Senior Modeling and Simulation Systems Engineer

Red Gate Group; Fort Belvoir (VA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Red Gate Group is looking for a Senior Modeling and Simulation Systems Engineer for an on-site position at DTRA Headquarters in Fort Belvoir, VA. This role requires a senior engineer to lead the characterization and defeat modeling of underground facilities and hardened targets.

Candidates should possess a Bachelor's degree in a relevant STEM discipline with 10+ years of experience in modeling and simulation, along with proficiency in HPAC and VLSTRACK. A current TS/SCI security clearance is mandatory.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 10 years of engineering experience focused on modeling and simulation.
• Active U.S. Government Top Secret / Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) security clearance is required.
• Mastery of interoperability architectures like DIS and HLA.

Responsibilities

• Lead development and execution of predictive simulations for underground facilities.
• Mentor junior engineers and establish best practices in modeling.
• Present data-driven insights to DTRA leadership and international partners.

Skills

Modeling blast effects

Technical leadership

Data analysis

Programming proficiency (Python, C/C++, MATLAB)

Interagency collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering or relevant STEM discipline

Master’s degree or Ph.D. preferred

Tools

HPAC (Hazard Prediction and Assessment Capability)

VLSTRACK

Job description

Senior Modeling and Simulation (M&S) Systems Engineer – Full-time, on-site position at DTRA Headquarters at Fort Belvoir, VA.

We are seeking a senior engineering professional to support the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA). In this role you will serve as the principal technical authority specializing in the characterization, targeting, and defeat modeling of underground facilities and hardened deeply buried targets. You will lead the development, evaluation, and integration of high-fidelity simulations predicting weapons effects, structural collapse, and agent release within confined subterranean environments to provide data‑driven insights to protect the Joint Force.

Key Responsibilities

• Underground Facility Modeling – Lead the development and execution of predictive simulations focusing on structural defeat, tunnel collapse, weapon penetration, and internal blast effects within complex underground facilities and hardened deeply buried targets.
• Subterranean CBRN Hazard Modeling – Develop, execute, and optimize complex mathematical simulations utilizing HPAC and VLSTRACK to model agent transport, toxic chemical/biological propagation, and source‑term generation from struck underground environments.
• C‑WMD Architecture Design – Lead the creation of advanced M&S technical strategies, architectures, and predictive frameworks tailored to adversary capabilities across the WMD and subterranean continuum.
• System‑of‑Systems Integration – Coordinate Software‑in‑the‑Loop (SIL) and Hardware‑in‑the‑Loop (HIL) environments to integrate physical threat tools with modernized DoD forecasting systems.
• VV&A Oversight – Establish rigorous verification, validation, and accreditation frameworks for HPAC, VLSTRACK, and adjacent geomechanical/structural simulation methodologies to ensure high‑accuracy consequence management outputs.
• Data Fusion & Analysis – Synthesize massive datasets from kinetic tests, physics‑based simulations, and live exercises to conduct trade studies, perform root‑cause analysis, and optimize survivability metrics.
• Technical Leadership – Mentor junior to mid‑level engineering personnel at Fort Belvoir, establishing modeling best practices across multidisciplinary mission spaces.
• Interagency Collaboration – Present complex, data‑driven simulation outcomes and operational insights regarding underground targets to executive DTRA leadership, combatant commands (COCOMs), and international defense partners.

Required Qualifications

• Education – Bachelor’s degree in Systems Engineering, Civil/Structural Engineering (with geo‑mechanical focus), Physics, Applied Mathematics, Nuclear Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a highly relevant STEM discipline; Master’s degree or Doctorate (Ph.D.) preferred.
• Experience – Minimum of 10+ years of progressive engineering experience, heavily focused on modeling, simulation, and analysis within the Department of Defense (DoD) or intelligence community space.
• Specialized Domain Expertise – Demonstrated experience modeling blast effects, geo‑mechanical properties, or agent release mechanics associated with underground facilities or hardened structures.
• Core Toolsets – Proven, hands‑on technical proficiency with specialized DoD hazard prediction toolsets, specifically Hazard Prediction and Assessment Capability (HPAC) and Vapor, Liquid, and Solid Tracking (VLSTRACK).
• Security Clearance – An active U.S. Government Top Secret / Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) security clearance.
• Technical Stack – Advanced programming proficiency in Python, C/C++, MATLAB, or Simulink for algorithmic tool modification and statistical data evaluation.
• M&S Frameworks – Mastery of Distributed Interactive Simulation (DIS), High‑Level Architecture (HLA), Functional Mock‑up Interface (FMI), or similar interoperability architectures.

Preferred Qualifications

• DTRA Domain Expertise – Deep working knowledge of DTRA RDT&E workflows, Defense Threat Reduction Information Analysis Center (DTRIAC) assets, or specialized weapon effect tools (e.g., IMEA, MALT).
• Grey Zone Competency – Prior experience modeling asymmetric warfare, counter‑proliferation networks, or small unmanned aerial system (sUAS) threat signatures.

Equal Opportunity Employment

The Red Gate Group, Ltd. is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. The Red Gate Group, Ltd. considers applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, disability, genetic information, citizenship status, or membership in any other group protected by federal, state, or local law. Know Your Rights.