Ground Software Lead Engineer/Architect

Northrop Grumman • Dulles, VA

3d • $166,500 - $289,200 • Onsite

About The Position

Northrop Grumman’s Space Sector is seeking a Ground Software Lead Engineer/Architect (Level 6) for its Western Region Software Engineering Directorate. The role provides technical leadership for software planning, architecture, and execution, with a focus on capability roadmapping, reuse, and metrics-driven management across the lifecycle. The position is onsite in Gilbert, Arizona; Redondo Beach, California; Morrisville, North Carolina; or Dulles, Virginia. Relocation assistance may be available. Travel is 10% of the time, and an active Top Secret clearance is required at application, with the ability and willingness to obtain Special Program Access.

The role leads software reuse strategies and product trade studies; allocates system requirements into software capabilities and features; develops and maintains software buildup plans and capability roadmaps; and reviews feature alignment and success criteria. It also contributes to software framework concepts, supports ground software cost estimates and proposal estimates, and manages software metrics and Jira dashboards and reports.

The primary level salary range is $166,500 to $289,200. Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus. Benefits include health insurance, life and disability insurance, a savings plan, company-paid holidays, and paid time off for vacation and/or personal business. U.S. citizenship is required for positions requiring a government clearance.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a STEM discipline and 12+ years of software engineering experience, or a Master’s degree in a STEM discipline and 10+ years of experience, or a Ph.D. in a STEM discipline and 8+ years of experience.
• Active U.S. Government Top Secret clearance at the time of application and ability and willingness to obtain Special Program Access.
• Demonstrated front-end planning experience, including developing capability roadmaps, decomposing capabilities into features, and defining measurable feature success criteria.
• Experience with software architecture and design for complex, mission-critical systems.
• Experience working within Agile software development lifecycles, including backlog refinement and iterative delivery.
• Experience integrating and/or leveraging third-party software frameworks.
• Proficiency with Jira for software implementation planning, tracking, and metrics reporting.
• Experience with CAMEO or similar model-based systems engineering tools.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with software cost estimation and supporting proposal activities.
• Experience as a Product Owner or similar role managing software backlogs, priorities, and stakeholder expectations.
• Control Account Manager (CAM) experience, including cost/schedule management, variance analysis, and reporting.

Responsibilities

• Lead software reuse strategies and product trade studies to maximize efficiency, commonality, and maintainability.
• Allocate system requirements into software capabilities and features; develop and maintain the software buildup plan and capability roadmap, including inputs needed for BPE.
• Review element- and component-level features for alignment with higher-level capabilities; define, track, and report feature success criteria.
• Contribute to developing and refining the software framework concept for scalability and adaptability across programs.
• Support Basis of Proposal Estimates (BPE), including development and refinement of ground software cost estimates.
• Own software metrics reporting and management; configure and maintain Jira dashboards and reports for execution, visibility, and data-driven decision making.

Benefits

• Health insurance coverage
• Life insurance
• Disability insurance
• Savings plan
• Company-paid holidays
• Paid time off for vacation and/or personal business
• Potential eligibility for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus
• Relocation assistance may be available

What This Job Offers

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