Noblis

Senior Chemist / Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Specialist - Advanced Energetics & Effects

Noblis$160K — $251K *
Aerospace & Defense
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Master's degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or related field, or equivalent experience in EOD/energetics
  • Active special operations forces (SOF) background with operational experience
  • 10+ years in explosives science, energetic materials, or weapons effects
  • Expertise in explosive formulation chemistry and detonation physics
  • Experience with additive manufacturing applied to munitions
  • Knowledge of weapons design principles and warhead mechanics
  • Understanding of blast-structure interaction and protective system design
  • US Citizen with Active Top Secret / SCI security clearance

Responsibilities

  • Develop and optimize explosive compositions for specialized applications
  • Utilize advanced manufacturing techniques to create novel warhead and explosive designs
  • Contribute to design and development of conventional weapons systems
  • Model blast effects on protective structures and sensitive equipment
  • Research specialized energetic materials for unique operational requirements
  • Analyze and optimize kinetic and non-kinetic effects for mission success

Benefits

  • Offered position contingent upon task award/funding
  • Onsite position at Fort Belvoir, VA
  • Opportunity to work in a critical mission area involving advanced energetics and effects
  • Engagement in cutting-edge research and development within the defense sector
  • Collaboration with national security and special operations forces experts
Full Job Description
Responsibilities

**This position is for upcoming work and is contingent upon task award/funding.

** This will be an onsite position at Fort Belvoir, VA.

We are seeking a highly experienced Senior Chemist or Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) professional to support critical mission areas within the Advanced Energetics and Effects domain. This role requires deep technical expertise in explosives science, weapons systems, and energetic materials, combined with operational experience in special operations environments. The position encompasses new conventional weapons development, additive manufacturing and weapons enhancements, and advanced energetics/non-energetic materials research and application.

Key Responsibilities
  • Explosives Formulation - Develop, evaluate, and optimize explosive compositions for specialized applications
  • Additive Manufacturing of Warheads/Explosives - Leverage advanced manufacturing techniques to design and produce novel warhead geometries and explosive configurations
  • Weapons Design - Contribute to the design and development of conventional weapons systems with enhanced performance characteristics
  • Blast Door Response & Equipment Fragility - Assess and model blast effects on protective structures and sensitive equipment; inform survivability and vulnerability analyses
  • Niche Energetics - Research and develop specialized energetic materials for unique operational requirements
  • Kinetic and Non-Kinetic Effects - Analyze, model, and optimize both kinetic (explosive, fragmentation, penetration) and non-kinetic (electronic, directed energy, cyber-physical) effects for mission success

Required Qualifications

  • Master's degree or higher in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or a closely related field; OR equivalent combination of education and extensive EOD/energetics experience
  • Active SOF background with demonstrated operational experience
  • Minimum 10 years of experience in explosives science, energetic materials, or weapons effects
  • Deep knowledge of explosive formulation chemistry, detonation physics, and blast phenomenology
  • Experience with additive manufacturing processes as applied to energetics or munitions
  • Familiarity with weapons design principles, including warhead mechanics and lethality optimization
  • Understanding of blast-structure interaction, fragility assessment, and protective system design
  • US Citizen with an Active Top Secret / SCI security clearance (required at time of application)

Desired Qualifications

  • PHD in Chemistry, Energetic Materials, or related discipline
  • Prior assignment or direct support to USSOCOM, JSOC, or component SOF units
  • Published research or patents in energetics, detonation science, or advanced materials
  • Experience with computational modeling tools (e.g., CTH, AUTODYN, LS-DYNA) for blast and fragmentation analysis
  • Familiarity with DoD acquisition processes and technology transition pathways
  • Experience briefing senior military and civilian leadership on technical findings

Posted Salary Range

USD $160,800.00 - USD $251,325.00 /Yr.

About Noblis

Noblis is an American not-for-profit science, technology, and strategy organization that provides technical and advisory services to federal government clients. Noblis works in the areas of national security, intelligence, transportation, healthcare, environmental sustainability, and enterprise transformation. Noblis was created in 1996 when Mitretek Systems Inc. was split into two separate entities. The other entity became known as Noblis ESI. Noblis has been recognized as one of the best places to work in the Washington, D.C. area by the Washington Business Journal and the Washingtonian.
Learn more about Noblis
Size
1,500 employees
Industry
Founded
1996

Similar Jobs

More Jobs at Noblis

More Aerospace & Defense Jobs

Find similar Senior Chemist / Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Specialist - Advanced Energetics & Effects jobs: