Engineer Electrical Level 4 - Power Subsystems - Dulles

Northrop Grumman; McLean (VA); On-site; USD 142,200 - 213,400; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance may be available

Job summary

Northrop Grumman is seeking an engineer specializing in space environment solar array design to assist with architecting, manufacturing, testing, and verification of solar array designs for spacecraft. The role requires onsite work at the Dulles and/or McLean/Tyson's Corner facilities in Virginia at least three days per week, with occasional travel and possible night/weekend shifts on a 9/80 schedule.

The ideal candidate has a Bachelor's (or higher) in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering with

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering or related field with typically 5+ years of relevant experience or equivalent advanced degree and experience.
• Expertise in electromechanical system design for space environment solar arrays (mechanical, structural, thermal, power).
• Ability to translate high-level spacecraft requirements into lower-level solar array requirements and design strategies.

Responsibilities

• Develop, maintain, and verify mechanical and electrical requirements for space environment solar array wings and release mechanisms.
• Perform component trade studies and recommend technical solutions.
• Estimate power, analyze degradation, and create IV curves for solar arrays.
• Develop and execute mechanical and electrical design concepts for solar array wings.
• Ensure compliance with electrical, mechanical, structural, and thermal design requirements through reviews and analyses.
• Mentor and guide engineering teams across multiple disciplines to meet program objectives.
• Lead design reviews and participate in risk assessment and mitigation activities.
• Review and approve mechanical drawings, docs, and test fixtures.
• Collaborate with procurement and vendors to source assemblies and components.
• Provide technical leadership in solar array integration, testing, and validation.

Skills

Electromechanical design

Space solar arrays

Thermal analysis

Power analysis

Cross-functional teams

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering

Tools

FEM

MICDs

CAD

Job description

Relocation Assistance

Relocation assistance may be available.

Security Clearance

No clearance required at start. Clearance type: None.

Travel

Yes, 25% of the time.

Description

At Northrop Grumman, our employees work on revolutionary systems that impact people’s lives worldwide. The Electrical Power Subsystem (EPS) team for Northrop Grumman Space System’s Defense and National Security operations team is seeking an engineer specializing in space environment solar array design. This role will assist with architecting, manufacturing, testing, and verification of space environment solar array designs for spacecraft. The position follows a 9/80 schedule and may require some night and weekend shift work as well as periodic domestic and international travel. It is required to be onsite at the Dulles and/or McLean/Tyson’s Corner facilities in Virginia at least three days per week.

Responsibilities

• Develop, maintain, and verify mechanical and electrical requirements for specifications for space environment solar array wings and release mechanisms.
• Perform component trade studies and recommend technical solutions.
• Perform space environment solar array power estimates, degradation analysis, and create IV curves.
• Develop and execute mechanical and electrical design concepts for space environment solar array wings.
• Ensure compliance with all electrical, mechanical, structural, and thermal design requirements through rigorous review and analysis.
• Mentor and guide engineering teams across multiple disciplines to achieve program objectives.
• Direct design reviews and participate in component and program-level risk assessment and mitigation activities.
• Review and approve mechanical drawings, documentation, and test fixtures.
• Collaborate with procurement and outside NGSC vendors to source assemblies, materials, and components in alignment with project goals.
• Provide technical leadership in solar array integration, testing, and validation processes.
• Champion continuous improvement initiatives and implement best practices in electromechanical design for solar arrays across various product lines and solar array design architectures.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering or related field with typically 5+ years of relevant experience or equivalent advanced degree and experience.
• Expertise in electromechanical system design, specific to space environment solar arrays, including mechanical, structural, thermal, and power analysis.
• Proven ability to interpret higher spacecraft bus/subsystem level requirements and develop complex lower solar array/unit-level mechanical and electrical requirements, and define or validate design strategies to align to requirements.
• Experience working in cross-functional engineering teams and design projects.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills.
• U.S. Citizenship required.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a TS/SCI clearance with Polygraph.

Preferred Qualifications

• Specific experience in space environment solar array electromechanical design, integration, analyses, requirement verification, and testing within aerospace or space sectors.
• Exposure to common space environment solar array design and qualification industry standards/handbooks such as AIAA-S-111, AIAA-S-112, AIAA-S-122, NASA-CR-149364, and/or ECSS-E-ST-20-08C.
• Understanding of typical mechanical analyses and methodologies used in space environment deployable solar array designs, including latch force calculations, torque margins, boom push force assessments, motor drive and gear head sizing, deployment dynamics, mechanical stress and thermal analyses, modal analyses, quasi-static analyses, and Hold-Down‑Release‑Mechanism pre‑loading calculations.
• Strong background in interpreting typical mechanical design work‑products such as Finite Element Models (FEMs), Mechanical Interface Control Documents (MICDs), and CAD.
• Understanding of typical electrical power analyses and methodologies used in space environment solar array sizing and performance degradation assessments, including solar array loss factors, mission life, seasonal effects, radiation effects, thermal cycling effects, and shadowing/attenuation effects.
• Knowledge of static and dynamic grounding and ground paths for deployable and body‑mounted solar arrays, and mitigation of solar array surface charging and ESD risks.
• Understanding of typical derating requirements for electrical components, harnessing, connectors, diodes, thermistors, Platinum Resistance Thermometers (PRTs), using common industry standards such as EEE-INST-002.
• Knowledge of typical space environment solar array testing philosophies and practices such as Large Array Pulse Solar Simulations (LAPSS), Forward Bias Visual Inspection / Electroluminescence (FBVI / EL), deployment testing considerations, ambient pressure thermal cycling (TC), thermal vacuum cycling (TVAC) and bakeouts, and acoustics testing.
• Exposure to higher-level EPS and related components interfacing to space‑rated solar arrays, e.g., Solar Array Drive Assemblies (SADAs) and Power Distribution Avionics.
• Exposure to leading space‑industry photovoltaic technologies.
• Demonstrated success interfacing with multidisciplinary teams in fast‑paced, high‑demand environments.

Benefits & Compensation

Primary Level Salary Range: $142,200.00 – $213,400.00. Self‑determination for overtime, shift differential, discretionary bonuses, long‑term incentives (for VP or Director positions), health insurance, life and disability insurance, savings plan, mandatory holidays and PTO. 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