diff --git a/smartsim/entity/application.py b/smartsim/entity/application.py
index 32fffb6f5..a8302fc1f 100644
--- a/smartsim/entity/application.py
+++ b/smartsim/entity/application.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import collections
 import copy
 import textwrap
 import typing as t
@@ -262,7 +263,7 @@ def _build_exe_args(exe_args: t.Union[str, t.Sequence[str], None]) -> t.List[str
         if not (
             isinstance(exe_args, str)
             or (
-                isinstance(exe_args, list)
+                isinstance(exe_args, collections.abc.Sequence)
                 and all(isinstance(arg, str) for arg in exe_args)
             )
         ):
@@ -271,7 +272,7 @@ def _build_exe_args(exe_args: t.Union[str, t.Sequence[str], None]) -> t.List[str
         if isinstance(exe_args, str):
             return exe_args.split()
 
-        return exe_args
+        return list(exe_args)
 
     def print_attached_files(self) -> None:
         """Print a table of the attached files on std out"""
diff --git a/smartsim/entity/ensemble.py b/smartsim/entity/ensemble.py
index bf35a46a9..f228c4a8a 100644
--- a/smartsim/entity/ensemble.py
+++ b/smartsim/entity/ensemble.py
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
 import os.path
 import typing as t
 
-from smartsim.entity import _mock, entity, strategies
+from smartsim.entity import entity, strategies
 from smartsim.entity.application import Application
 from smartsim.entity.files import EntityFiles
 from smartsim.entity.strategies import ParamSet
@@ -59,23 +59,183 @@ def __init__(
         max_permutations: int = -1,
         replicas: int = 1,
     ) -> None:
+        """Initialize an ``Ensemble`` of application instances
+
+        :param name: name of the ensemble
+        :param exe: executable to run
+        :param exe_args: executable arguments
+        :param exe_arg_parameters: parameters and values to be used when configuring entities
+        :param files: files to be copied, symlinked, and/or configured prior to
+                      execution
+        :param file_parameters: parameters and values to be used when configuring
+                                files
+        :param permutation_strategy: strategy to control how the param values are applied to the Ensemble
+        :param max_permutations: max parameter permutations to set for the ensemble
+        :param replicas: number of identical entities to create within an Ensemble
+        """
         self.name = name
-        self.exe = os.fspath(exe)
+        """The name of the ensemble"""
+        self._exe = os.fspath(exe)
+        """The executable to run"""
         self.exe_args = list(exe_args) if exe_args else []
-        self.exe_arg_parameters = (
+        """The executable arguments"""
+        self._exe_arg_parameters = (
             copy.deepcopy(exe_arg_parameters) if exe_arg_parameters else {}
         )
-        self.files = copy.deepcopy(files) if files else EntityFiles()
-        self.file_parameters = dict(file_parameters) if file_parameters else {}
-        self.permutation_strategy = permutation_strategy
-        self.max_permutations = max_permutations
-        self.replicas = replicas
+        """The parameters and values to be used when configuring entities"""
+        self._files = copy.deepcopy(files) if files else EntityFiles()
+        """The files to be copied, symlinked, and/or configured prior to execution"""
+        self._file_parameters = (
+            copy.deepcopy(file_parameters) if file_parameters else {}
+        )
+        """The parameters and values to be used when configuring files"""
+        self._permutation_strategy = permutation_strategy
+        """The strategy to control how the param values are applied to the Ensemble"""
+        self._max_permutations = max_permutations
+        """The maximum number of entities to come out of the permutation strategy"""
+        self._replicas = replicas
+        """How many identical entities to create within an Ensemble"""
+
+    @property
+    def exe(self) -> str:
+        """Return executable to run.
+
+        :returns: application executable to run
+        """
+        return self._exe
+
+    @exe.setter
+    def exe(self, value: str | os.PathLike[str]) -> None:
+        """Set executable to run.
+
+        :param value: executable to run
+        """
+        self._exe = os.fspath(value)
+
+    @property
+    def exe_args(self) -> t.List[str]:
+        """Return a list of attached executable arguments.
+
+        :returns: application executable arguments
+        """
+        return self._exe_args
+
+    @exe_args.setter
+    def exe_args(self, value: t.Sequence[str]) -> None:
+        """Set the executable arguments.
+
+        :param value: executable arguments
+        """
+        self._exe_args = list(value)
+
+    @property
+    def exe_arg_parameters(self) -> t.Mapping[str, t.Sequence[t.Sequence[str]]]:
+        """Return the executable argument parameters
+
+        :returns: executable arguments parameters
+        """
+        return self._exe_arg_parameters
+
+    @exe_arg_parameters.setter
+    def exe_arg_parameters(
+        self, value: t.Mapping[str, t.Sequence[t.Sequence[str]]]
+    ) -> None:
+        """Set the executable arguments.
+
+        :param value: executable arguments
+        """
+        self._exe_arg_parameters = copy.deepcopy(value)
+
+    @property
+    def files(self) -> EntityFiles:
+        """Return files to be copied, symlinked, and/or configured prior to
+        execution.
+
+        :returns: files
+        """
+        return self._files
+
+    @files.setter
+    def files(self, value: EntityFiles) -> None:
+        """Set files to be copied, symlinked, and/or configured prior to
+        execution.
+
+        :param value: files
+        """
+        self._files = copy.deepcopy(value)
+
+    @property
+    def file_parameters(self) -> t.Mapping[str, t.Sequence[str]]:
+        """Return file parameters.
+
+        :returns: application file parameters
+        """
+        return self._file_parameters
+
+    @file_parameters.setter
+    def file_parameters(self, value: t.Mapping[str, t.Sequence[str]]) -> None:
+        """Set the file parameters.
+
+        :param value: file parameters
+        """
+        self._file_parameters = dict(value)
+
+    @property
+    def permutation_strategy(self) -> str | strategies.PermutationStrategyType:
+        """Return the permutation strategy
+
+        :return: permutation strategy
+        """
+        return self._permutation_strategy
+
+    @permutation_strategy.setter
+    def permutation_strategy(
+        self, value: str | strategies.PermutationStrategyType
+    ) -> None:
+        """Set the permutation strategy
+
+        :param value: permutation strategy
+        """
+        self._permutation_strategy = value
+
+    @property
+    def max_permutations(self) -> int:
+        """Return the maximum permutations
+
+        :return: max permutations
+        """
+        return self._max_permutations
+
+    @max_permutations.setter
+    def max_permutations(self, value: int) -> None:
+        """Set the maximum permutations
+
+        :param value: the maxpermutations
+        """
+        self._max_permutations = value
+
+    @property
+    def replicas(self) -> int:
+        """Return the number of replicas
+
+        :return: number of replicas
+        """
+        return self._replicas
+
+    @replicas.setter
+    def replicas(self, value: int) -> None:
+        """Set the number of replicas
+
+        :return: the number of replicas
+        """
+        self._replicas = value
 
     def _create_applications(self) -> tuple[Application, ...]:
         """Concretize the ensemble attributes into a collection of
         application instances.
         """
         permutation_strategy = strategies.resolve(self.permutation_strategy)
+
         combinations = permutation_strategy(
             self.file_parameters, self.exe_arg_parameters, self.max_permutations
         )
diff --git a/tests/test_ensemble.py b/tests/test_ensemble.py
index c22e0e0db..5198681fe 100644
--- a/tests/test_ensemble.py
+++ b/tests/test_ensemble.py
@@ -26,11 +26,13 @@
 
 import itertools
 import typing as t
+from glob import glob
+from os import path as osp
 
 import pytest
 
-from smartsim.entity import _mock
 from smartsim.entity.ensemble import Ensemble
+from smartsim.entity.files import EntityFiles
 from smartsim.entity.strategies import ParamSet
 from smartsim.settings.launchSettings import LaunchSettings
 
@@ -40,6 +42,54 @@
 _2x2_EXE_ARG = {"EXE": [["a"], ["b", "c"]], "ARGS": [["d"], ["e", "f"]]}
 
 
+@pytest.fixture
+def get_gen_configure_dir(fileutils):
+    yield fileutils.get_test_conf_path(osp.join("generator_files", "tag_dir_template"))
+
+
+def test_exe_property():
+    e = Ensemble(name="test", exe="path/to/example_simulation_program")
+    exe = e.exe
+    assert exe == e.exe
+
+
+def test_exe_args_property():
+    e = Ensemble("test", exe="path/to/example_simulation_program", exe_args="sleepy.py")
+    exe_args = e.exe_args
+    assert exe_args == e.exe_args
+
+
+def test_exe_arg_parameters_property():
+    exe_arg_parameters = {"-N": 2}
+    e = Ensemble(
+        "test",
+        exe="path/to/example_simulation_program",
+        exe_arg_parameters=exe_arg_parameters,
+    )
+    exe_arg_parameters = e.exe_arg_parameters
+    assert exe_arg_parameters == e.exe_arg_parameters
+
+
+def test_files_property(get_gen_configure_dir):
+    tagged_files = sorted(glob(get_gen_configure_dir + "/*"))
+    files = EntityFiles(tagged=tagged_files)
+    e = Ensemble("test", exe="path/to/example_simulation_program", files=files)
+    files = e.files
+    assert files == e.files
+
+
+def test_file_parameters_property():
+    file_parameters = {"h": [5, 6, 7, 8]}
+    e = Ensemble(
+        "test",
+        exe="path/to/example_simulation_program",
+        file_parameters=file_parameters,
+    )
+    file_parameters = e.file_parameters
+
+    assert file_parameters == e.file_parameters
+
+
 def user_created_function(
     file_params: t.Mapping[str, t.Sequence[str]],
     exe_arg_params: t.Mapping[str, t.Sequence[t.Sequence[str]]],