Northrop Grumman’s Space Systems Sector is seeking highly cleared Systems Engineers to join our team, and the positions are open at either Level 3 Principal Systems Engineer or Level 4 Sr. Principal Systems Engineer. These roles can be located at our major Northrop Grumman locations in Dulles, VA, Fairfax, VA Gilbert, AZ, Colorado Springs, CO Rolling Meadows, IL, Linthicum, MD, and Morrisville, NC, and the positions require the work to be conducted fully onsite at these locations. The selected individuals will play an instrumental role in developing, evolving, and leading technological strategy in multiple skill areas for the broader organization.
This position description does not represent a current opening but may be used to identify candidates with skills and experience for positions within Northrop Grumman that frequently become available. Candidates who express an interest may be considered for future positions at Northrop Grumman.
These requisitions can be filled at Level 3 Principal Systems Engineer or Level 4 Sr. Principal Systems Engineer. Additionally, these positions are contingent upon the candidates 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 at the level of clearance and program access required for the position in the future. Furthermore, please be aware that these positions are contingent upon capturing program award(s) and obtaining and maintaining associated business and/or customer funding.
Multiple roles are available throughout the product development lifecycle of our programs with emphasis in the following disciplines:
-Systems Engineering
-Systems Architecture
-Systems Integration & Test
-Electrical Engineering
-Electrical Test Engineering
-Payload Systems Engineering
-Radiation Engineering
-Space Flight Operations
-Reliability Engineering
-Mission Ground Simulator Engineering
-Radar Data Processing Engineering
-Configuration Analysis & Configuration Data Management
-Optical Engineering
-RF / Microwave Engineering
-Modeling & Simulation Design Engineering
-Engineering Design Leadership
Available positions require that the selected candidates have a strong understanding of one or more of the skills described above. Project roles span all phases from new business acquisition and technology development to established program support.
Basic Qualifications for Systems Engineer – Level 3:
-Bachelor’s Degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics) discipline and 5+ years of engineering experience OR
-Master’s Degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics) discipline and 3+ years of engineering experience OR
-PhD in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics) discipline and 1+ year(s) of engineering experience
-Candidate must have active SCI access at time of application and prior to start date OR
-Candidate must have an active U.S. Government Top Secret security clearance at time of application as well as the ability to obtain and maintain active SCI access within a reasonable period of time as determined by the company. 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.
Basic Qualifications for Systems Engineer – Level 4:
-Bachelor’s Degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics) discipline and 8+ years of engineering experience OR
-Master’s Degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics) discipline and 6+ years of engineering experience OR
-PhD in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics) discipline and 4+ years of engineering experience
-Candidate must have active SCI access at time of application and prior to start date OR
-Candidate must have an active U.S. Government Top Secret security clearance (or equivalent) at time of application as well as the ability to obtain and maintain active SCI access within a reasonable period of time as determined by the company. 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 for Systems Engineer – Level 3 or 4:
-Master’s Degree or above in Engineering discipline
-Experience working on spacecraft systems
-Experience in developing, managing, and decomposing requirements
-Experience in system architecture, CONOPs, and/or model-based system engineering
-Experience in subsystem, payload, or system integration
-Experience using DOORS and Cameo
-Strong people skills
-Excellent communication skills (upward and downward)
These requisitions can be filled at a Level 3 Principal Systems Engineer or Level 4 Sr. Principal Systems Engineer. Additionally, these positions are contingent upon the candidates 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 at the level of clearance and program access required for the position in the future. Furthermore, please be aware that these positions are contingent upon capturing program award(s) and obtaining and maintaining associated business and/or customer funding.
Curious about all the exciting developments with the Northrop Grumman Space Sector? Click the link below:
https://www.northropgrumman.com/space.
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
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.
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Primary Level Salary Range: $98,400.00 - $213,400.00The 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.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in a STEM discipline and 5 or more years of engineering experience for Level 3
- Master's degree in a STEM discipline and 3 or more years of engineering experience for Level 3
- PhD in a STEM discipline and 1 or more years of engineering experience for Level 3
- Bachelor's degree in a STEM discipline and 8 or more years of engineering experience for Level 4
- Master's degree in a STEM discipline and 6 or more years of engineering experience for Level 4
- PhD in a STEM discipline and 4 or more years of engineering experience for Level 4
- Active SCI access at application and before start, or active U.S. Government Top Secret clearance with ability to obtain and maintain SCI access
- Master's degree or higher in an engineering discipline
- Experience working on spacecraft systems
- Experience developing, managing, and decomposing requirements
- Experience in system architecture, CONOPs, or model-based systems engineering
- Experience in subsystem, payload, or system integration
- Experience using DOORS and Cameo
- Strong people skills
- Excellent upward and downward communication skills
Northrop Grumman Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Northrop Grumman and has not been reviewed or approved by Northrop Grumman.
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Healthcare Strength — Health coverage offers multiple medical plan options by region alongside dental, vision, mental‑health resources, and wellness programs. Recent materials also highlight added family‑building support, including a dedicated fertility benefit.
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Retirement Support — The 401(k) savings plan is positioned as competitive with a company match, auto‑escalation features, and access to an employee stock fund/ESPP. Official filings and benefits guides emphasize retirement as a core element of the Total Rewards package.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Many sites offer a 9/80 schedule, generous PTO, paid holidays, and flexible/telework options where program needs allow. Paid parental and caregiver leave are prominently featured, with recent enhancements for the delivering parent.
Northrop Grumman Insights
What We Do
We are a close-knit community of big thinkers collaborating to keep the world safe. Our passion, creativity and expertise bring next-level technology solutions to life in autonomous systems, cyber, C4ISR, strike, space, and logistics and modernization for our customers around the globe. On the Northrop Grumman team, you’ll join our pursuit of excellence immersed in a dynamic culture of innovation and respect. Your unique perspective will help achieve our shared vision for the future of global security. Every step of the way, you'll be supported by world-class training, employee resource groups and a comprehensive benefits package that enables greater health and happiness for you and your family. Worldwide and across disciplines, we’re challenging what’s possible for technology to protect people and places from undersea to outer space and into cyberspace. And we see the impact of our performance every day. We are Northrop Grumman, and we work on what matters—now, you too can make a difference. Explore opportunities in engineering, IT, manufacturing, business management, cybersecurity and more with us. Northrop Grumman is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.
