Principal Application Engineer - Missile Defense

Principal Application Engineer - Missile Defense

This position is a remote role; however, the successful candidate must be based in either the Huntsville, AL, or Colorado Springs, CO area.

At Synopsys, we drive the innovations that shape the way we live and connect. Our technology is central to the Era of Pervasive Intelligence, from self-driving cars to learning machines. We lead in chip design, verification, and IP integration, empowering the creation of high-performance silicon chips and software content. Join us to transform the future through continuous technological innovation.

Ansys Government Initiatives (AGI) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Synopsys, focused on advancing digital modeling and simulation for critical aerospace and defense applications. Our Ansys Customer Excellence (ACE) team collaborates with industry leaders and government agencies to model real-world systems and deliver state-of-the-art solutions for multi-domain, missile defense, sensor simulation, and AI/ML-driven analysis.

You are a highly experienced engineering professional with a passion for advancing technology in aerospace and defense. Your expertise spans missile defense, sensor phenomenology, and signature modeling, allowing you to bridge the gap between physics-based simulations and real-world operational needs. You thrive in environments where complex systems require innovative thinking and technical rigor, and you are eager to make a meaningful impact on national security and defense initiatives.

Your deep domain knowledge enables you to integrate multi-domain sensing systems and radar phenomenology into simulation frameworks, supporting next-generation analysis and simulation. You possess a strong background in modeling threat trajectories, sensing environments and phenomenology, and generating datasets for AI/ML training. Your technical leadership and collaborative spirit empower you to work alongside subject matter experts, government partners, and industry stakeholders, ensuring the highest standards of simulation fidelity and accuracy.

With an active DoD TS/SCI clearance, you are ready to tackle sensitive and challenging projects. Your self-motivation, organizational skills, and ability to multitask equip you to excel in a fast-paced, timeline-driven environment. You are fluent in technical communication, adept at problem-solving, and driven to succeed in contributing to the aerospace and defense community.

What You'll Be Doing:

• Develop high-fidelity modeling and simulation environments for air and missile defense systems.
• Model threat trajectories and associated signature behaviors across multiple sensing modalities, including RF, IR, and other relevant spectra.
• Develop and integrate signature simulation capabilities to represent realistic missile launch, staging events, and associated sensor-observable phenomena.
• Apply expertise in radar phenomenology and RF sensing systems, including understanding how different radar bands and sensor architectures observe and interpret target behavior.
• Simulate complex sensor observations for threat detection, tracking, discrimination, and battle management decision support.
• Implement and utilize advanced modeling frameworks to represent sensing systems, track fusion, and custody management functions across the missile defense kill chain.
• Contribute to the design and generation of synthetic data environments for training AI/ML systems used in sensor interpretation, target discrimination, and data fusion
• Develop robust training datasets covering target-present and target-absent scenarios to mitigate algorithmic bias.
• Collaborate with experts in signature characterization, sensor phenomenology, and threat modeling to ensure simulation fidelity and technical accuracy.
• Support integration of modeling and sensing simulations into larger operational and analysis frameworks.
• Provide technical leadership in missile defense sensing, signature modeling, and simulation fidelity.
• Assist in defining modeling requirements and technical approaches for emerging programs involving generative simulation of sensing systems.

The Impact You Will Have:

• Advance the development of next-generation air and missile defense systems through high-fidelity simulations.
• Enhance the realism and accuracy of threat modeling, supporting critical defense analysis and simulation.
• Drive innovation in sensor simulation and data generation for AI/ML applications in defense environments.
• Improve operational effectiveness by enabling robust detection, tracking, and discrimination capabilities.
• Support national security initiatives through technical leadership and expertise in missile defense architectures.
• Foster collaboration across government, industry, and research partners to deliver impactful solutions.
• Mitigate algorithmic bias and improve machine learning model performance with comprehensive synthetic datasets.
• Contribute to the integration of advanced simulation tools into broader operational frameworks, enhancing overall system capabilities.

What You'll Need:

• BS degree in Engineering, Physics, Computer Science, or related field (Minimum Requirements -BS+10, MS+8years of experience, Preferred Requirements-BS+12, MS+10, or PhD+7years of experience).
• Proficiency in MATLAB or Python scripting for modeling and interfacing with DoD systems.
• Extensive experience in air and missile defense systems and related sensor architectures.
• Deep understanding of sensor phenomenology and signature modeling, including RF and IR signatures.
• Experience with real-world radar or EO/IR systems and data, to include threat systems.
• Experience modeling radar sensing environments, including knowledge of radar bands (e.g., X-band) and their implications for target detection and characterization
• Experience with Systems Tool Kit (STK) and Advanced Framework for Simulation, Integration and Modeling (AFSIM).
• Familiarity with track fusion, discrimination algorithms, and battle management concepts within missile defense architectures.
• Experience generating synthetic datasets for AI/ML training.
• Understanding of machine learning data preparation and bias mitigation for sensor and target recognition applications.
• Understanding of missile flight dynamics, including staging events and trajectory behaviors that impact sensor observables.
• This position requires an active government security clearance, TS/SCI. You must be a U.S. Citizen for consideration.

Who You Are:

• Logical problem-solver with strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Fluent in writing and speaking English.
• Organized, with effective time management and a sense of urgency.
• Professional image and business acumen; driven to succeed.
• Self-motivated, able to multitask and thrive in timeline-driven environments.
• Collaborative, able to work with other departments, customers, and industry partners.
• Willing to travel domestically up to 25% of the time.

The Team You'll Be A Part Of:

You will join the Ansys Customer Excellence (ACE) team, a group of passionate engineers and technical experts dedicated to advancing simulation, modeling, and analysis for the aerospace and defense sector. The team collaborates closely with government agencies, laboratories, and industry partners to deliver innovative solutions that shape the future of air and missile defense. Together, we strive for technical excellence, operational impact, and continuous improvement in digital engineering capabilities.

Rewards and Benefits:

We offer a comprehensive range of health, wellness, and financial benefits to cater to your needs. Our total rewards include both monetary and non-monetary offerings. Your recruiter will provide more details about the salary range and benefits during the hiring process.

At Synopsys, we want talented people of every background to feel valued and supported to do their best work. Synopsys considers all applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, military veteran status, or disability.