
Principal Modeling & Simulation Engineer
Reston, VAFull-time$157–182K/yrSeen todaySeen in employer's feed today
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Job overview
The Principal Modeling & Simulation Engineer will join a multidisciplinary team conducting modeling, simulation, and analysis of emerging concepts for combatant commands and Department of War stakeholders. The role supports mission engineering, operational planning, kill chain and kill web analyses, and simulation and software development across analytic and software lifecycles. The engineer will work with military subject matter experts and stakeholders to develop models, experiments, and analyses.
Skills & qualifications
Skills
Qualifications
Benefits
Full job description
Title:
Principal Modeling & Simulation Engineer
At KBR, we deliver science, technology and engineering solutions to governments and companies around the world. KBR employs approximately 37,000 people worldwide with customers in more than 85 countries and operations in over 28 countries. KBR is proud to work with its customers across the globe to provide technology, value-added services, and long-term operations and maintenance services to ensure consistent delivery with predictable results.
Trinzic is the future independent company to be created through the planned spin-off of KBR's Mission Technology Solutions business, expected in January 2027. Our people work at the frontier of what is possible, delivering solutions in challenging environments and advancing some of the world's highest-priority national security and space missions.
Backed by decades of mission success, deep expertise, and trusted partnerships, Trinzic will launch as a global organization with more than 18,000 employees supporting customers around the world. Join us at a defining moment and help shape the future of a company built to tackle complex challenges and make a meaningful impact.
Candidates who join KBR's Mission Technology Solutions business before the spin-off will transition to Trinzic when the separation is complete and will not need to reapply for employment.
Key Responsibilities:
KBR is seeking a Principal Modeling & Simulation Engineer to join a dynamic, high-performing, multi-disciplinary team consisting of operational military and intelligence subject matter experts (SMEs), operations research analysts, modelers, and software engineers who conduct modeling, simulation, and analysis (MS&A) of emerging concepts using advanced MS&A techniques and tools. This team employs mission engineering, Joint operational planning, and emerging operational concepts to conduct kill chain and kill web analyses in support of combatant commands and Echelon 1 Department of War stakeholders. The selected candidate will:
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Work independently on complex modeling and simulation tasks with minimal oversight.
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Be able to think creatively and offer grounded, out-of-the-box solutions when appropriate.
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Be comfortable working in a dynamic environment and with making or supporting decisions under uncertainty.
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Support modeling, simulation, and software development efforts across the full analytic and software development lifecycles.
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Support the analytic team lead in the execution of study plans.
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Collaborate with military subject matter experts and other stakeholders to characterize architectures and concepts under study in the simulation environment.
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Contribute to the development of modeling approaches, experiment designs, and analytic methods.
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Instantiate combat system, platform, and behavior models in the simulation environment.
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Instantiate kill chains, battle management command and control relationships, and other scenario-specific mission and operational factors in the simulation environment.
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Support the development and instantiation of an experiment design in the simulation environment.
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Provide technical guidance to less experienced engineers and analysts when required.
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Contribute to the creation of quality deliverables and reports and quality control thereof.
Work Environment:
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Location: On-site
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Travel Requirements: Minimal 0-20%
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Working Hours: Standard
Qualifications:
Required:
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Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, Operations Research, or other STEM field, plus 8 years of relevant experience
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5+ years of demonstrated proficiency developing and employing mission-level models within AFSIM or comparable simulation environments
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Proven ability to translate models, behaviors, and other implementation concepts between disparate simulation frameworks.
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Proficiency in C++, Python, or other programming language
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Active Top-Secret clearance with Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) and Special Access Program (SAP) eligibility
Desired:
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Master’s Degree in Computer Science, Operations Research, or other STEM field, with 10 years of relevant experience
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6+ years of demonstrated proficiency developing and employing mission-level models within AFSIM or comparable simulation environments
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Proficiency in model-based systems engineering tools such as CAMEO
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Proficiency in SysML
Scheduled Weekly Hours: 40hrs
Basic Compensation: The offered rate will be based on the selected candidate’s knowledge, skills, abilities and/or experience and in consideration of internal parity.
Compensation range for Virginia is $157,000 to $182,000.
Additional Compensation:
KBR may offer bonuses, commissions, or other forms of compensation to certain job titles or levels, per internal policy or contractual designation. Additional compensation may be in the form of sign on bonus, relocation benefits, short- and long-term incentives, or discretionary payments for exceptional performance.
Ready to Make a Difference?
If you’re excited about making a significant impact in the field of defense and national security and working on projects that matter, we encourage you to apply and join our team at KBR. Let's shape the future together.
KBR Benefits
KBR offers a selection of competitive lifestyle benefits which include 401K plan with company match, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, AD&D, flexible spending account, disability, paid time off, or flexible work schedule. We support career advancement through professional training and development.
Belong, Connect and Grow at KBRAt KBR, we are passionate about our people and our Zero Harm culture. These inform all that we do and are at the heart of our commitment to, and ongoing journey toward being a People First company. That commitment is central to our team of team’s philosophy and fosters an environment where everyone can Belong, Connect and Grow. We Deliver – Together.
KBR is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, veteran status, genetic information, union status and/or beliefs, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.
How this job compares
Set against the 11,497 open Systems Engineer jobs on Olive Jobs, counted November 5, 2026.
- Pay
- This posting$157–182K/yr
- Virginia median$120–184K/yr820 salary ranges
- US median$116–190K/yr8,430 salary ranges
This range's midpoint, $170K, is 12% above the Virginia median midpoint ($152K) — in the middle half of Systems Engineer salary ranges in Virginia.
- Openings
- Olive Jobs lists 1,039 open Systems Engineer jobs in Virginia and 11,497 across the US. 5% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
- Experience
- This posting asks for at least 8 years of experience; Systems Engineer postings that state a minimum ask for 5 years at the median (9,601 postings).
- Education
- This posting asks for a bachelor's degree; 4,536 of the 11,497 open Systems Engineer jobs (39%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.
Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on November 5, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.
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