Top Secret Space Systems Engineer – Mission Architect

Northrop Grumman; United States; On-site; USD 92,000 - 138,000; Full time

Job summary

Northrop Grumman Space Systems in Dulles, Virginia, seeks an experienced Space Systems Engineer to join the Space Superiority Division. You will help design, analyze, and integrate advanced spacecraft and mission systems for space security missions across the full lifecycle.

The role requires deep technical depth in spacecraft engineering, mission analysis, and operations, with collaboration across multiple disciplines to deliver resilient capabilities in demanding environments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a STEM field and 2 years of applicable experience, or a Master’s Degree.
• Requires U.S. active Top Secret clearance at time of application.
• Experience supporting design, development, integration, test, or operation of spacecraft.
• Experience performing systems-engineering functions: requirements, interface control, architecture, COOPs, trade studies, verification.
• Experience collaborating across multiple engineering disciplines to resolve technical issues.
• Experience developing technical documentation and communicating complex engineering information.

Responsibilities

• Developing and evaluating spacecraft and mission architectures, CONOPS, and operational scenarios.
• Performing mission-level analyses and technical trade studies.
• Assessing day-in-the-life operations and developing mission sequences for launch and on-orbit ops.
• Collaborating across spacecraft, payload, guidance/navigation and control, software, and mission-operations teams.
• Modeling mission elements, interfaces, and execution plans with mission partners.
• Supporting integration and test, readiness reviews, and launch preparation.
• Authoring mission-engineering artifacts and technical reports.

Skills

Space systems engineering

Requirements development

System architecture

Interface control

CONOPS

Trade studies

Technical documentation

Cross-disciplinary collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in STEM

Master’s Degree

Tools

Python

MATLAB

STK

MBSE tools

Job description

Northrop Grumman Space Systems in Dulles, Virginia, seeks an experienced Space Systems Engineer to join the Space Superiority Division. You will help design, analyze, and integrate advanced spacecraft and mission systems for space security missions across the full lifecycle.

The role requires deep technical depth in spacecraft engineering, mission analysis, and operations, with collaboration across multiple disciplines to deliver resilient capabilities in demanding environments.