Real-Time Simulation & Physics Engineer for ISRT

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

Job summary

Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) is seeking a Simulation & Physics Software Engineer to advance real-time, high-fidelity simulation across ISRT missions. You will develop, test, and optimize C++ software for physics engines, rigid-body dynamics, fluid simulations, and interactive 3D visualization within a deterministic, high-performance framework.

Join a multidisciplinary team and contribute to state management, synchronization, and data integration across CPU/GPU,

Qualifications

• 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 and 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 complex software architectures such as physics engines, simulation frameworks, distributed applications, or robotics systems.
• Experience in memory management, multithreading, job systems, streaming, serialization, networking, or large-scale C++ architecture.
• Able to obtain Interim Secret clearance by start date; eligible for TS/SCI; U.S. citizenship required.

Responsibilities

• Develop, test, and improve real-time software systems that support high-fidelity simulation and interactive 3D visualization.
• Implement and optimize performance-sensitive C++ software involving physics engines, rigid-body dynamics, fluid simulations, and real-time modeling.
• Contribute to models simulating sensor-environment interactions within a high-performance real-time framework.
• Evolve foundational systems such as state management, physics synchronization, resource loading, serialization, and platform abstraction.
• Integrate physics models, simulation components, rendering systems, data sources, and hardware interfaces into deterministic interactive capabilities.
• Profile and optimize software across CPU, GPU, memory, networking, and real-time frame-budget constraints.
• Collaborate within a technical team to build performant, maintainable, and robust software.

Skills

Real-time simulation

C++ engineering

Engine programming

Physics-based modeling

Graphics

Distributed systems

High-performance software

Multithreading

Memory management

Education

Bachelor's degree in computer science

Master’s degree in computer science (preferred)

Tools

Python

MATLAB

Linux

Job description

Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) is seeking a Simulation & Physics Software Engineer to advance real-time, high-fidelity simulation across ISRT missions. You will develop, test, and optimize C++ software for physics engines, rigid-body dynamics, fluid simulations, and interactive 3D visualization within a deterministic, high-performance framework.

Join a multidisciplinary team and contribute to state management, synchronization, and data integration across CPU/GPU,