Staff Spacecraft Interface Engineering Lead – Top Secret Clearance Required (Space/Satellite Systems)

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 is seeking a Spacecraft Interface Engineering Lead to support programs in Gilbert, AZ.

The specific responsibilities of the Spacecraft Interface Engineering Lead are to lead and manage the technical effort to define and verify interfaces between spacecraft bus, payloads, launch vehicle, and ground systems for their assigned mission. Tasking includes developing interface requirements, documenting designs through interface control documents (ICDs), leading interface working groups and design reviews, supervising technical design accommodations, developing interface verification and validation plans, and leading interface testing during integration & test campaigns.
 

Job Responsibilities:

• Drive program technical execution in accordance with Northrop Grumman Systems Engineering processes and best practices.

• Be self-directed while leveraging your technical and leadership skills to help bring spacecraft bus, payload, launch vehicle, and ground segment Interfaces together to produce a spacecraft meeting contractual and mission requirements.

• Spearhead development of interface control documents governing all mechanical, electrical, and functional interfaces and interdependencies between spacecraft bus, payloads, launch vehicle, and ground segment.

• Ensure interface requirements are flowed and allocated to the proper program elements/subsystems and accurately documented and linked in the interface management database.

• Chair interface working groups and reviews with both customers and mission partners.

• Recognize and mitigate interface related technical issues and risks.

• Support the planning, design, and execution of testing strategies to verify interface functionality, measure performance, and verify survivability in the extreme launch and space environments.

• Support development of avionics test benches and simulation environments to verify interface requirements and help burn down overall program technical risk.

• Play a key role in major program milestone and readiness reviews.

• Author and provide input to major program data products and other deliverables.

• Assist process improvement initiatives, and incorporate lessons learned to continue to strengthen the LEOStar-3 product line.

• Lead by example and be willing to mentor, coach, train, guide, direct and advise junior staff.
   

Basic Qualifications:

• Must have U.S. Citizenship with active DoD Top Secret/SCI clearance

• Bachelor’s degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics) discipline and 14+ years of engineering experience OR master’s degree in a STEM discipline and 9+ years of engineering experience

• Experience in systems engineering to include architectural studies, technical baseline definition, requirements & interface management, hardware/software integration, and test planning & execution
   

Preferred Qualifications:

• Advanced degree in engineering, physics, or computer science

• Active DoD Top Secret/SCI clearance

• Experience working on spacecraft or aircraft systems.

• Experience in system architecture, CONOPs development, or model-based system engineering

• Experience with various technical tools such as MATLAB, STK, CORE, DOORS, or CAMEO

• Experience in any of the following areas is also desired:  orbital mechanics, orbital debris modeling, spacecraft attitude control, power systems and modeling, avionics or digital electronics design, risk analysis, optics, communications , rocket propulsion, thermal engineering, or spacecraft integration and testing

• Experience with Mission Operations for spacecraft

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

• Experience and/or training in Earned Value Management Systems

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Salary Range: $139,000 USD - $208,600 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.