Director Explosive Engineer Jobs in Virginia (NOW HIRING)

Responsibilities
**This position is for upcoming work and is contingent upon task award/funding.
** This will be an onsite position at Fort Belvoir, VA.
We are seeking a highly experienced Senior Chemist or Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) professional to support critical mission areas within the Advanced Energetics and Effects domain. This role requires deep technical expertise in explosives science, weapons systems, and energetic materials, combined with operational experience in special operations environments. The position encompasses new conventional weapons development, additive manufacturing and weapons enhancements, and advanced energetics/non-energetic materials research and application.
Key Responsibilities

• Explosives Formulation - Develop, evaluate, and optimize explosive compositions for specialized applications
• Additive Manufacturing of Warheads/Explosives - Leverage advanced manufacturing techniques to design and produce novel warhead geometries and explosive configurations
• Weapons Design - Contribute to the design and development of conventional weapons systems with enhanced performance characteristics
• Blast Door Response & Equipment Fragility - Assess and model blast effects on protective structures and sensitive equipment; inform survivability and vulnerability analyses
• Niche Energetics - Research and develop specialized energetic materials for unique operational requirements
• Kinetic and Non-Kinetic Effects - Analyze, model, and optimize both kinetic (explosive, fragmentation, penetration) and non-kinetic (electronic, directed energy, cyber-physical) effects for mission success

Required Qualifications

• Master's degree or higher in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or a closely related field; OR equivalent combination of education and extensive EOD/energetics experience
• Active SOF background with demonstrated operational experience
• Minimum 10 years of experience in explosives science, energetic materials, or weapons effects
• Deep knowledge of explosive formulation chemistry, detonation physics, and blast phenomenology
• Experience with additive manufacturing processes as applied to energetics or munitions
• Familiarity with weapons design principles, including warhead mechanics and lethality optimization
• Understanding of blast-structure interaction, fragility assessment, and protective system design
• US Citizen with an Active Top Secret / SCI security clearance (required at time of application)

Desired Qualifications

• PHD in Chemistry, Energetic Materials, or related discipline
• Prior assignment or direct support to USSOCOM, JSOC, or component SOF units
• Published research or patents in energetics, detonation science, or advanced materials
• Experience with computational modeling tools (e.g., CTH, AUTODYN, LS-DYNA) for blast and fragmentation analysis
• Familiarity with DoD acquisition processes and technology transition pathways
• Experience briefing senior military and civilian leadership on technical findings

Overview
Overview
Noblis and our wholly owned subsidiaries, Noblis ESI and Noblis MSD, take on some of the nation's toughest challenges, delivering advanced solutions to our customers' most critical missions. We bring together leading scientific, engineering, and management expertise in a culture grounded in objectivity and collaboration, ensuring our work creates lasting impact across federal missions.
We work with a broad range of government agencies in the defense, intelligence, and federal civilian sectors. Learn more and find opportunities at careers.noblis.org
Why Work at Noblis
At Noblis, we share a passion for excellence and innovation, and we create an environment where people can do meaningful work while maintaining the balance that keeps them energized and fulfilled. We seek out individuals with a natural curiosity and desire to collaborate and learn. We believe our people are our greatest strength, and we consistently seek exceptionally skilled, mission-driven professionals who care deeply about doing work that enriches lives and makes our nation safer.
Noblis has earned numerous workplace awards for our culture, our commitment to employee well-being, and our dedication to meaningful, impactful work. We also maintain a drug-free workplace.
Remote/hybrid status is subject to change based on Noblis and/or government requirements.
Commitment to Non-Discrimination
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, sex, age, national origin, religion, physical or mental disability, pregnancy/childbirth and related medical conditions, veteran or military status, or any other characteristics protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.
If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact us.
EEO is the Law | E-Verify | Right to Work
Total Rewards
At Noblis we recognize and reward your contributions, provide you with growth opportunities, and support your total well-being. Our offerings include health, life, disability, financial, and retirement benefits, as well as paid leave, professional development, tuition assistance, and work-life programs. Our award programs acknowledge employees for exceptional performance and superior demonstration of our service standards. Full-time and part-time employees working at least 20 hours a week on a regular basis are eligible to participate in our benefit programs. Other offerings may be provided for employees not within this category. We encourage you to learn more about our total benefits by visiting the Benefits page on our Careers site.
Compensation at Noblis is determined by various factors, including but not limited to, the combination of education, certifications, knowledge, skills, competencies, and experience, internal and external equity, location, clearance level, as well as contract-specific affordability, organizational requirements and applicable employment laws. The projected compensation range for this position is based on full time status. For part time or on-call staff, compensation is proportionately adjusted based on hours worked. While monetary compensation is important, it's just one component of Noblis' total compensation package.
Posted Salary Range
USD $160,800.00 - USD $251,325.00 /Yr.