AI Software Engineer – Level 3

Northrop Grumman • Dulles, VA

1d • $125,300 - $206,800 • Onsite

About The Position

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.
Please be aware that this position is contingent upon capturing program award(s) and obtaining and maintaining associated business and/or customer funding. Furthermore, this position is contingent upon the candidate obtaining final clearances and program access(es) within a reasonable period of time as determined by the company. Continued employment thereafter will be subject to maintenance at the level of clearance and program access required for the position in the future.
Expand your horizons, advance your career, and contribute to a secure future for generations. Northrop Grumman’s Space Sector invites you to bring your pioneering spirit to our collaborative teams. As an AI Software Engineer – Level 3 supporting our Space team, this role can be based at our Dulles, VA location. On our team, you’ll be a linchpin in missions of paramount importance, defining the art of the possible from day one.
We are looking for early to mid-career AI researchers and engineers with deep knowledge of Computer Science and a deep focus on Reinforcement Learning (RL) to design and implement intelligent autonomy algorithms for our space and aerospace programs.

Requirements

• Must have the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government DoD Top-Secret (TS) security clearance and Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) approval/access [TS/SCI] within a reasonable period of time.
• US citizenship is required.
• Bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 5 years of relevant AI engineering experience
• Master’s degree with a minimum of 3 years of relevant AI engineering experience
• PhD with a minimum of 1 year of relevant AI engineering experience
• Industry knowledge and/or foundational education of AI, with a focus on ML, RL, or SL model development
• Experience with machine learning usage in a product line environment
• Experience with hands-on coding of learning algorithms from primary literature—comfortable translating equations to optimized code
• Experience with physics-based AI application (e.g. for spacecraft, robotics, autonomous aircraft, drones, rockets, or similar) in academia or industry
• Experience in developing scalable RL/SL and other ML pipelines, with a track record of designing novel algorithms tailored to complex, real-world dynamics
• Experience/proficiency in software engineering best practices and standards
• Experience in simulation development for space vehicle applications
• Experience in Embedded Software, Space Flight Software, or Simulation Software
• Experience with Python, CUDA, C/C++ programming

Nice To Haves

• Current/Active TS/SCI
• MS or PhD in Computer Science or Reinforcement Learning, or STEM degree field with strong physics-based numerical modeling and AI/ML experience
• Diverse programming proficiency: C/C++, Python, MATLAB/Simulink, Windows/Linux scripting
• Demonstrated systems engineering excellence in requirements analysis, modeling and simulation, verification and validation at subsystem and system level or Demonstrated vehicle development, mission systems integration, ground and flight test validation experience
• Experience in successfully developing and integrating software and hardware solutions for space applications
• Experience in system and subsystem specification development including verification methodologies
• Experience implementing action plans based on metrics and/or root cause/corrective actions
• Hands-on technical experience with spacecraft or satellite related systems
• Proven experience working with technically diverse teams across multiple locations
• Experience with Space Flight Software, Simulation Software

Responsibilities

• Perform Novel Algorithm R&D
• Design and implement state-of-the-art RL / SL algorithms drawn from the latest literature
• Rapidly prototype in Python/JAX/PyTorch, then port to embedded C++/CUDA
• Develop Physics-Based Autonomy to perform Mission Planning & Decision-Making
• Apply supervised learning, reinforcement learning, and other AI/ML techniques to high-fidelity astrodynamics planning and controls problems, including real-time constraint handling
• Fuse learned policies with classical GNC filters for robust guidance, navigation, and closed-loop control
• Build models that re-optimize delta-V, power, and comm- (among other) constrained timelines using neural search or differentiable optimization
• Develop AI solutions for real-time anomaly detection and response to ensuring robust and adaptive spacecraft operations. This includes developing models that detect out-of-family telemetry and select corrective actions via hierarchical or policy-gradient RL
• Lead Verification & Flight Readiness
• Lead Monte-Carlo, Processor-in-the-Loop, Hardware-in-the-Loop, and digital twin campaigns to prove safety and performance via internal standards
• Participate in the full life cycle of software development, including requirements development, modeling and design, application development, unit to CSCI testing, integration, formal system testing, release, installation, and maintenance
• Developing systems for a variety of spacecraft using current technologies and others yet to come!

Benefits

• Relocation assistance may be available
• health insurance coverage
• life and disability insurance
• savings plan
• Company paid holidays and paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business
• Annual bonuses are designed to reward individual contributions as well as allow employees to share in company results.
• discretionary bonus
• overtime
• shift differential

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Principal