Ground Mission Architect - Space Systems Lead (Top Secret)

Northrop Grumman; Virginia (MN); On-site; USD 177,000 - 266,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Health insurance

Life insurance

Disability insurance

Savings plan

Company paid holidays

PTO

Job summary

Northrop Grumman Space Systems in Dulles, VA seeks an experienced mission architect to lead ground design and to interface with customers on space security missions. The role emphasizes architecture, strategy, and cross-domain collaboration across security levels and with external partners.

Theposition requires a Top Secret clearance, on-site work, and the ability to align missions with broader campaigns while shaping feasibility with business development teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or STEM required; 12+ years in related field with Bachelor’s, 10+ with Master’s, 7+ with PhD.
• Active DoD Top-Secret clearance required and SCI eligibility.
• Strong systems engineering fundamentals and briefing to senior leaders.
• Experience with ground design, security frameworks, and national security systems.

Responsibilities

• Interface with customers and stakeholders for mission ground systems.
• Articulate a vision of common grounds across security levels.
• Mentor mission architects and systems engineers in ground design and software.
• Direct efforts to reduce risk, mature systems, and grow the business area.
• Support system architecture establishment and CONOPs development.
• Translate complex technical data for non-experts across domains.
• Drive product development from end-to-end with initiative.
• Lead technical meetings for senior leaders in the space community.

Skills

Systems engineering

Executive briefings

Ground design

Cyber security

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or STEM

Master’s degree in Engineering or STEM

PhD in Engineering or STEM

Job description

Northrop Grumman Space Systems in Dulles, VA seeks an experienced mission architect to lead ground design and to interface with customers on space security missions. The role emphasizes architecture, strategy, and cross-domain collaboration across security levels and with external partners.

Theposition requires a Top Secret clearance, on-site work, and the ability to align missions with broader campaigns while shaping feasibility with business development teams.