Simulation & Physics Software Engineer for ISRT Scientific Applications

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory•Laurel, MD

About The Position

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) is seeking a Simulation & Physics Software Engineer to advance interactive 3D training and high-fidelity, physics-based interactive sensor simulation capabilities. The role supports real-world Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance, and Targeting (ISRT) missions and involves working with a multidisciplinary team to turn early designs into robust, physics-driven simulation capabilities. The engineer will develop, test, and improve real-time software systems for high-fidelity simulation, interactive 3D visualization, and complex scenario execution. The work includes performance-sensitive C++ software involving physics engines, rigid-body dynamics, fluid simulations, runtime architecture, distributed simulation, and real-time mathematical modeling. The engineer will also contribute to sensor-environment interaction models, foundational simulation systems, and integrations among physics models, rendering systems, data sources, and hardware interfaces. The position requires profiling, debugging, and optimizing systems across CPU, GPU, memory, networking, and real-time frame-budget constraints while maintaining physical accuracy. APL describes its culture as welcoming, collaborative, and supportive of employee growth, creativity, and diverse perspectives. Its campus is in the Baltimore-Washington metro area. Eligible staff receive benefits that include retirement plans, paid time off, medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance, flexible spending accounts, education assistance, and training and development. Additional compensation may include a sign-on bonus, relocation benefits, locality allowance, or discretionary payments for exceptional performance.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in computer science, software engineering, physics, mathematics, or a related field.
At least three years of relevant software development experience in real-time simulation, engine development, physics-based modeling, graphics, distributed systems, robotics, or related performance-sensitive software.
Significant experience developing clear, maintainable, high-performance C++ software for real-time, interactive, or simulation-heavy applications.
Professional experience developing, debugging, and optimizing software within Linux environments.
Experience with software architectures for complex technical systems such as physics engines, simulation frameworks, distributed applications, or robotics systems.
Experience in one or more software areas such as memory management, multithreading, job systems, streaming, serialization, networking, or large-scale C++ architecture.
Ability to obtain an Interim Secret-level security clearance by the start date and ultimately obtain a TS/SCI-level clearance.
U.S. citizenship is required for eligibility for access to classified information.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in computer science, software engineering, physics, mathematics, or a related field.
Experience as an engine programmer, physics programmer, or core technology programmer in a simulation or game industry context.
Expertise in Python and MATLAB for scripting, data analysis, or mathematical modeling, including experience with Python and MATLAB bindings to C/C++.
Experience or background in signal processing, such as digital signal processing, sensor data processing, or waveform analysis.
Experience with FPGA-based acceleration, RDMA (Remote Direct Memory Access), or high-performance hardware-software integration.
Experience developing or heavily modifying proprietary physics engines, or working with low-level collision detection, rigid-body dynamics, or particle systems.
Experience with high-fidelity modeling such as fluid dynamics, multi-body dynamics, aerodynamics, or geospatial/terrain-based simulation.
Experience with distributed simulation, multiplayer networking, state synchronization, or deterministic simulation environments.
Experience modernizing, refactoring, or extending large C++ systems while supporting active users, prototypes, or mission operations.
Active Secret, Top Secret, or TS/SCI-level security clearance.

Responsibilities

Develop, test, and improve real-time software systems supporting high-fidelity simulation, interactive 3D visualization, and complex scenario execution.
Implement and optimize performance-sensitive C++ software involving physics engines, rigid-body dynamics, fluid simulations, runtime architecture, distributed simulation, and real-time mathematical modeling.
Contribute to models of sensor-environment interactions, such as electromagnetic, acoustic, or optical interactions, within a high-performance real-time framework.
Contribute to foundational systems including state management, physics synchronization, resource loading, serialization, platform abstraction, and simulation execution pipelines.
Integrate custom physics models, simulation components, rendering systems, data sources, and hardware interfaces into reliable, deterministic interactive capabilities.
Profile, debug, and optimize complex software across CPU, GPU, memory, networking, and real-time frame-budget constraints while maintaining physical accuracy under high performance loads.
Collaborate with a technical team to build performant, maintainable, and mathematically robust software.