Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab

Weapon Systems Senior Analyst

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab$105K — $290K *
Aerospace & Defense
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 5+ years of relevant weapon-system specific technical or operational expertise for nuclear and high-end conventional strategic systems.
  • Experience in stakeholder & mission analysis, requirements definition, architecture design, trade studies, validation & verification, and product sustainment planning.
  • Bachelor of Science in engineering, computer science, physical or applied sciences, or closely related field.
  • Able to obtain an Interim Secret security clearance and ultimately a Top Secret clearance.

Responsibilities

  • Be an integral part of a multidisciplinary team applying systems-engineering rigor to shape platforms.
  • Embed in a cross-functional team to drive design, development, and fielding of sophisticated weapon systems.
  • Partner with technical leads and program managers to capitalize on operational experience and best practices.
  • Lead in-depth analyses at system and sub-system levels to produce actionable recommendations.
  • Supply expertise on system functionality, testing, performance, and maintenance, translating knowledge into guidance.
  • Provide insights into requirements and architecture, aiding decision-makers while safeguarding mission performance.
  • Navigate stakeholder expectations to help technical teams satisfy warfighter needs.
  • Conduct sponsor-support trips and additional travel for stakeholder engagements as needed.

Benefits

  • High-impact collaborative environment with a focus on multidisciplinary teamwork.
  • Opportunity to influence the next generation of U.S. strategic systems.
  • Access to advanced modeling, simulations, and hardware testing opportunities.
  • Professional development in a unique sector of defense technology.
  • Work with experts across various fields, enhancing personal knowledge and skills.
Full Job Description
Description

The System Definition & Validation Group (KBY) in the Force Projection Sector of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory is seeking enthusiastic analysts, engineers, scientists, mathematicians, statisticians, and systems engineers to take on the position as Weapon Systems Senior Analyst. The ideal candidate will work on complex, multi-discipline problems with a team of experts to offer technical contributions to improve the next generation of US strategic systems.

As a Weapons Systems Senior Analyst for KBY you will...
  • Be an integral part of a multidisciplinary team that applies a "whole-of-system" mindset and systems-engineering rigor to shape complex platforms to meet both current and future warfighter requirements.
  • Embed yourself in a cross-functional team that blends systems-engineering expertise with operational insight to drive the design, development, and fielding of sophisticated weapon systems.
  • Partner with technical leads, program managers, and sponsors to ensure that APL work capitalizes on operational experience, domain-specific knowledge, and engineering best practices, delivering the most effective solutions to the warfighter's toughest challenges.
  • Lead and contribute to in-depth analyses at both system and sub-system levels, producing actionable recommendations that shape design decisions.
  • Supply deep expertise on how the system functions, is tested, performs, is operated and maintained, and fits into strategic, regional, or theater deterrence concepts. Translate that knowledge into clear guidance for warfighter employment.
  • Provide requirements and architecture insights to inform decision-makers, evaluate change impacts, and safeguard mission performance through expertise in system requirements, architecture, interfaces, and capabilities.
  • Navigate stakeholder expectations, relationships, and capabilities, enabling program leadership and technical teams to better satisfy warfighter needs.
  • Continually expand understanding of the weapon system, associated platforms/delivery vehicles, and the broader system-level engineering processes that support them.
  • Conduct up to 5-6 sponsor-support trips per year (each 60; 1 week) and perform additional local travel for stakeholder engagements as required.
  • Apply comprehensive weapon-system knowledge to provide leadership and guidance to support Weapon-System Architecting efforts, evaluating system flexibility and adaptability to address emerging threats and incorporate future capabilities.
  • Apply comprehensive weapon-system knowledge to provide leadership and guidance to support efforts to use high-fidelity models, simulations, hardware-in-the-loop (HIL), and software-in-the-loop (SIL) environments to lead early-stage assessments, guide testing against defined requirements and architectural baselines, accelerating validation, and reducing risk.

Qualifications

You meet our minimum qualifications for the job if you...
  • Have 5+ years of relevant weapon-system specific technical expertise or operational expertise for nuclear strategic weapon systems (e.g. Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles, Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missiles, Strategic Cruise Missiles, Nuclear Warheads, Strategic Bombers), high-end conventional strategic systems (e.g. Long-Range Cruise Missiles, Hypersonics), or similar systems
  • Have a relevant experience applied to the aforementioned weapon systems in several of the following areas: stakeholder & mission analysis, requirements definition, architecture & conceptual design, trade studies, detailed design & integration, validation & verification, product & sustainment planning, and fielding & operations.
  • Have a Bachelor of Science in engineering, computer science, physical or applied sciences, or other related technical disciplines.
  • Are able to obtain an Interim Secret security clearance by your start date and can ultimately obtain a Top Secret level security 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 exceed our minimum requirements with experience in any of the following...
  • Have 15+ years of relevant weapon-system specific technical expertise or operational expertise for nuclear strategic weapon systems, high-end conventional strategic systems, or similar systems
  • Have helped to develop and field a major weapon system
  • Have an advanced degree in one of the aforementioned disciplines
  • Hold an active Top Secret security clearance

Minimum Rate

$105,000 Annually

Maximum Rate

$290,000 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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