Principal Application Engineer- Missile Defense

Synopsys•USA Off-Site, CO

7d•$160,000 - $240,000•Remote

About The Position

Synopsys is seeking an experienced Principal Application Engineer specializing in missile defense. The role builds high-fidelity simulation environments for air and missile defense systems, modeling threat trajectories, staging events, and signatures across RF, infrared, and other sensor-observable spectra. It involves representing radar phenomenology and sensor architectures, developing realistic signature simulations, and generating synthetic datasets for AI/ML applications in sensor fusion, target discrimination, and battle management. The engineer integrates threat and sensor simulations into operational frameworks such as STK and AFSIM to support kill-chain analysis from detection through engagement. The role works with defense customers and subject matter experts to ensure technical accuracy, and communicates complex modeling decisions through briefings and documentation. The work supports acquisition decisions, sensor performance analysis, realistic algorithm testing, and development of next-generation air defense systems. The position is remote-eligible; candidates are sought in the Colorado Springs, Colorado, or Exton, Pennsylvania areas.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Physics, Computer Science, or a related field with 10 or more years of professional experience, or a master's degree with 8 or more years of experience.
U.S. citizenship and an active DoD TS/SCI clearance.
Deep experience in air and missile defense systems, including sensor architectures, kill-chain operations, and battle management concepts.
Strong background in sensor phenomenology and signature modeling, particularly RF and IR signatures across missile flight phases.
Proficiency in MATLAB or Python for building models, scripting simulations, and interfacing with DoD analysis frameworks.
Experience with radar sensing environments and understanding of how radar bands affect target detection and characterization.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with Systems Tool Kit (STK) and Advanced Framework for Simulation, Integration and Modeling (AFSIM).

Responsibilities

Build high-fidelity simulations for air and missile defense, including threat trajectories, staging events, and multi-modal RF, IR, and other sensor-observable signatures.
Model radar phenomenology and sensor architectures across radar bands and configurations for detection, tracking, and discrimination.
Develop signature simulations that represent missile launch dynamics, plume characteristics, and time-varying observables.
Design and generate synthetic datasets for AI/ML systems used in sensor fusion, target discrimination, and battle management, including target-present and target-absent scenarios.
Integrate threat models and sensor simulations into operational frameworks such as STK and AFSIM to support kill-chain analysis.
Collaborate with experts in signature characterization, sensor physics, and threat modeling to ensure accuracy and technical credibility with government customers.
Deliver technical briefings and documentation to engineering teams and program leadership, translating modeling decisions into operational insights.