Hypersonic Reentry Mission Engineer

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

Job summary

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) seeks an Advanced Reentry Mission Engineer to analyze, develop, and prototype next‑gen reentry systems, hypersonic vehicles, and enabling technologies, contributing to system‑level objectives and design activities.

You will join a collaborative team to produce reports, briefings, visualizations, and technical summaries for sponsor audiences, communicating results and trade‑space findings clearly.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related discipline.
• 3 years of relevant experience in mission engineering, mission analysis, systems engineering, aerospace/mechanical engineering, operations analysis, modeling and simulation, or related defense/aerospace work.
• Experience developing, using, or interpreting mission-level models/analyses, trajectory simulations, engagement simulations, weapon effects analyses, trade studies, or performance assessments.
• Experience contributing to cross-functional technical teams of engineers, analysts, operators, or government stakeholders.
• Familiar with early concept development efforts, including capability gap assessments, mission performance trade studies, requirements analysis, and risk assessment.
• Ability to communicate technical results clearly in written reports, briefings, and discussions with multidisciplinary teams.
• Hold an active Secret security clearance and can ultimately obtain 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.

Responsibilities

• Develop, apply, and refine mission-level models and analysis tools to evaluate advanced reentry, hypersonic, and related defense system concepts.
• Contribute to mission performance trade studies by translating mission objectives and system concepts into analysis approaches, measures of effectiveness, performance metrics, and simulation cases.
• Run and interpret trajectory, weapon effects, engagement, and scenario-based simulations to assess system performance, operational utility, survivability, and sensitivity to key assumptions.
• Support analysis of system-of-systems interactions, concepts of operations, mission timelines, threat environments, and capability gaps for emerging defense applications.
• Develop, maintain, and document analysis workflows, model assumptions, data inputs, functional decompositions, and mission architecture artifacts that support design reviews and acquisition decisions.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams of JHU/APL engineers, government sponsors, military operators, and industry partners to integrate analysis results into concept development and system design activities.
• Produce reports, briefings, visualizations, and technical summaries that communicate mission analysis results, trade-space findings, uncertainties, and recommendations to technical and sponsor audiences.

Skills

Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace/MechEng

3 years mission engineering experience

Mission-level models and trajectory/te

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related discipline

Job description

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) seeks an Advanced Reentry Mission Engineer to analyze, develop, and prototype next‑gen reentry systems, hypersonic vehicles, and enabling technologies, contributing to system‑level objectives and design activities.

You will join a collaborative team to produce reports, briefings, visualizations, and technical summaries for sponsor audiences, communicating results and trade‑space findings clearly.