Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab

2026 Graduate - Engineer - Multi-Mission Planning Development

Aerospace & Defense
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Degree in Systems Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, or related field.
  • Experience designing and coding in C/C++, Python, or Java, or using Matlab.
  • Willingness to engage with military personnel to understand their operational needs.
  • Ability to obtain an Interim Secret security clearance by start date.

Responsibilities

  • Design, implement, test, and enhance software in classified and unclassified settings.
  • Conduct engineering activities to advance multi-mission planning capabilities.
  • Develop planning software for various military operations, applying AI for optimization.
  • Learn and utilize modeling tools to analyze military systems and strategic capabilities.
  • Study enemy capabilities with input from the intelligence community.

Benefits

  • Robust education assistance program.
  • Strong retirement contributions.
  • Healthy work/life balance.
  • Vibrant and inclusive workplace culture.
Full Job Description
Description

Do you want to help U.S. military personnel successfully carry out their critical defense missions around the globe?

Are you passionate about applying your academic degree to help our warfighters tackle the difficult challenges they face, such as Achieving Robust Homeland Defense, Accelerating Warfighting Capabilities in INDOPACOM, Operationalizing Space Forces and Operationalizing Artificial Intelligence?

Would you like to make critical contributions to the prototyping, development, and transition of military mission planning tools and solutions to U.S. warfighters in the Armed Services?

If so and you are graduating with a degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, or Mathematics AND want to work in a team-oriented environment, then we'd love to have you join our team!

In A5C, we develop and deliver highly capable mission planning tools into the hands of the warfighter so they can configure/optimize fielded military systems for maximum performance across multiple simultaneous air and missile defense missions, multiple services, and multiple command echelon planning levels.

We are seeking an enthusiastic team player willing to take on challenging assignments and willing to learn about the complexity of placing and configuring military systems.

As a member of our team your duties and tasks could include:
  • Designing, implementing, testing, and cyber-hardening software in both unclassified and classified environments.
  • Conducting critical engineering activities that will drive the development of multi-mission and multi-service planning capabilities.
  • Helping develop multi-mission (Ballistic Missile Defense, Air Warfare, Hypersonic Defense, and Surface Warfare, etc.) planning software including applying Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enable military warfighters in the field to configure and optimize their military systems to maximize performance against our country's adversaries.
  • Learning about critical modeling and simulation tools that predict performance of U.S. military systems and applying those tools to conduct detailed engineering studies that ascertain capabilities/limitations of current systems, support future designs, lay out a strategic plan to achieve true multi-mission multi-service planning capabilities, and provide timely solutions to warfighters in the field facing real world operational challenges.
  • Learning about enemy capabilities and limitations as fundamentally provided by the pertinent intelligence community.

Qualifications

You meet our minimum qualifications for the job if you...
  • Possess a degree in Systems Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Astronautical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, Mathematics, or related discipline.
  • Have experience in designing/coding/testing with industry-standard general-purpose programming languages of C/C++, Python, Typescript/Javascript, and/or Java OR have experience in the use of Matlab, Python, or equivalent for designing and analyzing systems.
  • Are willing to meet and interact with military warfighters to discover what those warfighters actually want at their fingertips when deployed in the field all over the globe.
  • Are able to obtain an Interim Secret level security clearance by your start date and can ultimately obtain 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.

You'll go above and beyond our minimum requirements if you...
  • Possess an MS in Systems Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Astronautical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, Mathematics, or related discipline.
  • Have 2 or more years of experience in the use of MatLab or Python programming platform for analyzing and designing systems.
  • Have 2 or more years of experience developing in C/C++, Python, or Typescript/Javascript.
  • Have a strong interest in modeling and simulation and/or Artificial Intelligence (AI).
  • Have academic experience leading team projects.
  • Have experience as a summer intern in which your academic coursework was applied to successfully fulfill that internship.
  • Already possess a Final Secret security clearance.

Minimum Rate

$85,000 Annually

Maximum Rate

$165,000 Annually

About Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) is a research and development organization that provides solutions to national security and scientific challenges. The laboratory was founded in 1942 and is located in Laurel, Maryland. APL is a division of the Johns Hopkins University and is a not-for-profit organization. The laboratory has expertise in a variety of areas, including space exploration, national security, and healthcare.
Learn more about Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab
Size
7,000 employees
Industry
Founded
1942

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