Do you love to push the bounds of science and technology while solving some of the most ambitious problems facing our Nation?

Are you a creative and inventive researcher looking to defend and/or attack constrained/specialized systems supporting military and space missions?

If you are graduating with a PhD in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Math, Physics, or related fields, and want to contribute to important national security missions, we'd love to have you join our team!

We are seeking dedicated individuals to perform purposeful research into cyber resilience of military platforms/systems and spacecraft, supporting state-of-the-art offensive and defensive capability development. Our team works collaboratively with industry, academia, and government to study, design, develop, implement, and test cyber capabilities applied to air, space, afloat, ground, and undersea military and/or tactical platforms and systems.

As a member of our team...

• You will enhance the architecture and design of ships, subs, aircraft, spacecraft, autonomous military systems, and weapons to enhance resilience to cyber attack in the presence of an adverse cyber environment.
• You will join forces with team members in the analysis and reverse engineering of systems to identify and understand security vulnerabilities and their impact on missions.
• You will innovate solutions to bring defend-forward, offensive cyber, and threat hunting concepts and capabilities to constrained military/space systems and operations.
• You can use internal funding opportunities to craft the direction of future research.
• You will circulate knowledge by articulating ideas clearly through papers and presentations to technical staff, management, and government decision makers.

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

• Have a PhD in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, or a related technical area.
• Understand cyber issues affecting operational technology (OT) like ICS/SCADA systems or real-time and highly constrained aircraft, ships, ground vehicles, submarines, spacecraft, including RTOS, embedded, RF/communications, weapons, autonomous systems, serial bus specifications, and operational mission/domain-specific applications.
• Demonstrate strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work independently and on a team.
• Are able to acquire an Interim Secret level security clearance by your start date and can ultimately acquire a 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 experience designing solutions that inhibit or mitigate operational impact from cyber attack given constraints of funding, operations, performance and/or organization.
• Have experience applying data science, mathematical modeling, and/or machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) techniques to solve cyber problems.
• Have offensive security experience engineering solutions that establish cyber accesses and/or deliver effects impacting system operations.
• Have research or internship experience in embedded development, reverse engineering, or offensive security/penetration testing.
• Have had prior interactions with the DoD and IC communities.
• Hold an active DoD Top Secret or TS/SCI Clearance.

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 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 www.jhuapl.edu/careers.

APL is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. 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 promoting an innovative environment that embraces diversity, encourages creativity, and supports inclusion of new ideas. In doing so, we are 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 Accommodations@jhuapl.edu. Only by ensuring that everyone's voice is heard are we empowered to be bold, do great things, and make the world a better place.