Space TS/SCI – Staff Engineer Systems (Up to $15k in sign-on bonus for eligible candidates!)

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 designs, builds and delivers space, defense and aviation-related systems to customers around the world. Our main products include launch vehicles and related propulsion systems; missile products, subsystems and defense electronics; precision weapons, armament systems and ammunition; satellites and associated space components and services; and advanced aerospace structures.

Our Systems Engineering Integration & Test (SEIT) organization, within Payload & Ground Systems Division (PGSD), provides complex subsystems and defense electronics. This position can be hired as a Staff Systems Engineer in either of the following 2 disciplines: (1) Systems Design or (2) Modelling & Simulation.

This position is located at our Rolling Meadows, IL location.

As a part of the SEIT team, a Systems Design engineer is exposed to the front end Systems Engineering process and coordinates across many disciplines to ensure that the system description and requirements are properly and thoroughly defined, captured, and meet the mission need for the end customer.

Tasking for Systems Design can include:

• Performing key systems engineering elements to meet a given program’s requirements
• Supporting the design and development of sensor system architectures
• Performing functional analysis, timeline analysis, detailed trade studies, requirements allocation, and interface definition studies to translate customer requirements into hardware and software specifications
• Responsibility for close customer cooperation to ensure that requirements meet customer expectations
• Providing presentations to customers and senior management, with tailored material based on the audience
• Leading / overseeing technical work products developed by the larger engineering team, supporting design reviews and integration and test activities as needed
• creating and refining Model Based System Engineering products (System behavioral models, Use Case realizations, State Machines, etc.)
• generation and update of specifications in DOORS, including requirements traceability and dxl script development
• capability assessments to predict requirement compliance
• functional algorithm development
• risk assessment and burn down of mitigation steps
• generating and reporting system Technical Performance Measures
• Interface development and documentation

As part of the SEIT team, a Modeling & Simulation Engineer is exposed to the full life-cycle of Systems Engineering process and coordinates across many disciplines to ensure that the system is modeled with sufficient fidelity. In the early stages of programs, modeling & simulation is leveraged to understand system CONOPs, inform system architecture, and perform trades. In the later stages as the design matures, field test data is used to verify and validate the models and ensure the payload models are representative of actual performance.

Tasking for modelling and simulation can include:

• Providing physics level and mission level modeling subject matter expertise
• Leading a team of modelling and simulation engineers to define study scope and guide independent research and development activities.
• Supporting capture activities, including RFI/RFP preparation, customer presentations and live demonstrations, and competitor analysis
• Software development of physics-based in-house models and algorithms
• Perform analysis and trades of product line architectures using analytical models and mission level simulations
• Functional algorithm development
• Authoring technical documentation such as white papers, proposal technical volumes, program milestone briefings (i.e. SRR, PDR, CDR,…), systems engineering design documentation
• Presenting technical analysis to multiple stakeholders
• Creating and refining Model Based Systems Engineering Products (System behavioral models, Use Case realizations, State Machines, etc.)

In addition, the ideal candidate has recent experience in the fields of either EOIR, RF systems, or both. Specifically, the ideal candidate will have experience in the following specialties.

• Advanced knowledge and recent experience in one or more of the following areas: EOIR/RF systems: sensors/antennas, transmitters/receivers, lasers, LiDAR, optics, visible and IR cameras, focal plane arrays.
• Real-time signal processing
• Requirements analysis and allocation as related to Systems Engineering

Additional $10k sign-on bonus for selected candidates who possess an ACTIVE TS/SCI clearance, and an additional $5k sign-on bonuses to selected candidates who possess an active Polygraph.

Basic Qualifications:

• BS degree in BS degree in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Physics or related technical degree with 14+ years (or MS with 12+ years, or PhD with 9+ years) related experience
• Theoretical knowledge of the System Engineering V-Model and hands on experience executing the systems engineering work flow  
• Demonstrated analytical thinking, problem solving skills, and creativity
• Excellent decision making and communication (written and oral) skills
• Team players with a strong work ethic and initiative to perform in a cross functional team
• Ability to obtain Top Secret/SCI level accesses

Preferred Qualifications: 

    

• Active Top Secret Clearance with SCI & polygraph is preferred
• Working knowledge of RF sensors/antennas, transmitters/receivers
• Experience with real-time signal processing in both firmware and software
• Advanced knowledge of orbital mechanics, dynamics and controls, rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO), orbit determination, and attitude planning
• Knowledgeable in orbit planning in LEO, GEO and cislunar regimes
• Knowledgeable in the use of COTS tools such as AGI’s Systems Tool Kit (STK) and Orbital Determination Tool Kit (ODTK)
• Full life cycle experience developing, integrating, and deploying space systems
• Knowledgeable in space systems design and mission planning
• Experience in specification development and requirements derivation using DOORS
• Experience deploying innovative modeling methods for Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) using tools like Cameo
• Knowledge of MATLAB, SysML, Python, or other scripting languages
• Recent experience creating integration and test, design verification test and flight test plans and procedures
• Ability and willingness to travel up to 15%
• Experience working in an Agile environment

Salary Range: $153,600 USD - $230,400 USD

Employees may be eligible for 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 health and safety of our employees and their families is a top priority. The company encourages employees to remain up-to-date on their COVID-19 vaccinations. U.S. Northrop Grumman employees may be required, in the future, to be vaccinated or have an approved disability/medical or religious accommodation, pursuant to future court decisions and/or government action on the currently stayed federal contractor vaccine mandate under Executive Order 14042 https://www.saferfederalworkforce.gov/contractors/.

Northrop Grumman is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action 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/AA and Pay Transparency statement, please visit http://www.northropgrumman.com/EEO. U.S. Citizenship is required for most positions.