Principal Application Engineer - Missile Defense

Synopsys Inc is a leader in technology driving innovations in chip design and software content. They are seeking a Principal Application Engineer to develop high-fidelity simulations for air and missile defense systems, leveraging expertise in missile defense and sensor phenomenology.

Responsibilities:

• 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

Requirements:

• 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