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Northrop Grumman Defense Systems is seeking a Systems Engineer Architect/Principal Systems Engineer Architect in support of the Sentinel program. This opening may be in Roy, UT, Huntsville, AL, Bellevue, NE or Colorado Springs, CO and will support the Sentinel Program. Northrop Grumman supports the Air Force’s sustainment, development, production and deployment of hardware and system modifications for Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Ground and Airborne Launch Control Systems, Launch Facilities, and associated infrastructure.
What you will get to do:
Specific duties to include, but are not limited to the following:
- Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE), development of requirements and multiple system engineering models
- Coordination & collaboration with the System Engineering and Command & Launch Segment System Engineering Teams
- Supporting system, segment, element and unit level trade studies
- Definition of high-level functional and performance requirements and verification methods, subsequent analysis, decomposition, and derivation of requirements, allocation of those lower-level requirements to physical and functional architectural elements, and tracking them through design, verification, integration, and operational validation
- Supporting a team of engineers to create, mature and present comprehensive and cohesive technical charts representative of the appropriate level of maturation for any given milestone meeting and demonstrating team readiness in relation to achieving the milestone entrance and exit criteria
- Identifying required contractual deliverables and non-contractual documentation and driving corresponding updates to closure
- Coordinating and collaborating with diverse engineering design teams to assist in managing the technical baseline
This position may be hired at the Principal Systems Architect or Sr. Principal Systems Architect levels depending upon applicant qualifications.
Basic Qualifications:
Systems Architect:
- Bachelor's degree in a Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) discipline from an accredited university and 2 years of experience. MS with 0 years of experience.
- Must be a US Citizen with an active U.S. Government DoD Secret security clearance at time of application, current and within scope (< 6 years)
- Must have the ability to obtain and maintain Special Access Program (SAP) approval within a reasonable period of time, as determined by the company to meet its business need
- 2 years of experience developing or reviewing requirements within DOORS or similar tool
- 2 years of experience in ICBM (MMIII or Sentinel) OR complex aerospace/defense systems
Principal Systems Architect:
- BS degree in STEM with 5 Years of related systems engineering experience; 3 Years with Masters; 1 Year with PhD
- Must be a US Citizen with an active DoD Secret Clearance with an investigation date within the last 6 years
- Must be able to be successfully screened for Enhanced Security Clearances, within a reasonable amount of time as determined by the company to meet its business needs
- 2 years of experience developing or reviewing requirements within DOORS or similar tool
- 2 years of experience in ICBM (MMIII or Sentinel) OR complex aerospace/defense systems
Preferred Qualifications:
- Familiarity or experience with MagicDraw / Cameo EA
- Familiarity or expertise in DOORS requirements management tool
- Experience developing ICDs and defining interfaces in an MBSE environment
- Experience working in an Agile team
- Understanding of GN&C algorithms and flight critical software development
- Understanding of the following specialty areas: nuclear surety, cybersecurity, flight safety
- Working understanding of basic control system theory and vehicle management systems / guidance system design
- Work experience in one of the following disciplines: guidance & control systems, inertial sensors, navigation systems or vehicle management systems
As a full-time employee of Northrop Grumman Space Systems, you are eligible for our robust benefits package including:
- Medical, Dental & Vision coverage
- 401k
- Educational Assistance
- Life Insurance
- Employee Assistance Programs & Work/Life Solutions
- Paid Time Off
- Health & Wellness Resources
- Employee Discounts
This position's standard work schedule is 9/80. The 9/80 schedule allows employees who work a nine-hour day Monday through Thursday to take every other Friday off.
#SentinelSystems
Primary Level Salary Range: $79,300.00 - $131,400.00Secondary Level Salary Range: $98,400.00 - $163,200.00The 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
- U.S. Government DoD Secret security clearance (active, investigation within last 6 years)
- U.S. Citizenship
- Ability to obtain and maintain Special Access Program (SAP) approval and pass enhanced security screening
- Bachelor's degree in a STEM discipline with 5 years related systems engineering experience; OR Master's with 3 years; OR PhD with 1 year
- 2 years developing or reviewing requirements within DOORS or a similar tool
- 2 years experience in ICBM (MMIII or Sentinel) OR complex aerospace/defense systems
- Must be able to be successfully screened for Enhanced Security Clearances
- Familiarity or experience with MagicDraw / Cameo EA
- Familiarity or expertise in DOORS requirements management tool
- Experience developing ICDs and defining interfaces in an MBSE environment
- Experience working in an Agile team
- Understanding of GN&C algorithms and flight-critical software development
- Understanding of nuclear surety, cybersecurity, and flight safety
- Working understanding of basic control system theory and vehicle management/guidance system design
- Work experience in guidance & control systems, inertial sensors, navigation systems, or vehicle management systems
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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Retirement Support — 401(k) matching is considered strong, with additional defined-benefit coverage for certain cohorts and options like catch-up contributions. Retirement programs are repeatedly highlighted as a core strength of the total rewards.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — PTO, company-paid holidays, and compressed work schedules (such as 9/80) provide meaningful time away and flexibility. These scheduling options are cited as a major quality-of-life benefit across many locations.
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Parental & Family Support — Paid parental leave alongside caregiver leave, adoption assistance, and back-up care supports a range of family needs. These programs have been expanded recently, signaling continued investment in family support.
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.







