2027 PhD Graduate - Reliability Engineer System Realization and Resilience Group

About the Role

Join the Reliability and Sustainment Engineering Team in the System Realization and Resilience Group (KBR) within the Force Projection Sector. Our team enables the realization of strategic systems, ensuring resilience and specialty disciplines are integrated throughout system development, and supports 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 a member of our team, you will provide subject matter expertise to inform reliability strategies, methodologies, and assessments of existing and future strategic weapons systems. You will contribute to multidisciplinary teams solving some of the nation’s highest-priority security challenges.

Responsibilities

• Provide reliability engineering expertise and thought leadership for strategic deterrence programs.
• Participate in projects, studies, and technical working groups focusing on requirements development, analysis, concept/technology development, acquisition, risk assessments, test planning, and system evaluation.
• Develop reliability methodologies and analyses to assess the performance and capabilities of strategic deterrence weapon systems.
• Deliver formal presentations to sponsors and contractors, communicating proposed concepts, solutions, and analysis results.
• Produce reports integrating concept definitions, requirements, analysis results, and technical recommendations.
• Identify risk areas for project and program leaders, recommending cost- and schedule-effective mitigation strategies.

Qualifications

• PhD, or PhD to be awarded soon, in Engineering, mathematics, physics, or a related technical field.
• Academic or relevant experience performing Reliability, Availability, and Maintainability (RAM) engineering in the design, development, or evaluation of critical systems.
• Experience crafting and applying reliability approaches (e.g., FMEA, FMECA, Reliability Block Diagrams, Fault Tree Analysis, Probabilistic Risk Assessment) to quantify risk and inform program decisions.
• Knowledge in developing and allocating RAM requirements based on mission needs and end-user Concept of Operations.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, as well as critical thinking abilities.
• Ability to interact effectively with and lead multidisciplinary teams.
• Willingness and ability to travel periodically, including short-duration visits to sponsor and stakeholder sites.
• Active Secret security clearance and ability to obtain a Top Secret clearance; U.S. citizenship required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience applying reliability engineering for Navy and/or Air Force strategic weapon systems.
• Understanding of Department of War (DoW) acquisition lifecycle for supporting RAM activities.
• Familiarity with reliability and statistical engineering software tools such as Reliasoft, Windchill, Saphire, MADe, JMP, R, or SAS.
• Experience developing reliability tools and analysis through code development (R, Matlab, Python, SAS, etc.).
• Experience applying Bayesian techniques to data analysis for prediction, planning, and evaluation.
• Experience with Software Reliability analysis and implementation of best practices for highly reliable and available code.
• Familiarity with systems engineering software, especially model-based systems engineering tools like CAMEO and DOORS.
• Active Top Secret security clearance.

About Us

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) brings world-class expertise to critical defense, security, space, and science challenges. We foster a vibrant, welcoming atmosphere where creativity and bold ideas thrive. 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.

Pay

Minimum Rate: $105,000 Annually

Maximum Rate: $245,000 Annually

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits package, including retirement plans and paid time off.
• Medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and disability coverage.
• Flexible spending accounts.
• Education assistance and training/development opportunities.
• Potential for bonuses, sign-on bonuses, relocation benefits, locality allowance, or discretionary payments for exceptional performance.