Job Description

Are you searching for challenging mechanical engineering and design work?
Do you have experience with designing, integrating and flight testing uncrewed aerial vehicles?
Do you thrive in collaborative environments where you take part in turning your conceptual designs into reality?
If so, we are looking for someone like you to join our team at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab.

You will be joining a team of dedicated engineers developing systems for our nation’s warfighters. We are seeking an Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Robotics Engineer to help conceive, design/model, fabricate, integrate and test a variety of UAV systems and payloads.

As an Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle Robotics Engineer, your primary responsibilities will include…

• Leading hands-on mechanical engineering projects with a diverse team of engineers and technicians.
• Designing mechanical systems using Computer Aided Design (CAD) and other modeling/design tools as needed (i.e., Solidworks, Creo Parametric, ANSYS).
• Serving as one of the UAV subject matter experts for a research laboratory.
• Analyzing and testing complex mechanical systems.
• Fabricating, assembling and integrating hardware onto experimental and prototype UAV systems for test and evaluation.
• Working with a team to conduct both local and remote field testing of UAV systems.
• Developing test plans, conducting tests and preparing technical documentation of test results.
• Preparing for and conducting periodic design reviews, as well as technical reports and other briefing materials, for presentation to all levels of staff and Government agencies.
• Working closely with APL electrical engineers, systems engineers, software engineers, fabrication shops and external vendors to ensure project requirements and deadlines are met.

You will meet our minimum qualification for the job if you…

• Have a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aeronautical/Aerospace Engineering, Robotics or related field.
• Have 5 or more years of relevant experience designing, fabricating, integrating, testing and/or operating UAV airframes.
• Have experience with CAD (i.e., SolidWorks, CREO) and an understanding of how to design components for various manufacturing processes.
• Have demonstrated initiative and ability to multi-task in a fast-paced work environment with tight delivery schedules on diverse systems that operate on land, sea, or air. 
• Are able to work both independently and in groups to meet deadlines and deliver results.
• Are willing to support both local and remote field testing 5-10% of the time.
• Are able to quickly learn and develop new skills to support novel engineering efforts.
• Have experience with taking a system through the life-cycle process, from concept design to system delivery. 
• Are able to effectively communicate both orally and in writing with other engineers, scientists, and technicians as a member of a multidisciplinary team.
• Are able to obtain an Interim Secret level security clearance by your start date and can ultimately obtain a 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 MS or PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Aeronautical/Aerospace Engineering, Robotics or related field.
• A current FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate and are experienced with manually piloting fixed wing, helicopter, multirotor or VTOL UAVs.
• Five or more years of experience designing, modeling, and integrating fixed wing, helicopter, multirotor or VTOL UAV airframes. 
• Experience with integrating, tuning and operating open-source UAV autopilot firmware (i.e., ArduPilot, PX4, iNav, Betaflight) or other open-source UAV firmware.
• Experience with small UAV electronics and sensors (flight controllers, ESCs, IMUs, GPS receivers, EO/IR cameras, etc.).
• Experience with stress or thermal analysis using finite element software packages (i.e., ANSYS, COMSOL) or physics-based computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software.
• Experience with MATLAB, Python, C++, ROS or related software packages. 
• Experience with rapid prototyping and manufacturing of experimental prototype systems.
• An active secret security 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 http://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.

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