System Engineer Level 2 - Mission Operations Engineer

Northrop Grumman Corp.; Redondo Beach (CA); On-site; USD 92,000 - 138,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental & Vision coverage

401k

Educational Assistance

Life Insurance

Employee Assistance Programs & Work/Li

Job summary

Northrop Grumman Corp. in Redondo Beach, CA is seeking a System Engineer Level 2 - Mission Operations Engineer to contribute to defining and executing mission sets, converting CONOPS into actionable procedures, and building tools for operations.

The role requires collaboration across disciplines and a willingness to support on-call and shift needs. Qualifications include a STEM degree with 2 years of experience or a STEM master's with no required experience, and an active SCI or Top Secret

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science in a STEM discipline with 2 years of relevant experience OR Master of Science in a STEM discipline with 0 years of experience
• Active SCI clearance at time of application OR active U.S. Government Top Secret clearance at time of application and willing to obtain and maintain SCI before start date

Responsibilities

• Define how a unique mission set is executed with senior engineers
• Develop and refine concepts of operations (CONOPS) for complex mission sets
• Translate CONOPS into detailed procedures, checklists and playbooks for operations
• Build and improve tools and products that enable mission operations
• Participate in rehearsals, simulations, and demonstrations with pre/post event analysis
• Document system operations, hardware configurations, and software behaviors for knowledge sharing
• Collaborate in a multidisciplinary team and own assigned tasks under general direction

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.

Northrop Grumman’s Space Systems Sector is seeking a System Engineer Level 2 - Mission Operations Engineer to join our team in Redondo Beach, CA.

This position is contingent upon the candidate obtaining final clearances and program access(es) within a reasonable period of time as determined by the company. Continued employment thereafter will be subject to maintenance of the level of clearance and program access required for the position in the future.

What you’ll get to do:

• Contribute to defining how a unique mission set is executed, working closely with more senior engineers and the lead.
• Support the development and refinement of concepts of operations (CONOPS) for complex mission sets.
• Help translate CONOPS into detailed procedures, checklists, and playbooks for operational use.
• Assist in building and improving tools and products that enable successful mission operations.
• Participate in operational rehearsals, simulations, and mission demonstrations, including preparation and post‑event analysis.
• Help create and maintain documentation of system operations, hardware configurations, and software behaviors to support knowledge sharing.
• Demonstrate a strong commitment to ethics and integrity while bringing forward new ideas and questioning traditional approaches in a constructive way.
• Work as an effective member of a multidisciplinary team, taking ownership of assigned tasks, seeking guidance when needed, and developing approaches to solutions under general direction.

Basic Qualifications

• Must have a Bachelor of Science degree in a STEM discipline with 2 years of relevant experience OR a Master of Science Degree in a STEM discipline with 0 years of experience
• Candidate must have an active SCI at time of application OR
• Candidate must have an active U.S. Government Top Secret security clearance (or equivalent) at time of application and prior to start date as well as the ability and willingness to obtain and maintain an active SCI prior to start date. Continued employment thereafter will be subject to the candidate’s maintenance of the level of clearance and program access required for the position in the future.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Exposure to rapid‑development or responsive satellite programs
• Experience or coursework related to space vehicle and/or ground system integration, test, or operational checkout.
• Ability to script operational products or automate routine tasks (e.g., using Python, shell scripting, or similar languages).
• Experience developing tools, utilities, or dashboards to support mission planning, execution, or data analysis.
• Demonstrated ability to clearly document procedures and system behaviors for use by operators and engineering teams.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Willingness to support on-console activation and associated shift work, including nights, weekends, or non-standard hours as mission needs dictate.

As a full-time employee of Northrop Grumman, you are eligible for:

• Medical, Dental & Vision coverage
• 401k
• Educational Assistance
• Life Insurance
• Employee Assistance Programs & Work/Life Solutions
• Paid Time Off
• Health & Wellness Resources
• Employee Discounts
• Flexible Schedules: for example, the ability to work a 9/80 work schedule, which allows an employee to work a nine-hour day Monday through Thursday and take every other Friday off of work.

Primary Level Salary Range: $91,800.00 - $137,600.00

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.