Administrative Assistant - Electromagnetic Systems Group

Are you a results-oriented administrator who thrives in a fast-paced, high-energy environment?

Do you excel at coordinating across teams, managing shifting priorities, and maintaining oversight to empower technical professionals?

If so, we'd love to meet you!

The Electromagnetic Systems Group at APL is seeking a motivated Administrative Assistant to help enable the success of our multi-disciplinary team of 40+ engineers. We develop cutting-edge prototypes and analysis products for national security sponsors, and we need a proactive, detail-driven administrator to support the daily operations that keep us moving forward. You'll work closely with our group of engineers, contributing to travel, purchasing, logistics, documentation, and internal communications. You'll also play a key role in onboarding new staff, coordinating meetings and events, and serving as a trusted resource for policy and process guidance. This is more than an administrative role, it's a core position within our leadership team, and your contributions will directly impact the team's productivity, collaboration, and long-term success.

As a Technical Group Administrative Assistant, you will...

• Manage the group office, including purchasing and reconciling laboratory equipment, materials, and supplies.
• Independently resolve issues related to shipping, logistics, and staff travel coordination.
• Process staff travel and expense reimbursements.
• Collect, catalog, and maintain group documentation in APL's knowledge management systems.
• Review technical documents and engineering memos for grammar, formatting, and clarity.
• Support group security processes to ensure compliance with classified handling procedures.
• Coordinate clearance requests for staff traveling to government facilities.
• Track and manage group-owned property, including leading property audits as the group's Property Administrator.
• Serve as the group's expert on APL policies, procedures, and resources.
• Assist in onboarding and orienting new team members.
• Support group leadership with reporting on plans, accomplishments, and activities.
• Organize internal and external meetings, and plan special events that foster team morale.
• Identify and implement improvements to administrative workflows and group efficiency.
• Collaborate with other administrative staff to ensure seamless coverage across groups.

You meet our minimum qualifications for the job if you...

• Possess an associate's degree or equivalent experience, with at least 3 years of related administrative support experience.
• Have demonstrated an ability to manage multiple complex tasks independently.
• Are a detail-oriented self-starter with excellent organizational and prioritization skills.
• Have strong interpersonal communication skills and the ability to interact effectively with engineering teams.
• Are comfortable learning new software, systems, and tools quickly and adapting as needed.
• Have strong written communication skills, including the ability to edit for grammar, punctuation, and logical flow.
• Have experience producing high-quality documents, spreadsheets, and presentations.
• Are proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Adobe Acrobat Pro.
• Are eager to take on new challenges and develop new skills.
• Are able to obtain an Interim Secret level security clearance by your start date and can ultimately obtain a Secret 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...

• Possess a Bachelor's degree (BA/BS) or equivalent experience.
• Are familiar with JHU/APL-specific policies and procedures (e.g., travel, purchasing, security, budgeting).
• Have experience using APL-specific software and databases such as Slack, Workday, ADDIT, EBSS, eQUIP, iCIMS, Confluence wiki, etc.
• Have demonstrated experience proactively identifying and implementing process improvements to enhance administrative efficiency.
• Hold an active Secret security clearance.

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 http://www.jhuapl.edu/careers.

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 Accommodations@jhuapl.edu.

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.