2026 Graduate - Engineer/Researcher - Cyber Warfare Systems

Description
Do you want to apply your skills to real world problems and gain experience with cyber operations?

Are you intellectually curious, seeking to understand and find loopholes in systems and processes?

Do you love to always be building something new?

Are you passionate about cybersecurity, national security, and public service?

If these questions resonate with you, you may be a phenomenal fit for the Cyber Warfare Systems Group (QCR)

QCR team members apply their skills to offensive cyber operations and non-kinetic mission defeat. We are passionate about providing eye-watering cyber capabilities that will change modern warfare. We are a team built around trust, clarity, growth, and mission impact. Our primary focus is on supporting the U.S. military's efforts to execute cyber missions at scale in support of joint operations. We do this by helping the nation execute complex and challenging cyber operations, and then by augmenting our experience with systems engineering principles. Our research areas include analysis & targeting, cyber layer modeling, cybersecurity, and human systems modeling.

As a member of our team...
Role
Your primary responsibility will be providing technical support to projects related to cyber operations. Depending on your role and areas of expertise, this may include:

• Designing, developing, and fielding capabilities in support of cyber operations missions
• Partnering with teams of government and/or contractor staff as they develop & deploy capabilities
• Conducting research and analysis that supports capability development
• Conducting analysis of novel publicly available data sources, mission vulnerability assessments, and/or cyber mission management

Qualifications
You meet our minimum qualifications for consideration if you:

• Are graduating with or have recently completed a Bachelor's or Master's degree in: Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Software Engineering, Mathematics, Cybersecurity, or a related field. Other degrees, such as Intelligence Studies, International Relations, Behavioral Psychology, and foreign language may be considered with demonstrated interest, experience, and technical skills applicable to QCR's work.
• Have classroom or professional experience working closely in skills including, but not limited to: networking, penetration testing, reverse engineering, open-source intelligence, data science, agentic systems, modeling and simulation, cyber threat intelligence, AI/ML, or similar technical fields.
• Enjoy creating and building (and the follow-through to finish) projects that pose a challenge
• Have a passion for applying analytical and technical expertise to develop innovative solutions by prototyping
• Can effectively communicate information, concepts or ideas to technical and non-technical audiences
• Are able to acquire Interim Top Secret level security clearance by your start date and can ultimately acquire Top Secret with SCI 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 demonstrated leadership of small or large teams to achieve excellence. Even if you don't intend to be a leader at first, we find that leaders make great teammates.
• Have built projects using LLM-based agents to automate complex tasks, and understand the risks and benefits of operationalizing AI in mission-critical applications.
• Understand Department of Defense operations, or DoD processes like acquisition, sustainment, risk management, or test and evaluation.
• Have proficiency in defense-critical foreign languages.

About Us
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 of perspectives 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

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 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

The referenced pay range is based on JHU APL's good faith belief at the time of posting. Actual compensation may vary based on factors such as geographic location, work experience, market conditions, education/training and skill level with consideration for internal parity. For salaried employees scheduled to work less than 40 hours per week, annual salary will be prorated based on the number of hours worked. APL may offer bonuses or other forms of compensation per internal policy and/or contractual designation. Additional compensation may be provided in the form of a sign-on bonus, relocation benefits, locality allowance or discretionary payments for exceptional performance. APL provides eligible staff with a comprehensive benefits package including retirement plans, paid time off, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, flexible spending accounts, education assistance, and training and development. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

Minimum Rate

$85,000 Annually

Maximum Rate

$155,000 Annually