Autonomous Space Operations Planner & Simulator Engineer

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory; Laurel (MD); On-site; USD 100,000 - 245,000; Full time

Job summary

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory seeks a Space Operations Planning and Simulation Engineer to enhance a mature, flight-proven framework for autonomous science observation planning, scheduling, and spacecraft commanding. You will develop high-fidelity simulations, opportunity detection, and optimization, with secure development practices in classified environments.

Strong Java experience and 4+ years in aerospace or scientific computing are required, along with the ability

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in CS/Software Eng, Aerospace Eng, Physics, or related field.
• Strong programming experience in Java for complex, modular systems.
• 4+ years developing software for simulations, modeling, or analysis tools in aerospace or scientific domains.
• Solid understanding of orbital mechanics, spacecraft operations, or related physical systems.
• Experience designing, implementing, testing, and documenting new software features or modules.
• Excellent written and verbal communication for technical presentations.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement new modules for autonomous planning, scheduling, and conflict resolution.
• Extend simulation capabilities for orbital mechanics, sensor observations, and end-to-end kill chains / engagement scenarios.
• Develop algorithms for opportunity detection, resource optimization, and command sequence generation.
• Integrate with MATLAB, Linux/HPC environments, and existing modeling tools.
• Collaborate with mission analysts, systems engineers, and sponsors to translate operational needs into robust software solutions.
• Document, test, and present new capabilities to internal teams and external stakeholders.

Skills

Java

Simulation

Software development

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s in CS/Software Eng/Aerospace Eng/Physics

Tools

MATLAB

Linux/HPC environments

Job description

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory seeks a Space Operations Planning and Simulation Engineer to enhance a mature, flight-proven framework for autonomous science observation planning, scheduling, and spacecraft commanding. You will develop high-fidelity simulations, opportunity detection, and optimization, with secure development practices in classified environments.

Strong Java experience and 4+ years in aerospace or scientific computing are required, along with the ability