Sr. Principal Systems Engineer I&T Lead

0909 SP - Orbital Space Systems; United States; On-site; USD 142,000 - 213,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Life and disability insurance

Savings plan

Paid time off

Job summary

Northrop Grumman Space Systems in Dulles, VA seeks a Sr. Principal Systems Integrator to verify ground software systems and drive integration across multi-disciplinary teams.

You will lead AI&T activities, develop test strategies, and ensure C2/MM mission management verification, with a TS/SCI clearance. This role offers exposure to cutting-edge space systems and a collaborative, innovative culture.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a STEM field.
• Advanced degree preferred for senior roles.
• Experience with ground software verification is required.

Responsibilities

• Site hardware deployment, integration, checkout and test through verification complete.
• Verify satellite ground SW systems including C2 and Mission Management.
• Python system architecture understanding – identify integration points.
• Scripting and automation – maintain automated test scripts for verification.
• Collaborate with developers across teams to resolve integration issues.

Skills

Python

MATLAB

C

C++

Java

Docker

Kubernetes

GitLab

JIRA

Confluence

Bitbucket

AWS

MBSE

STK

Visio

Cameo

Mission Mgmt

C2

Agile

BDD

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

PhD

Tools

JIRA

Confluence

Bitbucket

Job description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes CLEARANCE TYPE: SCI 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.

The Space Superiority Division, a division within Northrop Grumman's Space Systems Sector is known for pushing the boundaries of innovation, redefining engineering capabilities, and driving advances in various sciences through cutting-edge technology.

Our team is chartered with providing the skills, and innovative technologies to develop, design, produce, and sustain optimized product lines across the sector while providing a decisive advantage to the warfighter.

Come be a part of our mission! Northrop Grumman Space Systems (NGSP) is seeking an experienced Sr. Principal Systems Integrator supporting a program out of our Dulles, VA location. We are seeking a highly skilled Systems Integrator with expertise in ground software systems, integration, and testing. The ideal candidate will be responsible for supporting the verification of ground software systems and integrating key mission‑critical technologies. This position offers the opportunity to work on cutting‑edge space systems while collaborating with multidisciplinary engineering teams.

Key Responsibilities:

• Site Hardware deployment, integration, checkout and test through verification complete
• Experience with Satellite Ground SW system verification including Command and Control and Space vehicle mission management
• Experience with Python System architecture understanding – ability to comprehend how various components interact and identify potential integration points
• Scripting and automation expertise – proficiency in create and maintaining automated test scripts used for verification testing
• Communication and collaborations – skill in clearly documenting issues and coordinating with developers across different teams to resolve interaction problems
• Diagnostics reasoning – capability to analyze complex integration failures, diagnose software deficiencies through log analysis and debugging tools, trace root cause, and identify patterns across seemingly unrelated issues
• Experience with PHX/Raptor SW baseline required.
• Assembly, Integration, and Test (AI&T) lead responsible for defining and implementing test strategies, test plans, and test cases based on ground system requirements.

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree and 8 years of relevant experience; 6 years of relevant experience with a Master's; 3 years of relevant experience with a PhD.
• Proven experience with ground software system verification, specifically related to Command and Control (C2) and Mission Management (MM).
• Strong background in integration and test efforts, including planning, execution, and documentation.
• Expertise in testing tools and automation.
• Active Top Secret/SCI clearance required at time of application with the ability to be cleared to get a CI Poly.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Active Top Secret/SCI clearance with CI poly
• Proficiency in programming and scripting languages such as Python, MATLAB, C, C++, and Java.
• Exposure to Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) tools like Visio and Cameo.
• Familiarity with collaboration and lifecycle management tools, including JIRA, Confluence, and Bitbucket.
• Knowledge of Systems Tool Kit (STK) for mission simulation and analysis.
• Experience with Agile program execution, including sprint planning, backlog management, and iterative development.
• Working knowledge of Gherkin/Cucumber testing frameworks for behavior‑driven development (BDD).
• Hands‑on experience with version control systems like GitLab.
• Understanding and use of container technologies (e.g., Docker/Kubernetes).
• Familiarity with cloud technologies, especially AWS Cloud services.

Primary 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.

Existing Applicants: Need to update your contact information or email address? Once logged in, click on Candidate Home in the upper right corner and scroll to the bottom of that screen to see buttons for: Update Contact information to update your legal name, address, and phone number Edit Account Settings to edit your email address.

We are a pioneering company. With careers across all areas: air, cyber, land, sea and space — our 90,000 employees work as one to defend and define the future. Northrop Grumman careers and internships are as varied as your interests, with a lifetime of potential that will give you every opportunity to do your best work. Working together with people from many backgrounds, personal passions and disciplines, we share a drive to push the boundaries of science, technology and engineering to meet the ever evolving needs of our customers worldwide.