, and fellow members of the APL on-site technical team to increase awareness of Sentinel activities, developments, decisions, areas of concern, and opportunities where APL can help the Sentinel program. The role interfaces directly with the sponsor to understand their needs, and works with APL’s Sentinel key leaders and fellow members of APL’s on-site technical team to recommend, support, and execute work in support of the Sentinel Program Office’s desire to “own the technical baseline.” The engineer will serve as a technical advisor and subject matter expert to the government for guidance hardware with a focus on rad-hard components. This includes communicating progress on the guidance computer along with other guidance hardware and acting as a liaison between the government and the APL home campus team. The role involves identifying and collecting information needed to perform credible analysis of system level effects, supporting instrument and system level design reviews as well as guidance hardware meetings, and expanding technical skillset to include additional nuclear hardness and survivability areas. The team of other APL SMEs at Hill AFB will collaborate to provide unique analyses of the Sentinel WS from a systems-level viewpoint.

Requirements

B.S. in Electrical Engineering or Physics (or closely related technical field).
2+ years of relevant technical professional experience.
Experience in electronic design and ability to review design information for the sponsor.
Familiarity with radiation environments and the principles of radiation interactions with matter.
Ability to effectively shape day-to-day tasking to meet sponsor needs, multi-task, and adapt to changing demands with minimal guidance.
Exceptionally strong interpersonal, communication, and leadership skills.
Ability to interface with senior military and civil service personnel.
Willingness to relocate to Utah in the vicinity of Hill AFB.
Willingness to travel occasionally (potentially 5-6 trips per year of duration one week or less, including travel back to the APL Laurel campus).
Hold an active Secret security clearance.
Ability to obtain a Top Secret/SCI level clearance.
Must meet the requirements for access to classified information.
U.S. citizenship.

Nice To Haves

M.S. (or above) in Electrical Engineering or Physics (or closely related technical field).
5+ years of rad-hard electronics experience.
Experience with and ability to communicate to sponsors ASIC design flow/fabrication process.
Experience with and ability to communicate to sponsors printed wiring board (PWB) design/fabrication process.
Experience with SPICE modeling.
Experience with radiation effects on electronics testing (dose and dose rate for x-rays, gamma rays, neutrons, protons, and heavy ions).
Experience with radiation hardened electronics for strategic weapon systems.
Familiarity with the natural space environment.
Familiarity with nuclear weapon environments and their effects on systems.
Radiation detection experience.
Proven thought leader with sponsor engagement experience.
Currently hold an active Top Secret clearance (or above).

Responsibilities

Serve as part of APL’s HAFB-based team supporting the Sentinel program.
Maintain regular communications with APL’s program and project managers, line-side leaders and organizations in Laurel, and fellow members of the APL on-site technical team.
Interface directly with the sponsor to understand their needs.
Work with APL’s Sentinel key leaders and fellow members of APL’s on-site technical team to recommend, support, and execute work in support of the Sentinel Program Office’s desire to “own the technical baseline.”
Serve as a technical advisor and subject matter expert to the government for guidance hardware with a focus on rad-hard components.
Communicate progress on the guidance computer along with other guidance hardware.
Act as a liaison between the government and the APL home campus team.
Identify and collect information needed to perform credible analysis of system level effects.
Support instrument and system level design reviews as well as guidance hardware meetings.
Expand technical skillset to include additional nuclear hardness and survivability areas.
Collaborate with other APL SMEs at Hill AFB to provide unique analyses of the Sentinel WS from a systems-level viewpoint.