Principal Systems Engineer – Payload Engineer (Space/Satellite) Top Secret

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 is hiring for a Systems Engineering position that will support the ESPAStar line of spacecraft products as a payload systems engineer. This position is located in Dulles, VA and Gilbert, AZ in our Tactical Space Systems Division. The specific responsibilities of this position will be to manage the technical and functional interfaces of one or more hosted payload to the bus system. Work products include Development of port-specific ICD’s and managing giver-receiver materials, review and approval of bus accommodation documents, development of functional and performance test scripts with the payload vendor, identification and tailoring of mechanical and environmental constraints and requirements. Analysis roles include supporting the science, experiment, and mission planning for the payload. Position will evaluate mission performance and orbital operation of the payload(s).

Mission Overview:

The ESPAStar line of vehicles is a highly dynamic, schedule aggressive line of vehicles that are the freight train to space. The mission is configured in a product line approach, with the basis of each program a build-to-print spacecraft bus that serves as a hosting platform for 6 ports worth of payloads – sometimes approaching 12-20 payloads. Every vehicle has a unique payload loadout, and every payload brings new missions, new technologies, and new customers. We’re looking for people that are looking to work responsive space, be vendor and customer facing, and help contribute to both a specific mission and a product line.

Duties/Responsibilities:

• Creates system requirements and manages both requirement changes in the Requirements Management databases under self direction using established guidelines for a small project.

• Creates and manages both original and revised specification/interface definition documents for a project and expedites documents through signature approval process.

• Creates and manages the requirements verification methods and database provided to the customer, to ensure data products are current, as the system design/build matures, that it satisfies each system requirement.

• Creates and modifies project level management tracking reports.

• Participates and supports proposal-writing efforts for Systems Engineering for a portion of a project.

• Provides data to and manages risk management (identifies potential risks and develops mitigation strategies)and trade study processes for a portion of a project.

• Creates and manages changes to Functional/Logical/Physical Model of System Architecture descriptions under self direction using established guidelines.

• Creates and manages System Representations under self direction using established guidelines.

• Technical Resource Budgets and Configuration Control Board participation.

• Leads aspects of system design, analyses, interface verification, testing, major failure/anomaly resolution or mission operations.

• Creates and manages changes to system or subsystem analytical models under self direction using established guidelines. Can identify issues with model.

• Defines and Develop system and subsystem architectures(s), system physical views - system elements (blocks) and critical interfaces (internal and external).

• Supports and leads the testing and/or evaluation/validation of one or more components of a system or subsystem analytical model or actual system implementation.

• Directs and Runs existing system or subsystem analytical models and simulations to collect data under self direction using established guidelines.

• Prepare and present materials during System Requirement Review, System Functional Review, Preliminary Design Review, Critical Design Review and System Verification Review.

• Leads and prepares trade studies, system sensitivity studies, design optimization studies, system performance assessments, system design assessments, Operations Analysis work such as mission analysis and timelines and CONOPS development.

• Performs cost estimates and project planning for a portion of larger project.

Basic Qualifications:

• Must be a U.S. citizen and hold active Top Secret clearance and be eligible for Secure Compartmented Information (SCI)

• BS in science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) & 5 years, OR Masters in STEM & 3 years

• Systems engineering experience in one of more areas, such as requirements, Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE), verification & validation, interface management, test planning, readiness reviews, etc.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Active or current SCI

• Experience in system architecture, CONOPs, or model-based system engineering (MBSE)

• Space industry experience – space domain/space vehicles, subsystems, and components

• Knowledge of Launch Vehicles, System Safety, System Reliability, Contamination Control, EMI, Space Environments (Radiation, Surface Charging, etc.), and Human Factors is also desired.

• Strong People and Technical Leadership Skills

This position reports to Dulles, VA, USA, however, this position can also be worked from Gilbert, AZ, AZ, USA.

Salary Range: $104,600 USD - $157,000 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.