Staff Engineer Systems

Northrop Grumman; McLean (VA); On-site; USD 177,000 - 266,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Job summary

Northrop Grumman Space Systems in McLean, Virginia, seeks an experienced Space Systems Engineer to lead system test planning, verification, and validation efforts for civil space missions. You will guide cross-functional teams across engineering disciplines and support launch preparation, commissioning, and on-orbit operations.

The role requires advanced STEM degrees with substantial relevant experience and U.S. citizenship for Top Secret clearance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in STEM with 12 years of relevant experience; Master’s in STEM with 10 years; or PhD with 8 years of relevant experience.
• U.S. citizenship with the ability to obtain a Top Secret Clearance.
• Experience supporting the design, development, integration, test, or operation of spacecraft, payloads, space-based systems, or space missions more broadly.
• Experience performing one or more systems-engineering functions (requirements development/management, interface definition/control, system architecture, CONOPS, trade studies, systems test, verification/validation).
• Experience collaborating across multiple engineering disciplines to resolve technical issues and develop integrated spacecraft or mission solutions.
• Experience developing technical documentation and communicating complex engineering information to technical teams, leadership, customers, or mission partners.
• Experience with Earned Value Management (EVM).

Responsibilities

• Developing test plans and other artifacts at the system and lower levels, coordinating across disciplines to ensure traceability and timely closure of discrepancies.
• Supporting spacecraft and payload integration/test, mission-readiness activities, launch preparation, commissioning, and on-orbit execution.
• Supporting major program milestones, technical reviews, and mission-readiness reviews with clear technical content and briefings for customers and leadership.
• Authoring and contributing to systems engineering artifacts, technical reports, and other program deliverables.
• Partner with CAMs to ensure proper execution of baseline scope and manage change control.

Skills

Python

MATLAB

STK

EVM (Earned Value Management)

Education

Bachelor’s degree in STEM

Master’s degree in STEM

PhD in STEM

Job description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available

CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: No

CLEARANCE TYPE: None

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 Space Systems in McLean, Virginia, is seeking an experienced Space Systems Engineer to support a program within the Launch and Exploration Division. The selected candidate will join a cross-disciplinary team developing advanced spacecraft, payloads, and mission capabilities for civil space missions. The ideal candidate will bring substantial experience or demonstrated technical depth in spacecraft and payload engineering and systems test and apply that expertise to the civil space domain.

The Space Systems Engineer will lead the planning, execution, and reporting of System Test plans for verification and validation activities in conjunction with Assembly, Integration & Test and Requirements & Verification teams.

Primary responsibilities may include:

• Developing test plans and other artifacts at the system and lower levels to facilitate a verified product. This includes coordination across engineering disciplines, test facilities, and stakeholders to ensure test completeness, traceability to requirements, and timely closure of discrepancies.
• Supporting spacecraft and payload integration and test, mission-readiness activities, launch preparation, commissioning, and on-orbit execution.
• Supporting major program milestones, technical reviews, and mission-readiness reviews by developing technical content and translating complex engineering information into clear assessments and briefings for customers, program leadership, and other key stakeholders.
• Authoring and contributing to systems engineering artifacts, technical reports, and other critical program deliverables.
• Partner with CAMs to ensure proper execution of baseline scope and manage change control.

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in a STEM field with 12 years of relevant experience; master’s degree in a STEM field with 10 years of relevant experience; or PhD in a STEM field with 8 years of relevant experience.
• Must have U.S. citizenship with the ability to obtain a Top Secret Clearance.
• Demonstrated experience supporting the design, development, integration, test, or operation of spacecraft, payloads, space-based systems, or space missions more broadly.
• Demonstrated experience performing one or more systems-engineering functions, such as requirements development and management, interface definition and control, system architecture definition, concept of operations development, technical trade studies, systems test, or system verification and validation.
• Experience collaborating across multiple engineering disciplines to resolve technical issues and develop integrated spacecraft or mission solutions.
• Experience developing technical documentation and communicating complex engineering information to technical teams, program leadership, customers, or mission partners.
• Experience with Earned Value Management (EVM).

Preferred Qualifications:

• Lead the planning, execution, and reporting of System Test plans for verification and validation activities in conjunction with AI&T and R&V teams. This includes coordination across engineering disciplines, test facilities, and stakeholders to ensure test completeness, traceability to requirements, and timely closure of discrepancies.
• Experience developing spacecraft or space-mission architectures, concepts of operations (CONOPS), design reference missions, or operational scenarios.
• Experience performing mission analyses, performance analyses, or technical trade studies involving spacecraft and space missions.
• Experience supporting multiple phases of the spacecraft lifecycle, including design, integration, test, launch, commissioning, and on-orbit operations.
• Experience developing analytical, modeling, or automation tools using Python, MATLAB, Systems Tool Kit (STK), or comparable tools.
• Experience with model‑based systems engineering (MBSE) methods and tools.
• Experience with spacecraft integration and test, mission-readiness activities, anomaly resolution, or on-orbit mission support.
• Experience supporting U.S. Government civil space programs.
• Demonstrated ability to synthesize complex technical information into clear recommendations and briefings for senior technical, program, customer, or executive stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to lead a team.

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Primary Level Salary Range: $177,000.00 - $265,600.00

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.