Systems Engineer: Electrical - Level 1 or 2 (AHT)

Northrop Grumman; Chandler (AZ); On-site; USD 66,000 - 119,000; Full time

Job summary

Northrop Grumman Space Systems in Chandler, AZ seeks a Systems Engineer – Level 1 or Level 2 focused on Electrical Systems. The role bridges Systems Engineering and Electrical Design, defining electrical architecture, interfaces, and timing to meet system objectives.

This 100% on-site position requires a degree in Electrical Engineering, ability to obtain Secret clearance, and collaboration across multiple teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related STEM field with 0 years of professional experience.
• Must be able to obtain a U.S. Government Secret security clearance.
• Demonstrated experience with electrical systems engineering including requirements development and/or architecture/ICD definition.
• Ability to read, interpret, and author system-level and lower-level electrical requirements and interface documents.

Responsibilities

• Develop and refine the system electrical architecture, including power distribution, communication buses, and key interfaces.
• Define and document electrical interfaces between subsystems, ensuring compatibility with system-level requirements.
• Participate in trade studies related to electrical architecture, component selection, and interface strategies.
• Analyze communication flows across electrical and data buses, including bandwidth, latency, and timing margins.
• Coordinate with subsystem owners to ensure timing and data exchange meet system performance needs.
• Identify and mitigate timing, loading, or signal-integrity risks through analysis with design teams.
• Translate system-level requirements into electrical and interface requirements for subsystems.

Skills

Electrical systems engineering

Requirements development

System-level thinking

Interface documents

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related STEM field

Master’s degree (optional for Level 2)

Tools

IBM DOORS

Job description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available

CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: No

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.

Northrop Grumman Space Systems is seeking a Systems Engineer – Level 1 or Level 2 with a focus on Electrical Systems, located in Chandler, Arizona.

The Electrical Systems Engineer serves as a primary bridge between the Systems Engineering and Electrical Design. The role requires a strong grasp of system‑level requirements and electrical design principles, enabling the engineer to help define the electrical architecture, communication flow and timing, and ensure that detailed electrical requirements and interfaces accurately reflect overarching system objectives.

This position is 100% on site in Chandler, AZ

Key Responsibilities

Electrical Architecture & Interfaces

• Support the development and refinement of the system electrical architecture, including power distribution, communication buses, and key interfaces.
• Define and document electrical interfaces between subsystems, ensuring compatibility and compliance with system‑level requirements.
• Participate in trade studies related to electrical architecture, component selection, and interface strategies.

Communication Flow & Timing

• Analyze and define communication flows across electrical and data buses (e.g., serial links, avionics networks), including bandwidth, latency, and timing margins.
• Coordinate with subsystem owners to ensure communication timing and data exchange align with system performance and mission needs.
• Identify and mitigate timing, loading, or signal‑integrity risks through analysis and coordination with design teams.

Requirements Development & Management

• Translate system‑level requirements into clear, testable electrical and interface requirements for subsystems and components.
• Ensure bidirectional traceability between system requirements, electrical requirements, and verification artifacts.
• Conduct thorough reviews of requirements and interface control documents (ICDs) to identify gaps, inconsistencies, or ambiguities and propose corrective actions.

Cross‑Team Collaboration

• Facilitate communication between Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Avionics, Software, and Integration & Test teams during requirement definition, design, and integration phases.
• Support and, when appropriate, lead technical interchange meetings, design reviews, and change‑control sessions related to electrical architecture and interfaces.
• Provide electrical systems‑focused input to risk, issue, and configuration‑management processes.

Verification & Validation Support

• Work with test engineers to confirm that electrical implementations satisfy mapped system and subsystem requirements.
• Contribute to the development of electrical verification plans, test procedures, and acceptance criteria.
• Support integration and test activities (e.g., HW bring‑up, interface checkout, end‑to‑end functional tests) by providing requirements and architecture context.

This position can be filled at either a Level 1 or Level 2.

Basic Qualifications For Level 1

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a related STEM field with 0 years of professional experience.
• Must have the ability to obtain a U.S. Government Secret security clearance (US Citizenship is a prerequisite).
• Demonstrated professional or academic experience with electrical systems engineering, including requirements development and/or architecture/ICD definition.
• Ability to read, interpret, and author system‑level and lower‑level electrical requirements and interface documents.

Basic Qualifications For Level 2

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a related STEM field with 2 years of professional experience – OR – Master’s degree with 0 years of professional experience.
• Must have the ability to obtain a U.S. Government Secret security clearance (US Citizenship is a prerequisite).
• Demonstrated professional or academic experience with electrical systems engineering, including requirements development and/or architecture/ICD definition.
• Ability to read, interpret, and author system‑level and lower‑level electrical requirements and interface documents.

Preferred Qualifications

• Proficiency with requirement‑management tools (e.g., IBM DOORS or equivalent).
• Experience with spacecraft, launch vehicle, missile, or other complex aerospace electrical/avionics systems.
• Familiarity with common electrical and data bus standards (e.g., LVDS, RS‑422/485, MIL‑STD‑1553, SpaceWire, CAN, Ethernet, or similar).
• Experience defining and managing electrical interfaces and ICDs across multiple subsystems.
• Experience with Systems Engineering fundamentals such as requirements management, verification, and design review execution.
• Ability to travel is required.
• Experience leading within an IPT organization as a lead or a subject matter expert (SME).

Salary Range

Level 1: $65,800 to $98,800

Level 2: $79,300 to $118,900

Working at Northrop Grumman is more than just a paycheck. We offer a comprehensive Total Rewards and benefits package designed to help you thrive at work and in life. For more information on our Total Rewards package, please visit our Total Rewards site.

Northrop Grumman Total Rewards

Primary Level Salary Range: $65,800.00 - $98,800.00

Secondary Level Salary Range: $79,300.00 - $118,900.00

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.