Sr. Principal Satellite Systems Engineer – Spacecraft Operations

Northrop Grumman•Grand Forks, ND

18h

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. 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 a Sr. Principal Satellite Systems Engineer – Spacecraft Operations (Level 4) located in Grand Forks, ND, you’ll be a linchpin in missions of paramount importance, defining the art of the possible from day one. Please be aware that this position will be contingent upon launch date and holding final clearances (if applicable) prior to start date In this role, the Sr. Principal Satellite Systems Engineer (Level 4) will be instrumental in driving the success of complex satellite operations. The selected candidate must be available to travel to Redondo Beach, CA, for a minimum of two months of training. We are seeking an individual with exceptional problem-solving abilities, capable of identifying and resolving the root causes of spacecraft and ground system anomalies while making critical decisions under high-pressure conditions. Strong communication and interpersonal skills are also essential, enabling seamless collaboration and effective interfacing with employees and management at all levels.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) discipline with 8+ years of relevant satellite and/or mission operator engineering experience; Master's degree in STEM with 6+ years of relevant experience; PhD in STEM with 4 years of relevant experience
Active DoD Secret clearance required at the time of application with the ability and willingness to obtain and maintain a Top Secret clearance
Space systems engineering experience/satellite operations experience
Ability and willingness to work in a 24/7 operations environment, supporting 12-hour shifts on a 4-on, 4-off schedule, alternating between 4 day shifts and 4 night shifts

Nice To Haves

Active DoD Top Secret clearance
Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science or Computer Engineering
Proficiency in Python
Experience working with subcontractors
Expertise in RF communications domain

Responsibilities

Oversee the team’s day-to-day activities and ensure operational progress.
Provide mission operations support for a constellation of satellites.
Monitor the health and status of spacecraft, analyzing both short- and long-term telemetry trends.
Collaborate with systems and software engineers to lead anomaly review board investigations.
Make modifications to existing operations procedures to incorporate lessons learned from in-flight performance.
Develop new procedures as required.
Support system maintenance, including updates to procedures and software.
Conduct testing using simulators and work closely with multidisciplinary engineering teams to debug on-orbit and ground issues.
Track space vehicle configuration, including both hardware and software.
Collaborate with mission planners to enable manual and automated mission planning during different phases of operations.
Support constellation-level operations, including shift work with 12-hour and night rotations (4 on, 4 off schedule).
Lead the prioritization of tasks, resolve issues, and support coordination across geographically distributed teams.