Northrop Grumman’s Space Systems Sector is seeking Systems Engineer – Level 2 and Systems Engineer – Level 3 to join our team in Redondo Beach, CA.
*Please be aware that this position is contingent upon capturing program award(s) and obtaining and maintaining associated business and/or customer funding.
In this role, the Systems Interface Engineer will lead the definition, integration, and verification of system-to-system interfaces across complex space architectures. In this role, you will own the technical baseline for external interfaces between payloads, spacecraft buses, ground segments, and external mission partners, ensuring end-to-end interoperability, performance, and compliance with program requirements.
You will work closely with systems engineering, hardware, software, and customer teams to decompose requirements, develop interface control documentation, and resolve integration issues throughout the program lifecycle.
Job responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:
Own the technical definition and control of external interfaces for assigned subsystems and segments (space, ground, and cross-segment) and collaborating with diverse engineering design teams to assist in managing technical baseline.
Develop, maintain, and baseline Interface Control Documents (ICDs), Interface Requirement Specifications, and related configuration-managed artifacts.
Decompose system-level requirements into interface requirements and allocate them to subsystems and components.
Lead and participate in interface working groups, design reviews, and technical interchange meetings with internal and external stakeholders.
Maintenance of Interfaces in DOORS Database, driving documentation into Digital Transformation
Supporting multiple engineering insertions simultaneously while ensuring the various maturations are synchronized
Coordinate interface definition across mechanical, electrical, data, RF, and software interfaces, ensuring consistency and traceability.
Perform interface compatibility assessments, margin analyses, and trades to support architecture and design decisions.
Support integration and test planning for interface verification, including development of test configurations, procedures, and success criteria.
Investigate and resolve interface-related issues during integration and test, including anomaly triage and corrective action recommendations.
Ensure interface design and documentation remain aligned with evolving requirements, configuration changes, and customer constraints.
Contribute to risk identification and mitigation planning related to external interfaces.
Provide clear technical communication to program leadership, customers, and cross-functional teams.
Review RFCs for potential impacts and communicating internally to generate program responses
Basic Qualifications for Systems Engineer – Level 2:
Bachelor's degree in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) discipline with 2+ years of engineering experience OR, Master's degree in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) discipline
Candidate must have an active SCI at time of application. Continued employment thereafter will be subject to maintenance at the level of clearance and program access required for the position in the future.
Experience developing and managing external interfaces and interface documentation (ICDs, IRDs, specs) and maintaining configuration control.
Familiarity with requirements management tools (e.g., DOORS, etc.) and model-based or structured systems engineering practices.
2+ years of experience performing in a Systems Engineering or related technical discipline
Understanding of systems engineering principles and processes
Demonstrated written and oral communications skills through written requirements, test, and evaluation criteria
Basic Qualifications for Systems Engineer – Level 3:
Bachelor's degree in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) discipline with 5+ years of engineering experience OR, Master's degree in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) discipline with 3 years of experience OR, PhD degree in a STEM discipline with 1 year of experience
Candidate must have an active SCI at time of application and prior to start date. Continued employment thereafter will be subject to maintenance at the level of clearance and program access required for the position in the future.
Experience developing and managing external interfaces and interface documentation (ICDs, IRDs, specs) and maintaining configuration control.
Familiarity with requirements management tools (e.g., DOORS, etc.) and model-based or structured systems engineering practices.
5+ years of experience performing in a Systems Engineering or related technical discipline
Understanding of systems engineering principles and processes
Demonstrated written and oral communications skills through written requirements, test, and evaluation criteria
Preferred Qualifications for Systems Engineer – Level 2/3:
Experience on space systems programs (spacecraft, payloads, ground segment, or mission operations).
Familiarity with interface standards and industry best practices for space and ground systems.
Experience working with customer and partner organizations on joint interface definition and control.
Experience in test procedure development, test planning, and/or integration and test
Familiarity with Model- Driven Systems Engineering languages (SysML /UML) and concepts and CORE knowledge a plus
Excellent technical writing skills, and team building skills
Experience in troubleshooting of complex systems
Experience of working as part of a diverse team in a fast-paced environment
*Please be aware that this position is 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
Primary Level Salary Range: $91,800.00 - $137,600.00Secondary Level Salary Range: $114,000.00 - $171,000.00The 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 STEM (or Master's/PhD with equivalent experience)
- Active SCI clearance at time of application and maintained for employment
- Experience developing and managing external interfaces and interface documentation (ICDs, IRDs, specs) with configuration control
- Familiarity with requirements management tools (e.g., DOORS) and model-based or structured systems engineering practices
- Systems engineering experience (Level 2: 2+ years; Level 3: 5+ years)
- Understanding of systems engineering principles and processes
- Demonstrated written and oral communication skills for requirements, test, and evaluation criteria
- Experience on space systems programs (spacecraft, payloads, ground segment, or mission operations)
- Familiarity with interface standards and industry best practices for space and ground systems
- Experience working with customer and partner organizations on joint interface definition and control
- Experience in test procedure development, test planning, and/or integration and test
- Familiarity with SysML, UML, CORE, and Model-Driven Systems Engineering concepts
- Excellent technical writing and team-building skills
- Experience troubleshooting complex systems
- Ability to work as part of a diverse team in a fast-paced environment
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.
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