Principal / Senior Principal Systems Engineer

Northrop Grumman•El Segundo, CA

1d•$114,000 - $213,400•Onsite

About The Position

Northrop Grumman's Aeronautics Systems – Research & Advanced Design (R&AD) transforms breakthrough ideas into mission-ready capabilities through intelligent anticipation. We’re the front-end design engine, defining what comes next. From developing cutting-edge next-generation future aircraft to trailblazing collaborative autonomous platforms, we push the boundaries of technology and forge industry-leading partnerships that set new standards for what’s possible. Our team owns the full lifecycle of advanced concept creation, from visionary early-stage designs and rapid prototyping to high-impact demonstrations and solving the toughest technical challenges in survivability, autonomy, and battle management. We seek curious, adaptable people who thrive on turning intuition into breakthrough solutions. If you’re driven to invent the future, build what’s next, and shape the landscape of national security, this is where you belong. Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems has an opening for a Principal/Sr. Principal Systems Engineer to join the team of qualified individuals on our Research and Advanced Design organization. This role is located onsite in Redondo Beach AND El Segundo, CA. This role may be filled at the Principal OR Senior Principal level based on the qualifications listed, below. In this role, the Principal/Sr. Principal Systems Engineer will lead system-level architecture definition and systems engineering activities for advanced aeronautics programs in the R&AD organization. The role requires strong general systems engineering skills including requirements management, risk management, architecture development, and hands-on experience with Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) and SysML. The Principal/Sr. Principal Systems Engineer will define and evolve architectures for high-performance aircraft and/or unmanned systems, guide trade studies, and mentor multidisciplinary teams through concept, design, integration, and V&V phases.

Requirements

Must have a Bachelor of Science degree in a Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math (STEM) discipline AND 5 years of related professional/military experience OR a Master of Science degree in a STEM discipline AND 3 years of related professional/military experience, OR a STEM Ph.D. AND 1 years of related professional/military experience (for Principal level).
Must have a Bachelor of Science degree in a Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math (STEM) discipline AND 8 years of related professional/military experience OR a Master of Science degree in a STEM discipline AND 6 years of related professional/military experience, OR a STEM Ph.D. AND 4 years of related professional/military experience (for Senior Principal level).
Must have an active US Government Secret (or higher) clearance (with a background investigation within the past 6 years or enrolled into Continuous Evaluation).
Must have the ability to obtain and maintain Special Access Program (SAP) clearance, within a reasonable amount of time as determined by business needs.
Must have experience with Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) and SysML—creating and maintaining SysML models and using MBSE to support requirements, design, and verification.
Must have experience with requirements management (tools such as DOORS, Polarion, or equivalent), including requirements decomposition and traceability.
Must have experience in risk management methods (e.g., FMEA, FTA, risk registers) and applying risk-informed design decisions.
Must have experience developing system architectures, interface control documents (ICDs), and performing system-level trade studies.
Must have familiarity with systems engineering lifecycle processes (V-model) and standards (e.g., INCOSE SE Handbook).
Must have communication, leadership, and stakeholder management skills; ability to present complex technical material clearly.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree preferred in Aerospace, Systems, Electrical, Mechanical Engineering, or related field.
Experience with SysML tools such as Cameo Systems Modeler, MagicDraw, or Enterprise Architect.
Knowledge of aerospace architecture frameworks (DoDAF/UPDM) and model interchange standards (AP233, OSLC).
Familiarity with MATLAB/Simulink, model-based verification, or digital thread/MBSE toolchains.
Experience with avionics, guidance & navigation, flight control systems, or propulsion integration.
Prior experience in R&AD, prototype development, rapid iteration, or technology maturation programs.

Responsibilities

Lead development of system-level architectures, concepts of operations, and interface definitions for advanced aeronautics projects.
Apply MBSE using SysML to produce and maintain system models, traceability, and architectural views throughout the program lifecycle.
Drive requirements engineering and configuration: elicit, decompose, allocate, and manage requirements; ensure bidirectional traceability.
Perform and oversee risk management activities (identification, assessment, mitigation planning, and tracking); support FMEA/FTA and risk registers.
Conduct trade studies, system analyses, and feasibility assessments to support architectural decisions.
Define verification & validation strategies and support test planning and integration activities.
Coordinate cross-disciplinary engineering teams (hardware, software, avionics, propulsion, structures) and external partners/suppliers to ensure architectural integrity and system integration.
Prepare technical briefings, architecture artifacts, and documentation for stakeholders and review boards.
Mentor and provide technical leadership to systems engineers and architects; establish best practices for MBSE and systems engineering across projects.