You think in kill chains. You know that a high-fidelity trajectory model is only useful if it feeds realistic observables into the sensor sim, which feeds track data into the fusion layer, which informs the battle management decision. You have worked across that stack, and you know where the seams are.
At Ansys Government Initiatives, you will work on air and missile defense simulations that shape how the DoD evaluates threats, tests algorithms, and trains AI systems. The work is technical, the stakes are real, and the team expects you to lead.
What You'll Be Doing
Build high-fidelity models of threat trajectories, including staging events, flight dynamics, and multi-spectral signature behaviors across RF, IR, and other sensor-observable spectra
Develop and integrate radar phenomenology models that represent how different radar bands and sensor architectures detect, track, and characterize targets in realistic engagement scenarios
Support the creation of synthetic datasets for AI/ML training, including target-present and target-absent scenarios designed to reduce algorithmic bias and improve model robustness
Collaborate with signature characterization experts, sensor engineers, and government stakeholders to ensure simulation fidelity aligns with operational requirements and physics-based constraints
Implement sensing system models within frameworks like STK and AFSIM, representing track fusion, discrimination logic, and custody management across the missile defense kill chain
Provide technical leadership on modeling requirements, simulation architecture, and fidelity tradeoffs for emerging programs involving generative simulation and AI-enabled battle management
Integrate threat modeling and sensor simulations into larger analysis and experimentation environments used by DoD customers for system development and algorithm evaluation
The Impact You Will Have
Your models will directly inform how the DoD evaluates next-generation air and missile defense systems, shaping acquisition decisions and operational concepts
The synthetic datasets you generate will train AI/ML systems used for real-time threat discrimination, sensor fusion, and battle management decision support
Your expertise in radar phenomenology and signature modeling will ensure that simulations reflect the actual physics of sensing, not oversimplified assumptions that break under scrutiny
The simulation environments you build will enable government customers to test algorithms, evaluate system performance, and conduct mission-level analysis without relying solely on live flight tests
Your technical leadership will set the standard for fidelity and rigor across AGI's missile defense modeling efforts, influencing how the team approaches complex multi-domain problems
The frameworks you implement will support rapid experimentation and iteration, accelerating the development cycle for AI-enabled defense systems
Your work will contribute to the national security mission by providing trusted modeling and simulation capabilities that support critical defense programs
What You'll Need
Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Physics, Computer Science, or related field with 12+ years of professional experience, or Master's with 10+ years, or PhD with 7+ years
US citizen required with an active DoD TS/SCI clearance
Deep domain knowledge in air and missile defense systems, including sensor architectures, threat trajectories, and multi-spectral signature modeling
Demonstrated experience modeling radar phenomenology and RF sensing systems, including understanding of radar bands, target detection, and sensor-observable behaviors
Hands-on experience with missile flight dynamics, staging events, and how trajectory behaviors impact sensor observables across the engagement timeline
Proficiency in MATLAB or Python for building models, scripting interfaces, and integrating with DoD systems and simulation frameworks
Experience with Systems Tool Kit (STK) and Advanced Framework for Simulation, Integration and Modeling (AFSIM) is a strong plus, as is familiarity with track fusion, discrimination algorithms, and battle management concepts
Who You Are
You can explain a complex radar phenomenology tradeoff to a government program manager in two sentences without losing the technical nuance, and then turn around and debug a MATLAB script with a junior engineer
You have worked with real-world radar or EO/IR data, not just textbook examples, and you know the difference between a model that validates against measured data and one that just looks plausible
You are comfortable operating in ambiguity, building models when requirements are still being defined, and documenting your assumptions so others can build on your work
You push back when a simulation requirement does not align with the physics or when a dataset generation plan will introduce bias that breaks the AI model downstream
You manage multiple technical efforts simultaneously, keeping stakeholders aligned, timelines on track, and deliverables moving without sacrificing technical rigor
You bring a point of view on what good modeling looks like, and you are not afraid to advocate for the right approach even when it is harder or takes longer
The Team You'll Be Part Of
You will join the Ansys Customer Excellence team within Ansys Government Initiatives, a group focused on advanced modeling and simulation for aerospace and defense customers. The team works closely with DoD laboratories, government organizations, and defense research facilities on air and missile defense programs. You will collaborate with subject matter experts in signature characterization, sensor phenomenology, and threat modeling, and you will work across multiple technical domains including physics-based modeling, sensing systems, and algorithm development. The Huntsville, AL location puts you in the heart of the missile defense community, with direct access to government customers and operational stakeholders.
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