Senior Strategic Weapons System GN&C Engineer - Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory

Do you have a passion for applied research and development in the field of Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GN&C)?

Are you interested in working on cutting edge weapon systems that are critical for the survivability and long-term deterrence strategy of the United States?

Do you have experience working with Nuclear Ballistic Missile Systems?

Are you up to the challenge of providing critical insight into the GN&C performance of Nuclear Ballistic Missile Systems and influencing the design of next-generation weapon systems?

If so, we are looking for someone like you to join the Flight Navigation, Guidance, and Control Evaluation and Development Group in the Flight Systems Branch at APL.

We are seeking an experienced GN&C engineer with a proven background in Nuclear Ballistic Missile Systems to help us evaluate weapon system performance and influence the design of next-generation weapon systems. These systems come with significant and unique GN&C challenges, offer plenty of opportunities for innovation, and are the research and development priority of the nation. We as a nation need to rise to this challenge and develop these systems, and we need your help to do this.

Your primary responsibilities as a Senior Strategic Weapon Systems GN&C Engineer will be to:

• Serve as a GN&C leader for next-generation Strategic Weapon Systems and provide subject matter expertise and technical direction.
• Develop state of the art GN&C methodologies for next-generation strategic missile flight systems.
• Leverage prior professional experience to work with the broader Strategic Weapon System community to evaluate weapon system performance and influence next-generation system designs.
• Apply state estimation techniques to solve problems with very large state representations for applications in on-board implementations and post-flight analysis.
• Develop and understand underlying weapon system navigation related error models from a fundamental math and physics perspective.
• Analyze weapon system performance using flight test data collected from various sensors (IMU, GPS, Radar).
• Support the development and maintenance of numerical techniques and affiliated simulation software to evaluate the overall flight performance.
• Conduct trade studies and run simulations to inform weapon system design choices.
• Share your expertise as a resource and mentor to the next generation of Strategic Weapon System GN&C engineers.
• Document and present research and analysis results to government sponsors, higher leadership, and program management.

You meet our minimum qualifications for the job if you...

• Hold a Bachelor's degree or above in Aerospace, Mechanical, or Electrical Engineering (or closely related technical discipline) and professional experience working on programs like Trident, Minuteman-III or Sentinel (Ground Based Strategic Deterrent).
• Have 5+ years of relevant experience working on the design and/or performance evaluation of Missile GN&C Systems.
• Have a strong background in Optimal Estimation, Dynamical Systems, and Inertial Navigation.
• Experience in solving state-estimation problems for large scale systems.
• Experience in developing and analyzing underlying physics-based models governing the different components of a missile GN&C system.
• Interest in developing an end-to-end understanding of the underlying methodologies of a strategic weapon system and how the GN&C subsystem interacts with the weapon system as a whole.
• A passion to lead projects and diverse teams focused on solving challenging GN&C problems, and to mentor junior GN&C engineers.
• Have excellent technical writing and technical communication skills.
• Are able to take ownership of technical tasks and provide deliverables in a timely manner.
• Have a demonstrated proficiency in Matlab.
• Are able to obtain an interim Secret level security clearance by your start date and can ultimately obtain a Top Secret level 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...

• Hold a Master's or above in Aerospace, Mechanical, or Electrical Engineering (or closely related technical discipline) with a focus in Guidance, Navigation, and Control and 10+ years of experience working on programs like Trident, MMIII, or GBSD.
• Have 10+ years of relevant experience working on the design and/or performance evaluation of Nuclear Ballistic Missile GN&C Systems.
• Experience in solving state-estimation problems for large scale linear & nonlinear systems.
• Experience in leading and providing technical direction to a team of GN&C engineers focused on the development or performance evaluation of Strategic Weapon Systems.
• Have a strong interest in applied research and innovation.
• Currently hold a Top Secret (or above) clearance.

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 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 http://www.jhuapl.edu/careers.

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APL is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. 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 promoting an innovative environment that embraces diversity, encourages creativity, and supports inclusion of new ideas. In doing so, we are 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 Accommodations@jhuapl.edu. Only by ensuring that everyone’s voice is heard are we empowered to be bold, do great things, and make the world a better place.