Software Engineer (3/4) – Mission Planning & Scheduling (MPS) AHT

Northrop Grumman•Dulles, VA

1d•$114,000 - $213,400•Onsite

About The Position

Northrop Grumman is seeking Software Engineers (mid-level and senior) with a background in software development to join their Mission Planning & Scheduling (MPS) Ground Software team. The focus will be on development, integration, deployment, and sustainment of satellite ground software with an emphasis on mission planning, scheduling, and satellite operations. These positions are located onsite on the Dulles, VA campus and require a Top Secret clearance at the time of application. The company emphasizes an inventive spirit, intellectual curiosity, and a culture that thrives on cognitive diversity. They are looking for individuals who want to solve complex problems that protect the nation and offer training for those who may not be familiar with specific languages or platforms. The roles involve full-stack development for ground systems that plan and execute space missions, including developing mission planning and scheduling capabilities, client and server applications, and integrating various data into planning tools. Support for operations ground software, acceptance testing, and deployment of ground segment software are also key aspects of the role. The position requires a self-starter who can make technical decisions with project budget and schedule in mind.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in a STEM field (ideally Computer Science or Engineering) and 5 years of experience (for SE 3); OR a Master’s degree and 3 years; OR 1 year with PhD.
Bachelor’s degree in a STEM field (ideally Computer Science or Engineering) and 8 years of experience (for SE 4); OR a Master’s degree and 6 years; OR a PhD and 4 years.
Experience may be considered in lieu of degree (additional 4 years).
Demonstrated software development experience.
Experience in Python application development.
Experience in C++.
Experience in Bash scripting.
U.S. Citizenship.
A current or active Top Secret clearance is required at the time of application.

Nice To Haves

Strong preference given to Top Secret with SCI eligibility or current SCI.
Experience with satellite ground systems and/or mission planning & scheduling for space missions.
Familiarity with astrodynamics / orbital mechanics / satellite operations and tools such as FreeFlyer, STK, or other mission planning and analysis tools.
Experience supporting launch and early orbit operations (LEOP).
Experience supporting on-orbit operations, contact planning, or schedule generation.
Experience with DevOps practices, CI/CD pipelines, and automation in an operational ground software environment.

Responsibilities

Perform full-stack development at the OS, platform, and mission-unique software layers for ground systems that plan and execute space missions.
Develop mission planning and scheduling capabilities, including contact/passes planning and schedule generation, activity and resource scheduling for satellites and ground systems, and integration of ephemeris, constraints, and operations rules into planning tools.
Develop client and server applications and services using service- or object-oriented architectures and message-bus–based data exchange.
Build and integrate applications using languages and toolsets such as Python, C++, PostgreSQL/Postgres, Ansible, PKI and security-focused tooling, and static code analysis tools.
Work with astrodynamics and mission operations teams to integrate trajectory, ephemeris, and constraints data into mission planning software and workflows.
Support Operations ground software and associated configurations, including troubleshooting software and hardware issues impacting ground software, and investigating/resolving issues in mission planning and scheduling services.
Support Acceptance Test events, including executing test procedures and test automation and validation of mission planning and scheduling functions.
Configure and deploy ground segment software, including installation of new ground segment and MPS software in various environments, and resolution/remediation of software defects and implementation of enhancements.
Provide ground software support during launch and launch rehearsal events, with a focus on MPS functions supporting LEOP and early operations.
Act as a self-starter who can make technical decisions with overall project budget and schedule in mind.