Sr. Principal Systems Engineer I&T Lead

Northrop Grumman; Virginia; On-site; USD 142,000 - 213,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Health insurance

Life insurance

Disability insurance

Savings plan

Paid holidays & PTO

Job summary

Northrop Grumman Space Systems in Virginia is seeking a Sr. Principal Systems Integrator for a ground software verification role.

You will verify C2 and mission management for satellite systems, develop automated tests, and collaborate across multiple engineering teams in a high‑security setting. The position requires a TS/SCI clearance (CI poly preferred), Python and C/C++ expertise, and strong integration and test experience.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with 8+ years in ground software verification.
• Strong experience in C2/Mission Management verification and integration.
• Active Top Secret/SCI clearance with CI poly is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Site hardware deployment, integration, checkout and test through verification.
• Verify satellite ground SW systems including C2 and mission management.
• Develop and maintain automated test scripts for verification.
• Document issues and coordinate with cross‑functional teams.
• Diagnose complex integration failures using logs and debugging tools.
• Lead AI&T efforts for PHX/Raptor baseline and test strategies.
• Collaborate with engineering teams to ensure end‑to‑end verification.

Skills

Python

C++

Java

GitLab

JIRA

Confluence

Bitbucket

MATLAB

MBSE

Docker

Kubernetes

AWS

Visio

Cameo

System integration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in STEM

Master’s degree (preferred)

Tools

GitLab

JIRA

Confluence

Bitbucket

Visio

Cameo

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.

#NoVASpace #SpaceSysEngJobs #SpaceEngJobs

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.