Senior Missile Performance & Flight Systems Engineer

Employer description

Description

Are you an experienced aerospace engineer passionate about solving challenging problems in missile system design, performance analysis, and hypersonic flight?

Do you enjoy applying your technical expertise to complex engineering challenges, leading multidisciplinary analysis efforts, and developing innovative solutions that influence the design and performance of advanced flight systems?

If so, we’re looking for someone like you to join our team at APL.

We are seeking a Senior Missile Performance & Flight Systems Engineer to provide technical leadership in the modeling, simulation, and performance assessment of missile systems and hypersonic vehicles. In this role, you will lead complex engineering analyses, guide system-level trade studies, and contribute to conceptual design and development efforts supporting critical national security missions.

You will work closely with multidisciplinary engineering teams, government sponsors, and industry partners to evaluate system performance, investigate technical challenges, and develop independent engineering assessments that inform important design and program decisions. You will also have opportunities to shape the development of advanced modeling and simulation capabilities, mentor other engineers, and participate in missile system integration, testing, and evaluation activities.

As a Senior Missile Performance & Flight Systems Engineer, you will…

Lead complex modeling, simulation, and performance analysis efforts supporting the design, development, and evaluation of missile systems and hypersonic vehicles.Direct system-level trade studies and conceptual design analyses, evaluating alternative configurations, technologies, and operational approaches to inform engineering decisions.Develop, enhance, and apply advanced missile and flight system simulation tools to assess vehicle performance, characterize system behavior, and investigate technical challenges.Provide technical leadership in the evaluation of missile system performance, including flight dynamics, aerodynamics, propulsion, guidance and control, and related engineering disciplines.Lead and contribute to missile test and evaluation activities, including test planning, preflight predictions, test operations, and post-flight performance assessments.Serve as a trusted technical advisor to government sponsors and industry partners, providing independent engineering assessments, identifying technical risks, and recommending approaches to resolve complex system performance challenges.Lead multidisciplinary technical investigations, coordinating analysis efforts across engineering disciplines to address challenging system-level problems.Prepare and present technical findings, engineering assessments, and recommendations to government sponsors, program leadership, and other technical stakeholders.Guide the development and application of new analytical methods, modeling capabilities, and computational tools to advance the team’s technical capabilities.Mentor and provide technical guidance to less-experienced engineers, fostering technical excellence and the development of specialized expertise.

Qualifications

You meet our minimum qualifications for the job if you…

Have a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical discipline, with at least 10 years of relevant professional engineering experience.Have substantial technical experience in one or more missile or aerospace flight system engineering disciplines, including modeling and simulation, aerodynamics, flight dynamics, guidance, navigation and control, propulsion, or system performance analysis.Have demonstrated experience leading complex technical analyses, system-level trade studies, or engineering investigations involving multidisciplinary teams.Have a strong background in the development and application of computational models and simulations to evaluate aerospace vehicle performance.Have strong programming and computational skills, including proficiency with MATLAB, Python, or similar engineering analysis environments.Have demonstrated the ability to exercise independent technical judgment, evaluate competing design considerations, and develop defensible engineering recommendations.Have experience communicating complex technical findings and recommendations to technical leadership, customers, or other stakeholders.Have demonstrated success collaborating with multidisciplinary engineering teams and external technical partners.Have strong written and verbal communication skills and an interest in mentoring and developing other engineers.Are willing and able to travel occasionally to attend meetings or field tests at government and contractor sites (approximately 10–20 days per year).Are comfortable working in closed-area facilities.Hold an active Secret security clearance and can ultimately obtain a Top Secret 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.You’ll go above and beyond our minimum requirements if you…

Have an M.S. or Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical discipline, with 12+ years of relevant engineering experience.Have extensive experience in missile system or hypersonic vehicle performance analysis, conceptual design, or advanced modeling and simulation.Have demonstrated technical leadership of major engineering analysis efforts, including responsibility for technical approaches, analytical methods, and delivery of independent assessments to government sponsors.Have experience developing and applying high-fidelity three-degree-of-freedom (3DoF) or six-degree-of-freedom (6DoF) flight simulations.Have experience using trajectory optimization or optimal control software packages such as OTIS, POST, or GPOPS.Have experience developing engineering simulation tools using Simulink, C/C++, or other advanced computational environments.Have experience evaluating missile system design trades involving vehicle configuration, aerodynamics, propulsion, guidance and control, or subsystem integration.Have experience supporting missile or hypersonic flight test programs, including preflight performance predictions and post-flight data analysis.Have experience with missile system or subsystem design, development, and integration
About Us

Why Work at APL?

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) brings world-class expertise to our nation’s most critical defense, security, space and science challenges. While we are dedicated to solving complex challenges and pioneering new technologies, what makes us truly outstanding is our culture. We offer a vibrant, welcoming atmosphere where you can bring your authentic self to work, continue to grow, and build strong connections with inspiring teammates.

At APL, we celebrate our differences of perspectives and encourage creativity and bold, new ideas. Our employees enjoy generous benefits, including a robust education assistance program, unparalleled retirement contributions, and a healthy work/life balance. APL’s campus is located in the Baltimore-Washington metro area. Learn more about our career opportunities at https://www.jhuapl.edu/careers.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, creed, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, occupation, marital or familial status, political opinion, personal appearance, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. APL is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals of all abilities, including those with disabilities. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in any part of the hiring process, please contact [email protected].

The referenced pay range is based on JHU APL’s good faith belief at the time of posting. Actual compensation may vary based on factors such as geographic location, work experience, market conditions, education/training and skill level with consideration for internal parity. For salaried employees scheduled to work less than 40 hours per week, annual salary will be prorated based on the number of hours worked. APL may offer bonuses or other forms of compensation per internal policy and/or contractual designation. Additional compensation may be provided in the form of a sign-on bonus, relocation benefits, locality allowance or discretionary payments for exceptional performance. APL provides eligible staff with a comprehensive benefits package including retirement plans, paid time off, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, flexible spending accounts, education assistance, and training and development. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

Minimum Rate

$100,000 Annually

Maximum Rate

$245,000 Annually
Are you an experienced aerospace engineer passionate about solving challenging problems in missile system design, performance analysis, and hypersonic flight?

Do you enjoy applying your technical expertise to complex engineering challenges, leading multidisciplinary analysis efforts, and developing innovative solutions that influence the design and performance of advanced flight systems?

If so, we’re looking for someone like you to join our team at APL.

We are seeking a Senior Missile Performance & Flight Systems Engineer to provide technical leadership in the modeling, simulation, and performance assessment of missile systems and hypersonic vehicles. In this role, you will lead complex engineering analyses, guide system-level trade studies, and contribute to conceptual design and development efforts supporting critical national security missions.

You will work closely with multidisciplinary engineering teams, government sponsors, and industry partners to evaluate system performance, investigate technical challenges, and develop independent engineering assessments that inform important design and program decisions. You will also have opportunities to shape the development of advanced modeling and simulation capabilities, mentor other engineers, and participate in missile system integration, testing, and evaluation activities.

As a Senior Missile Performance & Flight Systems Engineer, you will…

Lead complex modeling, simulation, and performance analysis efforts supporting the design, development, and evaluation of missile systems and hypersonic vehicles.Direct system-level trade studies and conceptual design analyses, evaluating alternative configurations, technologies, and operational approaches to inform engineering decisions.Develop, enhance, and apply advanced missile and flight system simulation tools to assess vehicle performance, characterize system behavior, and investigate technical challenges.Provide technical leadership in the evaluation of missile system performance, including flight dynamics, aerodynamics, propulsion, guidance and control, and related engineering disciplines.Lead and contribute to missile test and evaluation activities, including test planning, preflight predictions, test operations, and post-flight performance assessments.Serve as a trusted technical advisor to government sponsors and industry partners, providing independent engineering assessments, identifying technical risks, and recommending approaches to resolve complex system performance challenges.Lead multidisciplinary technical investigations, coordinating analysis efforts across engineering disciplines to address challenging system-level problems.Prepare and present technical findings, engineering assessments, and recommendations to government sponsors, program leadership, and other technical stakeholders.Guide the development and application of new analytical methods, modeling capabilities, and computational tools to advance the team’s technical capabilities.Mentor and provide technical guidance to less-experienced engineers, fostering technical excellence and the development of specialized expertise.

You meet our minimum qualifications for the job if you…

Have a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical discipline, with at least 10 years of relevant professional engineering experience.Have substantial technical experience in one or more missile or aerospace flight system engineering disciplines, including modeling and simulation, aerodynamics, flight dynamics, guidance, navigation and control, propulsion, or system performance analysis.Have demonstrated experience leading complex technical analyses, system-level trade studies, or engineering investigations involving multidisciplinary teams.Have a strong background in the development and application of computational models and simulations to evaluate aerospace vehicle performance.Have strong programming and computational skills, including proficiency with MATLAB, Python, or similar engineering analysis environments.Have demonstrated the ability to exercise independent technical judgment, evaluate competing design considerations, and develop defensible engineering recommendations.Have experience communicating complex technical findings and recommendations to technical leadership, customers, or other stakeholders.Have demonstrated success collaborating with multidisciplinary engineering teams and external technical partners.Have strong written and verbal communication skills and an interest in mentoring and developing other engineers.Are willing and able to travel occasionally to attend meetings or field tests at government and contractor sites (approximately 10–20 days per year).Are comfortable working in closed-area facilities.Hold an active Secret security clearance and can ultimately obtain a Top Secret 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.You’ll go above and beyond our minimum requirements if you…

Have an M.S. or Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical discipline, with 12+ years of relevant engineering experience.Have extensive experience in missile system or hypersonic vehicle performance analysis, conceptual design, or advanced modeling and simulation.Have demonstrated technical leadership of major engineering analysis efforts, including responsibility for technical approaches, analytical methods, and delivery of independent assessments to government sponsors.Have experience developing and applying high-fidelity three-degree-of-freedom (3DoF) or six-degree-of-freedom (6DoF) flight simulations.Have experience using trajectory optimization or optimal control software packages such as OTIS, POST, or GPOPS.Have experience developing engineering simulation tools using Simulink, C/C++, or other advanced computational environments.Have experience evaluating missile system design trades involving vehicle configuration, aerodynamics, propulsion, guidance and control, or subsystem integration.Have experience supporting missile or hypersonic flight test programs, including preflight performance predictions and post-flight data analysis.Have experience with missile system or subsystem design, development, and integration