Staff Ground Software Engineer – Mission Planning & Astrodynamics

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

Job summary

Northrop Grumman in McLean, VA is seeking a Staff-level Ground Software Engineer (T5) to lead design and development of mission planning and satellite operations software for the ground segment. You will work onsite in a secure environment, collaborating with astrodynamics, flight dynamics, and operations teams to build robust tools using Python and C/C++, integrating FreeFlyer and STK.

This role requires 12+ years of software/mission experience, DoD Top Secret preferred, and a track record with

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in STEM or higher with 12+ years of software/mission experience; OR Master’s with 10+ years; OR PhD with 8+ years.
• Strong background in software development for complex systems, with Python as primary language.
• Experience with Linux development environments and scripting (Bash).
• Familiarity with Agile software development practices and CI/CD tooling.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain ground software services with focus on mission planning.
• Lead full lifecycle software development: requirements, architecture, implementation, testing, deployment.
• Collaborate with systems engineering, mission operations, and other teams to integrate capabilities.
• Provide automation, pipelines, and tools to support mission analysis and operations.
• Create documentation and briefings for mission planning solutions.

Skills

Python

C/C++

Java

Linux

Bash

Docker

CI/CD

Jira

Git

Education

Bachelor's degree in STEM

Master's degree in STEM

PhD in STEM

Tools

FreeFlyer

STK

Jira

Bitbucket

Confluence

Crucible

Bamboo

Job description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available

CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: No

CLEARANCE TYPE: Interim 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.

Job Description

Join Northrop Grumman on our mission to push the boundaries of possible across land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace. As part of our Tactical Space organization, you will contribute to ground software that plans, executes, and analyzes space missions supporting critical national and civil objectives.

We are seeking a Staff‑level Ground Software Engineer (T5) with Mission Planning & Astrodynamics experience to lead the design and development of mission planning and satellite operations software within our ground segment. This position is based in McLean, VA and requires onsite work in a secure environment.

This role is ideal for engineers who enjoy working at the intersection of software engineering and orbital mechanics—building robust, operational tools using COTS astrodynamics platforms and custom software.

Job Responsibilities

In this role, you will:

Ground Software Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain ground software services and tools with a focus on mission planning, orbit analysis, and satellite operations.
• Perform full lifecycle software development:
  • Requirements analysis and decomposition
  • Architecture and design within the mission planning domain
  • Implementation, unit testing, and integration
  • Deployment and sustainment in operational environments
• Collaborate with systems engineering, mission operations, and other ground software teams to integrate mission planning capabilities with the broader ground segment.
• Implement and maintain automation, pipelines, and tools (e.g., Python‑based workflows, CI/CD jobs) to support mission analysis and operations.
• Contribute to technical documentation, design artifacts, and customer briefings for mission planning solutions.

Mission Planning & Astrodynamics Responsibilities

• Lead and/or support the design and implementation of software capabilities for:
  • Orbit determination and ephemeris propagation
  • Maneuver planning and station‑keeping strategy
  • Conjunction assessment and collision avoidance
  • Contact/passes planning and satellite mission analysis
  • Launch and early orbit operations (LEOP), station keeping, on‑orbit support, and anomaly response
• Work closely with astrodynamics, flight dynamics, and operations teams to turn mission concepts and operational needs into robust, repeatable software solutions.
• Integrate and operationalize COTS astrodynamics tools, including:
  • FreeFlyer
  • STK
  • Scripts and interfaces that connect these tools to other ground systems and data sources
• Support Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO) analysis and planning, as applicable to mission needs.
• Help shape the technical roadmap for mission planning tools and services, including performance, automation, and operational usability improvements.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) discipline and 12+ years of relevant software/mission experience; OR Master’s degree in STEM and 10+ years of relevant experience; OR PhD in STEM and 8+ years of relevant experience.
• Strong background in software development for complex systems, with emphasis on:
  • Python (preferred primary language for this role)
  • Experience with at least one additional language (e.g., C/C++, Java) is a plus.
• Familiarity with all phases of the software development life cycle and Agile software development practices.
• Experience with:
  • Linux development environments and scripting (e.g., Bash)
  • Containerization (e.g., Docker, Podman) and CI/CD tools (e.g., Jenkins, GitLab, Bitbucket/Jira, Git, etc.)
  • Configuration management using industry‑standard tools and processes
• Demonstrated experience supporting at least one of the following:
  • Astrodynamics / orbital mechanics / flight dynamics
  • Mission planning and satellite operations
• Hands‑on experience performing some combination of:
  • Orbit determination
  • Maneuver planning and station‑keeping
  • Conjunction assessment / collision avoidance
  • Ephemeris propagation and trajectory analysis
  • Contact/passes planning and satellite mission analysis
• Ability to work onsite full‑time in McLean, VA in a secure environment.

Clearance

• Active DoD Top Secret clearance is preferred at time of application; candidates with the ability to obtain and maintain a TS and any required special program access will also be considered.

Preferred Qualifications

• Active TS/SCI clearance with current or recent program access.
• Degree in Aerospace Engineering or Physics with significant coursework or experience in astrodynamics and space mission operations.
• Direct experience using FreeFlyer and/or STK for mission analysis, mission planning, and/or on‑orbit operations, including integration or automation.
• Experience supporting:
  • Launch and early orbit operations (LEOP)
  • Station keeping and collision avoidance
  • Rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO)
  • Long‑term mission planning and on‑orbit anomaly resolution
• Experience with:
  • Model‑based systems engineering tools (e.g., Rhapsody, Cameo)
  • Atlantean tools (Jira, Bitbucket, Confluence, Crucible, Bamboo)
  • Virtualization technologies (e.g., VirtualBox, QEMU, KVM, VMware)
  • Operating in a DevOps / CI/CD environment and contributing to automation and pipelines.
• Prior experience on a Northrop Grumman space or ground program, especially in mission planning, astrodynamics, or satellite operations.

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.