Space Vehicle Systems Engineer - Level 3

Northrop Grumman; Gilbert (AZ); On-site; USD 105,000 - 141,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental & Vision coverage

401k

Educational Assistance

Life Insurance

Employee Assistance Programs & Work/Li

Paid Time Off

Health & Wellness Resources

Employee Discounts

Flexible Schedules

Job summary

Northrop Grumman in Gilbert, AZ seeks a Space Vehicle Systems Engineer (Level 3) to join a national security space program. You will work on design, development, integration and testing of space payloads and spacecraft buses, guiding concepts through launch and on-orbit operations.

You will lead on-the-floor support for integration, verification, and readiness, with responsibilities spanning requirements, interfaces, and program reviews. A TS clearance is required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in STEM with 5+ years experience or Master's with 3+ years.
• Proven technical problem-solving skills and system interaction management.
• Strong written and verbal communication, with leadership-facing presentations.
• Experience on space programs, spacecraft development, or satellite ops.
• Solid understanding of systems engineering: requirements, interfaces, verification/validation, risk, CM.
• Ability and willingness to obtain/maintain a U.S. Government Top Secret clearance.

Responsibilities

• Lead on-the-floor integration, testing, and readiness for spacecraft and payloads.
• Develop and verify system/subsystem requirements, allocations, and validation plans.
• Define interfaces and maintain interface control documents and specs.
• Coordinate with program teams to resolve issues and drive decisions.
• Plan trade studies, design optimization, mission timelines, and CONOPS.
• Prepare briefing materials for reviews and program status meetings.
• Support electrical harness design, I&T procedures, and space vehicle modeling.

Skills

Technical problem-solving

Written and verbal communication

Space program experience

Systems engineering understanding

Ability to obtain Top Secret clearance

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's in STEM

Master's in STEM (optional)

Tools

MATLAB

DOORS

CAMEO

Job description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available

CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: No

CLEARANCE TYPE: Top Secret

TRAVEL: Yes, 10% 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.

Northrop Grumman's Space Systems Sector is seeking a Space Vehicle Systems Engineer - Level 3 to join our team in Gilbert, Arizona.

Successful candidates for this position will play a key role as Space Vehicle Systems Engineers on a national security space program. This role blends classic systems engineering with on-the-floor support to integration, build, and test - putting you directly at the heart of assembling and bringing our spacecraft to life.

You will be part of a cross-disciplinary team that takes space vehicles from early concept through launch and on-orbit operations. You don't just hand off a design—you help guide it from concept through countdown and into orbit, contributing to fully mission-capable space vehicles for our customers.

This Systems Engineer role is an individual-contributor position on a multi-disciplinary team. You will work on design, development, integration, and testing of space payloads, spacecraft buses, and complete mission space vehicles. If you're excited to see your work on the factory floor and ultimately on orbit, we invite you to join our team and help push the boundaries of what is possible.

Job Responsibilities

• Lead and provide on-the-floor support to the integration, testing, and operational readiness of spacecraft and payloads
• Own and perform system and subsystem requirements development, allocation, and verification/validation planning, including traceability and closure
• Lead interface definition activities and develop/maintain interface control documents, specifications, and engineering reports
• Serve as a key technical point of contact with program, functional, and subsystem leads to resolve issues and drive decisions
• Plan and execute trade studies, system sensitivity and design optimization studies, system performance assessments, mission timelines, and CONOPS development
• Develop and present review and briefing materials for working groups, technical reviews, and program status meetings
• Lead or support tasks such as electrical harness interface design, integration and test procedure development, mechanical systems support, command and telemetry database development, and space vehicle configuration modeling

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) discipline with 5+ years of engineering experience, or Master's degree in a STEM discipline with 3+ years of engineering experience
• Proven technical problem-solving skills and demonstrated ability to understand and manage system and subsystem interactions
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including experience presenting technical content to leadership and/or customers
• Previous engineering experience on space programs, spacecraft development, or satellite operations
• Solid understanding of systems engineering functions (requirements, interfaces, verification/validation, risk, configuration management)
• Ability and willingness to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government Top Secret clearance

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct experience in space systems, spacecraft design, or mission operations (vehicle, payload, or mission-level SE)
• Hands on experience with spacecraft/space system integration and test, launch, and/or mission operations
• Experience owning requirements development, decomposition, and allocation, and contributing to system architecture and CONOPS development
• Proficiency with one or more tools such as MATLAB, DOORS, or CAMEO
• Experience in one or more of the following areas: orbital mechanics, orbital debris modeling, spacecraft attitude control, power systems and modeling, avionics or digital electronics design, risk analysis, optics, communications, thermal design and analysis, or spacecraft/payload integration and testing
• Active or current U.S. Government Top Secret security clearance

As a full-time employee of Northrop Grumman, you are eligible for:

• Medical, Dental & Vision coverage
• 401k
• Educational Assistance
• Life Insurance
• Employee Assistance Programs & Work/Life Solutions
• Paid Time Off
• Health & Wellness Resources
• Employee Discounts
• Flexible Schedules: for example, the ability to work a 9/80 work schedule, which allows an employee to work a nine-hour day Monday through Thursday and take every other Friday off of work.

Working at Northrop Grumman is more than just a paycheck. We offer a comprehensive Total Rewards and benefits package designed to help you thrive at work and in life. For more information on our Total Rewards package, please visit our Total Rewards site: Northrop Grumman Total Rewards

#SpaceSysEngJobs #SpaceEngJobs #AZSpace

Primary Level Salary Range: $98,400.00 - $147,600.00

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.