PhD Graduate - Systems Engineer​/Analyst - Multi-Mission Planning Development

Job Title:

2026 PhD Graduate - Systems Engineer/Analyst - Multi-Mission Planning Development at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory

Base pay range: $/yr - $/yr

Are you passionate about applying your PhD to tackle the difficult challenges facing our warfighters such as achieving robust homeland defense, accelerating war fighting capabilities in INDOPACOM, operationalizing space forces and operationalizing artificial intelligence?

Are you interested in helping our warfighters create dominant decisive advantages by revolutionizing the art of designing defenses in direct support of overcoming those challenges?

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

In A5C, we develop and deliver highly capable mission planning tools 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.

If you are graduating with a PhD in Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, or Mathematics and want to work in an excellent team-oriented environment, we’d love to have you join our team!

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

• Lead and conduct critical engineering activities that drive the development of multi-mission and multi-service planning capabilities.
• Learn about critical modeling and simulation tools that predict performance of U.S. military systems and ascertain their level of fidelity.
• Apply those tools to lead and 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 feedback to warfighters facing real-world operational challenges.
• Work in a highly motivated team environment.
• Learn about enemy capabilities and limitations as fundamentally provided by the pertinent intelligence community.
• Determine the capabilities and limitations of U.S. military systems so that mission planning tools can optimize their use.

• Possess a PhD in Systems Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Astronautical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Software Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, Mathematics, or a related discipline.
• Demonstrate strong organizational abilities in pursuit of your PhD.
• Desire to be part of a team with a wide-ranging assembly of scientists and engineers to tackle new engineering challenges.
• Have extensive experience in the use of Matlab, Python, or equivalent for designing and analyzing systems.
• Have academic experience working on and leading team projects.
• Demonstrate excellent written, oral, and interpersonal skills when interfacing with other students and professors.
• Willing to meet and interact with military warfighters to discover what they need at their fingertips when deployed worldwide.
• Able to obtain an Interim Secret security clearance by your start date and ultimately obtain a Secret level clearance; eligible U.S. citizenship required.

• Demonstrate that your dissertation has direct applicability to the design and evolution of military mission planning systems.
• Extensive experience developing in C/C++ or Typescript/Java script.
• Experience as a summer intern and/or full-time employee applying academic coursework to successfully fulfill that internship/employment.
• Working knowledge of some U.S. military systems for the Navy, Army, Air Force, or Space Force.
• Already possess at least a Final Secret security clearance.

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) brings world‑class expertise to our nation’s most critical defense, security, space and science challenges. While we are dedicated to solving complex challenges and pioneering new technologies, what makes us truly outstanding is our culture. We offer a vibrant,…