Space Systems/ Principal Systems Engineer

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.

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 (NGSP) is looking for you to join our team as a Systems Engineer - Level 2 or 3 based out of Fairfax, VA or Linthicum, MD.

Key Job Responsibilities

• Lead the architecture and implementation of reusable software components for a multi‑variant product line.
• Elicit, analyze, and document system‑level functional and non‑functional requirements for the entire product family.
• Maintain a traceability matrix linking requirements to design, implementation, and verification artifacts.
• Conduct requirement reviews with cross‑functional stakeholders (hardware, firmware, QA, product management) and drive consensus.
• Define, develop, and maintain ICDs for all hardware‑software and software‑software interfaces.
• Create detailed use‑case diagrams, activity flows, and sequence diagrams that capture user interactions and internal processes.
• Collaborate with Agile teams to translate requirements into user stories, backlog items, and sprint deliverables.
• Oversee integration testing, validation, and verification of system‑level functionality across product variants.
• Continuously assess and improve engineering processes, tooling, and documentation standards.

This requisition may be filled as either a level 2 or a level 3.

Basic Qualifications:

• For Systems Engineer: Bachelor's degree in a STEM discipline and 2 years of relevant experience; Master's degree and 0 years of experience
• For Principal Systems Engineer: Bachelor's degree in a STEM discipline and 5 years of relevant experience; Master's degree and 3 years of relevant experience; PhD and 0 years of relevant experience
• Must be a U.S. citizen with the ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret/SCI clearance
• Ability to elicit, analyze, and document system‑level requirements (functional & non‑functional).
• Experience with or knowledge of creating and managing traceability matrices linking requirements to design, code, and verification.
• Familiarity with interface control documents (ICDs) and experience defining hardware‑software and software‑software interfaces.
• Working knowledge of modeling languages/tools for use‑case, activity, and sequence diagrams.
• Experience working in or familiarity with Agile/Scrum environments, including backlog grooming and sprint planning.
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills; ability to work successfully with cross‑functional teams.
• Proficient in version‑control systems and collaborative development tools (Jira, Confluence, etc.).

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with families of products that share a common software platform (e.g., automotive, aerospace, medical devices).
• Active Top Secret/SCI clearance
• Certification in Systems Engineering (e.g., INCOSE CSEP) or Agile (e.g., CSM, SAFe).
• Familiarity with model‑based development (MBSE) and tools such as Cameo Systems Modeler or IBM Rhapsody.
• Programming proficiency in C/C++, Python, or Rust for embedded development.
• Knowledge of safety and compliance standards (e.g., IEC 61508, ISO 26262, FDA 21 CFR 820).
• Experience with automated testing frameworks and continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines.

Primary Level Salary Range: $87,600.00 - $137,600.00
Secondary Level Salary Range: $108,800.00 - $171,000.00
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.