Space Kill Chain Engineer - Systems & Defense Architect

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab; Laurel (MD); On-site; USD 105,000 - 290,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Education assistance

Retirement contributions

Work-life balance

Job summary

Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) seeks a senior systems engineer to inform the future of our space-based defense capabilities. You will lead end-to-end kill chain design, derive system requirements, and drive prototyping and testing across multiple engineering disciplines.

The role emphasizes systems-of-systems thinking, collaboration, and the ability to translate complex data flows into actionable designs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in systems engineering, computer science, physics, mathematics, statistics, or related field.
• 10+ years of professional experience in systems engineering of kill chains, weapons systems, or C2 systems.
• Ability to derive top level requirements and decompose them to lower levels.
• Strong analytical, verbal, written and interpersonal skills.
• Experience with higher level programming languages (Python, C++, Java, MATLAB).
• Experience implementing MBSE techniques and communicating results to teams and sponsors.
• Big-picture thinker capable of tracing data flows in complex architectures.
• Willingness to travel up to 10%.
• Active Top Secret security clearance with potential TS/SCI; U.S. citizenship required.

Responsibilities

• Conceive novel and effective kill chains using space-based systems to meet warfighter and intelligence needs.
• Define and maintain traceability between enterprise needs and developed systems.
• Use systems engineering and simulation tools to understand requirements and performance.
• Drive mission engineering, systems engineering, prototyping and testing of novel capabilities.
• Design and refine interface messages between federated systems.
• Work through all project lifecycle phases to ensure fielded systems meet needs.
• Lead software implementation in proof-of-concept prototypes across engineering domains.

Skills

Systems engineering

Kill chains

MBSE

SysML modeling

Python

C++

Java

MATLAB

Cameo

Rhapsody

SPARX EA

UML/SysML

DoDAF/UAF

Education

Bachelors in Systems Engineering

Bachelors in Computer Science

Tools

Cameo

Rhapsody

SPARX EA

Job description

Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) seeks a senior systems engineer to inform the future of our space-based defense capabilities. You will lead end-to-end kill chain design, derive system requirements, and drive prototyping and testing across multiple engineering disciplines.

The role emphasizes systems-of-systems thinking, collaboration, and the ability to translate complex data flows into actionable designs.