Senior Principal Systems Engineer
About The Position
Northrop Grumman’s Space Systems Sector is seeking a Systems Engineer – Level 4 for its Fairfax, Virginia, or Morrisville, North Carolina locations. The engineer will work with a Scrum team of software and systems engineers to define product vision, manage the product backlog, align features with business objectives, prioritize work, and deliver high-quality mission-focused software systems. The role incorporates user feedback into the product roadmap and supports innovation in response to customer needs, using Agile practices and the Atlassian tool suite. The position applies systems engineering and space-domain knowledge to define requirements, interfaces, processes, use cases, protocols, schemas, and interaction sequences that drive software design for ground-segment functions. The engineer will integrate and test software segments, automate tests, verify requirements, and deliver products to operations. Work supports a program through full life-cycle milestones and Agile sprints. The role requires independent work with little oversight, strong communication, collaboration, and the ability to handle diverse assignments in a dynamic, fast-paced environment. The engineer will help develop and execute satellite ground-system features, translate customer needs and interfaces into digital artifacts for software implementation, and support or lead verification planning, test requirements, milestones, and Agile product increments. The work spans requirements and verification, interfaces, architecture and design, integration, testing, and sell-off. The engineer will provide expertise in space-vehicle command-and-control systems, collaborate with subsystem and unit-level engineers, conduct customer and leadership briefings, ensure integration of capabilities, epics, and features with ground satellite software solutions, and participate in working groups and control boards. Specific responsibilities may be tailored to the selected candidate’s skills and experience. An active TS/SCI clearance is required at application and before start. Continued employment is subject to maintaining the clearance and program access required for the position. Relocation assistance may be available, and travel is expected approximately 10% of the time.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in a STEM discipline and 8 or more years of engineering experience; or a master's degree in a STEM discipline and 6 or more years of engineering experience; or a Ph.D. in a STEM discipline and 4 or more years of engineering experience.
- Active TS/SCI clearance at the time of application and before the start date; continued employment requires maintaining the clearance and program access required for the position.
- At least 2 years of experience developing and evaluating behavioral and structural architecture diagrams using MBSE methodology and tooling, or equivalent.
- At least 2 years of experience using No Magic Cameo, or equivalent.
- Experience with space-vehicle, command-and-control, mission-management, mission-data-processing, or software subsystems.
- Demonstrated written and oral communication skills through written requirements, test, and evaluation criteria.
- At least 2 years of experience with systems engineering processes and artifact development supporting software development, including use cases, interface control documents, class diagrams, sequence diagrams, database design, schema development, and software protocols such as REST, HTTP, and RESP, or equivalent.
- Experience working on Agile programs and using Agile methodology.
- Ability to work independently with little oversight in a dynamic environment.
Nice To Haves
- At least 3 years of experience with command-and-control, network management, flight dynamics, and/or orbit determination for space-vehicle-related software systems.
- Experience with space-vehicle subsystems, including thermal, power, attitude control, propulsion, and/or communications.
- Familiarity with cloud-based architectures such as Kubernetes, containers, and orchestrators.
- Experience working mission-focused threads.
- Experience with the software development life cycle.
- Experience with JIRA and Confluence.
- Experience working with a geographically distributed team.
- Experience with automated test and integration frameworks, including Playwright.
Responsibilities
- Drive development and execution of satellite ground-system features and read CAMEO/MBSE models.
- Participate in working groups, research customer needs and interfaces, and translate them into digital artifacts for software implementation.
- Support or lead development of verification planning, test requirements, and other key products.
- Work across systems engineering disciplines and products, including requirements and verification, interfaces, architecture and design, integration, test, and sell-off.
- Participate in sprint planning, stand-ups, retrospectives, and reviews while maintaining alignment with product vision and mission goals.
- Provide subject matter expertise in space-vehicle command-and-control systems and collaborate with other teams and unit-level engineers supporting subsystems.
- Conduct demonstrations and briefings for customers and senior leadership.
- Ensure seamless integration of capabilities, epics, and features with ground satellite software systems solutions.
- Use the Atlassian tool suite, including Jira dashboards and Confluence knowledge bases.
- Support or lead preparation and execution of milestones and Agile product increments.
- Engage with multiple working groups and control boards.
- Define requirements, interfaces, processes, use cases, protocols, schemas, and sequences of interactions that drive software design for ground-segment functions.
- Integrate and test software segments, automate tests, verify requirements, and deliver products to operations.
- Support the program through full life-cycle milestones and Agile sprints.
Benefits
- Health insurance coverage
- Life insurance
- Disability insurance
- Savings plan
- Company-paid holidays
- Paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business
- Potential eligibility for overtime
- Potential shift differential
- Discretionary bonus; annual bonuses reward individual contributions and enable employees to share in company results
- Long-term incentives may be available to employees in Vice President or Director positions
- Relocation assistance may be available
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
