Principal/Sr Principal Systems Engineer

Northrop Grumman; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 114,000 - 213,000; Full time

Job summary

Northrop Grumman is seeking a Systems Engineer to support system architecture development, trade studies, and requirements allocation across the full product lifecycle. You will interface with design, logistics, and program IPTs to ensure solutions meet schedule and cost targets while aligning with program needs.

The role emphasizes cross-functional collaboration, rigorous documentation, and model-based systems engineering across large programs. Travel up to 25% is required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in systems, software, or related STEM required (or equivalent).
• US citizenship required; Secret clearance current/active.
• Must currently have SAP or be able to obtain and maintain SAP.

Responsibilities

• Translate customer requirements into system specifications across full lifecycle.
• Collaborate with IPTs to ensure architecture meets schedule, cost, and performance goals.
• Develop and maintain architecture content and model integration across programs.
• Support design reviews and reviews of interface control documents and software installation procedures.

Skills

Communication skills

Technical writing

Systems engineering

Education

Bachelor’s degree in systems, software, or related STEM

Tools

DOORS

SysML

UPDM

Job description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: No relocation assistance available

CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes

CLEARANCE TYPE: Secret

TRAVEL: Yes, 25% of the Time

Description

At Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems that impact people's lives around the world today, and for generations to come. Our pioneering and inventive spirit has enabled us to be at the forefront of many technological advancements in our nation's history - from the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean, to stealth bombers, to landing on the moon. We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage and a pioneering spirit to join forces to invent the future, and have fun along the way. Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity and bringing your whole self to work — and we have an insatiable drive to do what others think is impossible. Our employees are not only part of history, they're making history.

The Systems Engineer role will apply to support development of a system architecture, conduct functional and trade‑study analyses, and translate customer requirements into detailed specifications across the full product lifecycle—from concept through disposal. The successful candidate will collaborate with design, logistics, specialty engineering, and program IPT teams to ensure that communications solutions meet schedule, cost, and performance goals while maintaining alignment with overall system needs. The Systems Engineer will act as a cross-IPT technical integrator working closely with peers and managers of other engineering disciplines, program managers, and IPT leads, with essential functions including:

• Ensure the logical and systematic conversion of customer or product requirements that acknowledge technical, schedule, and cost constraints
• Perform functional analysis, timeline analysis, detail trade studies, requirements allocation and interface definition studies to translate customer requirements into specifications using DOORS
• Ensure system requirements, architecture, and designs integrate with technical needs of the program.
• Collaborate with program IPT counterparts to develop supporting systems engineering and design artifacts
• Work with both technical teams and stakeholders to develop and mature architecture content of large programs design
• Help develop and incorporate the appropriate requirements for the system and ensure that they are properly represented in the model
• Develop unifying model techniques, procedures, and processes (for model development, tool integration, and team integration)
• Participate in Engineering Review Boards (ERBs), and other program reviews and boards, as required
• Communicate effectively and clearly present technical approaches and findings at technical and program reviews and boards.
• Apply extensive technical expertise in the development of technical solutions to complex problems which require the regular use of ingenuity and creativity.
• Provide cross-IPT support for Capture efforts, contract documents (e.g. SSOW/SDRL/CDRL), and trade studies as required
• Candidate will perform hardware installation, integration, testing, documentation, and software deployment of communications and data-link systems
• Perform and support design reviews and reviews of design related documentation such as Interface Control Documents, system and subsystem design documents, and Software Installation Procedures.
• Interpret, and markup/redline, and audit released engineering drawings.
• Install system interconnect cabling for communications, audio, networking, and serial interfaces.
• Perform integrated logistics support (ILS) and inventory tracking for inbound and outbound hardware.
• This role requires the ability to travel up to 25% of the time.

Basic Qualifications Principal Systems Engineer:

• Bachelor’s degree in systems, Software, or related STEM degree field with 5 years of experience
• Must be a US Citizen
• CLEARANCE: A current/active US Government Secret clearance.
• Must currently have SAP or must be able to obtain and maintain SAP

Basic Qualifications Sr. Principal Systems Engineer:

• Bachelor’s degree in systems, Software, or related STEM degree field with 9 years of experience
• Must be a US Citizen
• CLEARANCE: A current/active US Government Secret clearance.
• Must currently have SAP or must be able to obtain and maintain SAP

Preferred Qualifications:

• Demonstrated communication and technical writing skills
• Familiarity with the Agile process
• Proven experience in the systems engineering process
• Experience in system requirements development, management, analysis, verification, or validation
• Engineering degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or Computer Engineering
• Experience in the systems engineering process across the entire product lifecycle
• An active DoD Top Secret clearance
• Experience working on military / spacecraft systems
• Experience with complex system development on large programs
• Experience with MBSE, software design, or demonstrated ability to work with software-aided design tools
• CompTIA Security+ certification
• Experience in SysML or UPDM modeling languages
• INCOSE Participation or CSEP certification

Primary Level Salary Range: $114,000.00 - $171,000.00

Secondary Level Salary Range: $142,200.00 - $213,400.00

The above salary range represents a general guideline; however, Northrop Grumman considers a number of factors when determining base salary offers such as the scope and responsibilities of the position and the candidate's experience, education, skills and current market conditions.

Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay. Annual bonuses are designed to reward individual contributions as well as allow employees to share in company results. Employees in Vice President or Director positions may be eligible for Long Term Incentives. In addition, Northrop Grumman provides a variety of benefits including health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, savings plan, Company paid holidays and paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business.

The application period for the job is estimated to be 20 days from the job posting date. However, this timeline may be shortened or extended depending on business needs and the availability of qualified candidates.

Northrop Grumman is an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class. For our complete EEO and pay transparency statement, please visit http://www.northropgrumman.com/EEO. U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.