Senior Nuclear Surety Systems Engineer

Description

Are you interested in applying technical leadership, innovation, system engineering skills, and specialty nuclear surety expertise toward the difficult critical challenges of ensuring the safety and security of this nation's most critical defense systems?


Are you eager to apply strategy and innovative engineering approaches to transform how the DoD evaluates and analyzes modern nuclear surety design?

Would you like to help strategic weapon system programs ensure compliance with the DoD's nuclear certification process that is crucial to ensuring the safety, security, and effectiveness of nuclear weapons and their systems, which are integral to national security?

If so, we are looking for someone like you to serve as the Senior Nuclear Surety Systems Engineer within the System Realization and Resilience Group (KBR) of the Force Projection Sector. Our team is responsible for enabling the realization of strategic systems, ensuring resilience and specialty disciplines are integrated throughout system development, and supporting credible verification of strategic weapon systems. We lead efforts in systems engineering, system security engineering, test and integration, digital engineering, nuclear command and control, and reliability engineering.

As the Senior Nuclear Surety Systems Engineer, you will...

• Serve as the Lab's focal point and thought leader for nuclear surety engineering with emphasis on leveraging and implementing systems engineering principles to enhance strategic systems nuclear surety design and modifications.
• Develop and implement systems engineering processes to ensure compliance with nuclear surety standards.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to review, analyze, and validate systems to ensure they meet nuclear surety requirements.
• Review nuclear surety requirements in support of Navy Technical Objectives Guidelines (TOG) and Air Force Weapon System Specification (WSS), recommend improvements, and apply system engineering best practices for requirement trace and validation.
• Provide technical guidance on nuclear weapon system (NWS) safety to DoD sponsors.
• Perform independent evaluation and safety assessments to influence design improvement consistent with government requirements.
• Review strategic weapon system certification processes and activities to ensure objective quality evidence and artifacts required for safety, security, control, and reliability certifications are identified, defined, understood, and accessible to sponsors.
• Develop nuclear surety risk assessment methodologies, models, and probabilities of occurrence for nuclear weapon mishap scenarios and assess mitigating factors.
• Conduct risk assessments and develop mitigation strategies to ensure the safety and security of nuclear systems.
• Analyze vulnerabilities and security risks, to include support to authorized special read-in programs (e.g., Unauthorized Launch Analysis (ULA)).
• Prepare technical products, reports, and deliverables to sponsors and stakeholders.

Qualifications

You meet our minimum qualifications for the job if you...

• A Bachelor's degree in engineering, physics, computer science, or a related technical discipline.
• At least 4 years of relevant experience analyzing, evaluating, or ensuring the safety and nuclear surety of strategic weapon systems and/or related facilities.
• Knowledge of nuclear surety principles, standards, and regulations.
• Working knowledge of NWS safety design principles, NWS security, and use control (electronic and mechanical features that prevent unauthorized use and allow authorized use; includes PAL, CDS, APS).
• Excellent interpersonal skills, written and oral communications skills, and organizational skills, with a record of accomplishment in a team environment.
• Are willing and able to travel occasionally to support meetings with the government, design agents and other contractors at their locations, including travel to operational sites.
• Hold an active Secret security clearance and can ultimately obtain Top 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 have...

• A Master's degree or higher in a relevant engineering or technical discipline.
• Experience with DoD nuclear surety, certification, and safety requirements across the full systems engineering lifecycle for Nuclear Weapon Systems (NWS).
• Familiarity with USAF and Navy nuclear certification processes and artifacts (e.g., MNCL, SWOP 20-25), including support to NWSSG activities such as OSRs and safety studies.
• Prior support to strategic deterrence programs and associated weapon maintenance, storage facilities, or Strategic Systems Programs.
• Proficiency with systems engineering tools and safety/security analysis methods, along with a strong understanding of NWS safety, security, use control, and applicable cybersecurity principles.

About Us

Why Work at APL?

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, welcoming atmosphere where you can bring your authentic self to work, continue to grow, and build strong connections with inspiring teammates.

At APL, we celebrate our differences of perspectives and encourage creativity and bold, new ideas. Our employees enjoy generous benefits, including a robust education assistance program, unparalleled retirement contributions, and a healthy work/life balance. APL's campus is located in the Baltimore-Washington metro area. Learn more about our career opportunities at

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, creed, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, occupation, marital or familial status, political opinion, personal appearance, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. APL is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals of all abilities, including those with disabilities. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in any part of the hiring process, please contact View email address on click.appcast.io.

The referenced pay range is based on JHU APL's good faith belief at the time of posting. Actual compensation may vary based on factors such as geographic location, work experience, market conditions, education/training and skill level with consideration for internal parity. For salaried employees scheduled to work less than 40 hours per week, annual salary will be prorated based on the number of hours worked. APL may offer bonuses or other forms of compensation per internal policy and/or contractual designation. Additional compensation may be provided in the form of a sign-on bonus, relocation benefits, locality allowance or discretionary payments for exceptional performance. APL provides eligible staff with a comprehensive benefits package including retirement plans, paid time off, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, flexible spending accounts, education assistance, and training and development. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.


Minimum Rate

$100,000 Annually


Maximum Rate

$245,000 Annually