PATUXENT RIVER, MD

Patuxent river, MD The Work We Do
NAVAIR is headquartered in Patuxent River, MD. Known as Pax River, this site provides the highest standard in warfare technology through supremacy in naval aviation technologies. Pax River is also home to NAVAIR’s Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD). Our mission is to provide our Sailors and Marines with absolute combat power through technologies that deliver dominant combat effects and matchless capabilities. Effective and affordable integrated warfare systems and life cycle support are the hallmarks of our work; we perform research, development, test and evaluation, engineering and fleet support for manned and unmanned aircraft, engines, avionics, aircraft support systems and ship/shore/air operations. Our work is focused on air and combat systems and air vehicle research, development, acquisition, test and evaluation and aircraft platform systems integration.

The air combat systems development functions conducted at Pax River require sea level conditions, a varied climate and a location near the sea to produce the test conditions essential for naval aviation technology development. The climatic and geographic conditions unique to Patuxent River are crucial for the proper performance testing of both fixed-wing and rotary-wing vehicles in preparation for operations in the maritime environment. The vast majority of our personnel work on multi-disciplinary teams, supporting each of the many types of Navy and Marine Corps aircraft and their related systems.

Living & Working in Pax River
The best term to describe the work culture at Pax River is teamwork. You’ll work within well-defined, structured processes to develop, evaluate and deliver the most complex and effective systems our Sailors and Marines utilize in the defense of our country.

The potential to grow professionally is yours. Pax River offers both on-the-job and formal training opportunities; over 10 colleges and universities provide after-normal-working-hours Bachelor’s and Master’s programs in business, engineering and other disciplines – the cost of which can usually be covered with NAVAIR’s tuition reimbursement.

We do work that’s incredibly important to the safety of our nation, but that doesn’t mean we expect our employees to forego their personal lives. Work/life balance is an integral part of our culture. Most personnel work a compressed work schedule, working 9-hour days and taking off every other Friday. You’ll even have the opportunity to take advantage of flexible start times.

St. Mary’s County, MD is a peninsula on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay. Surrounded on three sides by water, you’ll find amazing boating, sailing and fishing to occupy your free time. There are thousands of acres of parkland and hundreds of miles of shoreline to enjoy. Our on-base facilities include an 18-hole championship golf course, a sailing club, a flying club, a marina, an auto hobby shop, a wood hobby shop, numerous tennis courts and ball fields, several campgrounds, a large gym, aerobics center, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a movie theater and many other outstanding facilities – all available to our civilian employees. It’s a relatively rural area, so you’ll make yourself at home in a quiet and laid-back atmosphere – and work in the high-paced technical setting of our Pax River facility. Pax River is also only 60 miles from Washington, D.C. – the perfect destination for a day trip to the museums, monuments, music and culture of our nation’s capital.

Pax River Stats
13,800 acres
10,700 personnel
5,000 square miles of controlled airspace
7,600 civilian employees
3,100 active-duty military personnel
935 buildings
10 hangars, totaling more than 8.76 million square feet
Five active runways (the longest being 11,800 feet)
Largest employer in St. Mary’s County
Busiest flight test center in the world
Facility valued at an estimated $2.8 billion

Who We Hire

  • Engineering
    • Aerospace Engineers
    • Chemical Engineers
    • Computer Engineers
    • Electrical Engineers
    • Industrial Engineers
    • Material Engineers
    • Mechanical Engineers
  • Science
    • Chemists
    • Computer Scientists
    • Physiologists
    • Engineering Psychologists
    • Mathematicians
    • Operations Research Analysts
    • Physical Scientists
  • Business and Related Fields
    • Business Professionals
    • Contract Management Specialists
    • Financial Management Specialists
    • Accountants
    • Logisticians

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