Modeling and Simulation Engineer

Modeling and Simulation Engineer
Energetics Technology Center (ETC)
Location: 4445 Indian Head Highway, Indian Head, MD 20640

The Energetics Technology Center (ETC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit research and engineering organization founded in 2006 and headquartered in Indian Head, Maryland. ETC works with government, industry, and academia to develop, mature, test, and transition technologies that address critical defense needs. Its work spans energetic materials, warheads and fuzing, propulsion, modeling and simulation, data and digital engineering, test and evaluation, manufacturing modernization and automation, industrial-base support, and technology transition.

ETC is seeking a full-time Modeling and Simulation Engineer to support warhead development, lethality assessment, and weapon-performance analysis for Department of War customers. This role develops physics-based models of shock, energetic-material response, fragmentation, and terminal effects, then uses experimental evidence to improve predictions and inform technical decisions.

The engineer works with test, materials, and warhead teams to define analysis objectives, plan experiments, evaluate design tradeoffs, and reconcile simulations with measured performance. The work calls for sound engineering judgment, clear documentation of assumptions and uncertainty, and the ability to turn complex analysis into actionable findings for government and ETC engineers.

This is a full-time hybrid position based at ETC's Indian Head office and customer facilities. Work at laboratory and field-test locations may be required. Occasional travel and work outside normal business hours may be necessary to support test events and technical reviews, and limited remote flexibility may be available based on program and customer requirements.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop, execute, and interpret CTH, EPIC, or comparable physics-based simulations of warheads, weapons, materials, and target response.
• Analyze blast, fragmentation, penetration, ballistic and structural response, and other weapon-performance phenomena using appropriate models and first-principles calculations.
• Develop and apply Hugoniot relationships, equations of state, constitutive models, and energetic-material burn-rate models.
• Translate program questions and performance requirements into modeling approaches, simulation matrices, test objectives, and measurable criteria.
• Plan and support gas-gun, ballistics, fragmentation, and related experiments to characterize materials and validate model predictions.
• Use test data to calibrate and validate models; quantify sensitivity and uncertainty and document assumptions, limitations, and configuration changes.
• Compare predicted and measured results, investigate discrepancies, and recommend design changes or follow-on tests based on the evidence.
• Support test and evaluation from early test design and instrumentation planning through post-test data reduction and analysis.
• Prepare quick-look assessments, technical reports, visualizations, model documentation, and briefings that clearly explain methods and findings.
• Coordinate with test engineers, materials specialists, warhead engineers, and government technical teams to resolve analysis needs and inform design decisions.

Required Education: Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Physics, Applied Mathematics, Computational Science, or a closely related technical field. A master's degree or doctorate in a relevant discipline is preferred.

Experience Level: Minimum of 7 years of relevant modeling and simulation experience in warheads, weapons, terminal ballistics, shock physics, energetic materials, or related applications.

Required Skills and Qualifications:

• U.S. citizenship and current possession of, or eligibility to obtain and maintain, a U.S. Secret security clearance.
• Demonstrated experience with CTH, EPIC, or comparable hydrocode or finite-element tools for high-rate dynamic analysis.
• Working knowledge of shock physics, Hugoniot relationships, equations of state, material response, or energetic-material burn-rate modeling.
• Experience planning, interpreting, or analyzing gas-gun, ballistics, fragmentation, blast, penetration, or related weapon-effects tests.
• Ability to build, calibrate, validate, and document models against experimental data, including uncertainty and model limitations.
• Experience with scientific computing, analysis, scripting, and visualization tools such as Python, MATLAB, or equivalent platforms.
• Strong technical writing and communication skills and the ability to explain results and tradeoffs to technical and program audiences.

Desired Skills and Qualifications:

• Experience supporting Department of War weapon-development, energetics, or test programs.
• Experience linking model results to design decisions, test planning, and performance assessment across a development cycle.
• Experience with additional multiphysics or structural simulation tools and first-principles lethality calculations.

What We Offer: Hands-on modeling and simulation work supporting defense R&D and test programs, along with flexible work schedules, generous paid time off and holidays, employer-paid medical, dental, and vision options, tuition assistance, life and disability coverage, and a 401(k) plan with an immediate Safe Harbor employer match.

Compensation: Compensation at ETC is determined by various factors, including but not limited to, the combination of education, certifications, knowledge, skills, competencies, experience, internal and external equity, location, clearance level, as well as contract-specific affordability, and applicable employment laws. The estimated salary range for this position is based on full time status.

Estimated Salary Range
USD $91,000.00 - USD $196,000.00 /Yr