Sr. Principal User Experience Systems Engineer (UX)

Northrop Grumman Corp. (JP); Colorado Springs (CO); On-site; USD 124,000 - 188,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in defense technology is searching for a Sr. Principal User Experience Systems Engineer to enhance user experience on complex systems in Colorado Springs. This role requires a blend of technical engineering and human-centered design expertise to guide UX initiatives in support of national defense projects, making a significant impact on user training and assessment. Applicants need substantial experience in UX, excellent communication skills, and a strong proficiency with design tools, along with an active security clearance.

Benefits

Health insurance coverage

Life and disability insurance

Paid time off (PTO)

Company paid holidays

Qualifications

• 8+ years experience with a bachelor's degree or equivalent in STEM.
• Proficiency in UX design tools like Axure, Figma, and Adobe products.
• Strong communication skills and ability to collaborate across teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead UX design initiatives across multidisciplinary teams.
• Develop and implement UX strategies that align with business objectives.
• Conduct user research and usability testing to gather insights and validate design decisions.

Skills

User-Centered Design Principles

Usability Testing

Wireframing

Prototyping

Interaction Design

Communication

Problem-Solving

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Human Factors or related STEM field

Master’s degree in Psychology, Human Factors or related STEM field

PhD in Psychology, Human Factors or related STEM field

Tools

Axure

Sketch

Figma

Adobe Photoshop

Adobe XD

Atlassian Products

Job description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: No relocation assistance available

CLEARANCE TYPE: 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.

Job Description: Northrop Grumman Space Sector is seeking a highly skilled and experienced Sr. Principal User Experience Systems Engineer (UX) lead to drive user experience design efforts across complex systems and technologies, in Colorado Springs, CO. The qualified applicant will become part of Northrop Grumman’s Specialized Warfighter Development Contract (SWDC) on the Warfighter Simulations and Services (WSS) Agile Release Train (ART). The WSS ART offers opportunities to support the U.S. Missile Defense System through the development of Modeling and Simulation applications used in warfighter training and exercises, concept evaluation, developmental engineering, testing and verification, and assessment. This role demands a visionary individual capable of bridging the gap between technical engineering and human-centered design to ensure exceptional user experiences for our products and systems.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead UX design initiatives across multidisciplinary teams, driving user-centered design principles into all stages of product development.

• Develop and implement UX strategies that align with business objectives and user needs.

• Oversee the creation of wireframes, prototypes, and detailed interaction design specifications.

• Ensure cohesive visual and interaction design aligned with brand guidelines and user expectations.

• Conduct user research and usability testing to gather insights and validate design decisions.

• Collaborate closely with engineers, product managers, and stakeholders to integrate UX considerations into system architecture and design.

• Communicate UX vision and principles effectively to non-UX stakeholders, ensuring alignment and buy-in.

• Mentor and provide guidance to junior UX designers and engineers.

• Identify opportunities for process enhancements and best practices in UX design and development.

• Implement tools, methodologies, and processes to enhance efficiency and quality in UX design.

• Participate in cross-functional team coordination meetings, including weekly program flow down, program management status, and daily technical scrum meetings

• Contribute to development and maintenance of systems engineering team standard operating procedures (SOPs) and other documentation as needed to ensure reliable, repeatable task execution

• Balancing a variety of duties ranging from micro-level tasks to macro-level projects

• Reviewing program plans, procedures, reports, drawings, and other documentation for completeness, accuracy, and quality

• Manage and lead development and maintenance of a program style guide to ensure consistent design across product lines. Ensuring teams are consistently following the style guide.

• Applicants will need to provide a sample portfolio of work during interview

Basic Qualifications:

• 8 years relevant experience with Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Human Factors or related STEM field, or 6 years relevant experience with Master’s degree in Psychology, Human Factors or related STEM field, 4 years relevant experience with PhD

• Strong proficiency in UX design tools such as Axure, Sketch, Figma, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe XD, or similar.

• In-depth knowledge of user-centered design principles and best practices.

• Familiarity with Human-Computer Interaction frameworks and models (e.g. Hick’s Law, Fits Law, Norman’s seven stages of action)

• Developing personas, scenarios, and use cases to guide system design

• Experience with usability testing tools and methodologies.

• Excellent problem-solving skills and ability to think critically about design challenges.

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across diverse teams.

• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and meet deadlines.

• Active Secret Clearance

• Working knowledge of Software Development and Support Functions such as Configuration Management, Data Management, and Quality Assurance

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in applying model-based methodologies to process management

• Understanding of Modeling and Simulation (M&S) of missile defense scenarios

• Knowledge of software design and performance in IT infrastructures, networks and cloud solutions

• Experience with Atlassian products (Jira, Confluence)

• Working knowledge of Agile and SAFe development methodologies

• Experience with Cameo for Model-Based Systems Engineering

• Experience in developing, integrating, or testing a GUI-based software products

• Experience in team leadership or management of individual contributors

• Experience developing and managing a project schedule

• Experience implementing DevSecOps practices and principles

• Systems Engineering Lifecycle background including requirements derivation

Salary Range: $124,900.00 - $187,300.00

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.