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Systems Engineer - Level 2/3

Northrop Grumman

Dulles, VAFull-time$79–148K/yrSeen 6 days agoSeen in employer's feed 6 days ago

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At a glance

Compensation
$79–148K/yr
Location
Dulles, VA
Schedule
Full-time
Work Authorization
US work authorization required

Olive lists jobs from US employers, including remote roles you can work from the United States.

Requirements

Credentials this posting asks for.

TS/SCI clearance

Job overview

Northrop Grumman seeks a Systems Engineer Level 2 or 3 for its Space Systems Sector in Gilbert, Arizona, or Dulles, Virginia. The individual contributor will manage technical and functional interfaces between hosted payloads and spacecraft buses, develop interface documents and test scripts, and support mission planning, performance evaluation, integration, and testing. The role requires an active Top Secret clearance and the ability to obtain TS/SCI clearance.

Skills & qualifications

RequiredNice to have

Skills

Technical Problem-SolvingSystems EngineeringArchitectural StudiesTechnical Baseline DefinitionRequirements ManagementInterface ManagementHardware/Software IntegrationTest Planning and ExecutionSpace SystemsSpacecraft DesignMission OperationsSpacecraft or Aircraft SystemsSystem ArchitectureCONOPS DevelopmentModel-Based Systems EngineeringMATLABSTKCOREDOORSCAMEOOrbital MechanicsOrbital Debris ModelingSpacecraft Attitude ControlPower Systems ModelingAvionics DesignDigital Electronics DesignRisk AnalysisOpticsCommunicationsRocket PropulsionThermal EngineeringSpacecraft Integration and TestingLaunch VehiclesSystem SafetySystem ReliabilityContamination ControlEMISpace EnvironmentsHuman Factors

Qualifications

Bachelor's in STEM and 2+ Years Engineering or Master's in STEMBachelor's in STEM and 5+ Years, Master's and 3+ Years, or PhD and 1+ YearActive Top Secret Clearance and Ability to Obtain TS/SCI

Benefits

Relocation Assistance
Medical Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
401(k) Match
Tuition Assistance
Paid Time Off

Full job description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available

CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes

CLEARANCE TYPE: Top Secret

TRAVEL: Yes, 10% of the Time

Description

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.

Northrop Grumman’s Space Systems Sector is seeking a Systems Engineer – Level 2 or 3 to join our team in Gilbert, Arizona or Dulles, VA.

This Systems Engineer Level 2 or 3 position is for an individual contributor within a multi-disciplinary engineering team. The specific responsibilities of this position will be to manage the technical and functional interfaces of one or more hosted payload(s) to a spacecraft bus. Work products include the development of payload port-specific interface control documents (ICDs), managing giver-receiver materials, review and approval of bus accommodation documents, development of functional and performance test scripts, and identification of mechanical, electrical, and environmental constraints and requirements. Analysis roles include supporting science, experiment, and mission planning for the payload and evaluating mission performance and orbital operations.

Job Responsibilities:

  • Perform technical planning and analyses at all levels of total system product to include concept, design, fabrication, test, installation, operations, maintenance, and disposal

  • Develop system and subsystem architectures(s), system physical views including system elements (blocks) and critical interfaces (internal and external)

  • Generate both original and revised specification/interface definition documents

  • Produce requirements and manage changes using established Northrop Grumman guidelines and database tools

  • Leads and prepares trade studies, system sensitivity studies, design optimization studies, system performance assessments, CONOPS development, and mission analysis/planning

  • Support proposal writing, project planning and cost estimation efforts

  • Play a key role in major program milestone and readiness reviews

  • Help support critical test campaigns designed to exercise spacecraft & payload functionality, measure performance, and verify survivability in the extreme launch and space environments

  • Provide on-floor support of integration, testing, and operational readiness of spacecraft and payloads. This includes working with the I&T team to ensure the safe, effective, and efficient testing of the spacecraft, reviewing test data logs, and supporting Non-Conformance Reports (NCRs) troubleshooting and regression testing, Failure Review Boards (FRBs), and test script changes.

  • Incorporate lessons learned to continue to strengthen the product line

  • Lead by example and be willing to mentor, coach, train, guide, direct and advise teammates

Basic Qualifications Level 2:

  • Bachelor’s Degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics) discipline and 2 years of engineering experience or Masters degree in a STEM discipline

  • Self-starter with strong technical problem-solving skills, an aptitude for understanding system and subsystem interactions and initiative to drive product development to closure

  • Experience in systems engineering to include architectural studies, technical baseline definition, requirements & interface management, hardware/software integration, and test planning & execution

  • Experience in space systems, spacecraft design, or mission operations

  • Must have active U.S. Government Top Secret Security Clearance and ability to obtain TS/SCI Clearance.

Basic Qualifications Level 3:

  • Bachelor’s Degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics) discipline and 5 years of engineering experience or Masters degree in a STEM discipline and 3 years of engineering experience or PhD in a STEM discipline and 1 year of engineering experience.

  • Self-starter with strong technical problem-solving skills, an aptitude for understanding system and subsystem interactions and initiative to drive product development to closure

  • Experience in systems engineering to include architectural studies, technical baseline definition, requirements & interface management, hardware/software integration, and test planning & execution

  • Experience in space systems, spacecraft design, or mission operations

  • Must have active U.S. Government Top Secret Security Clearance and ability to obtain TS/SCI Clearance.

Preferred Qualifications for both Level 2 and 3:

  • Experience working on spacecraft or aircraft systems or payloads

  • Experience in system architecture, CONOPs development, or model-based system engineering

  • Experience with various technical tools such as MATLAB, STK, CORE, DOORS, or CAMEO

  • Experience in any of the following areas is also desired: orbital mechanics, orbital debris modeling, spacecraft attitude control, power systems and modeling, avionics or digital electronics design, risk analysis, optics, communications, rocket propulsion, thermal engineering, or spacecraft integration and testing

  • Experience with Mission Operations for spacecraft

  • Knowledge of Launch Vehicles, System Safety, System Reliability, Contamination Control, EMI, Space Environments (Radiation, Surface Charging, etc.), and Human Factors

Curious about all the exciting developments with the Northrop Grumman Space Sector? Click the link below:

https://www.northropgrumman.com/space .

Working at Northrop Grumman is more than just a paycheck. We offer a comprehensive Total Rewards and benefits package designed to help you thrive at work and in life. For more information on our Total Rewards package, please visit our Total Rewards site: Northrop Grumman Total Rewards (https://totalrewards.northropgrumman.com/)

As a full-time employee of Northrop Grumman, you are eligible for:

-Medical, Dental & Vision coverage

-401k

-Educational Assistance

-Life Insurance

-Employee Assistance Programs & Work/Life Solutions

-Paid Time Off

-Health & Wellness Resources

-Employee Discounts

-Flexible Schedules: for example, the ability to work a 9/80 work schedule, which allows an employee to work a nine-hour day Monday through Thursday and take every other Friday off of work.

#AZSpace

#NoVASpace

#SpaceEngJobs

#SpaceSysEngJobs

Primary Level Salary Range: $79,300.00 - $118,900.00

Secondary Level Salary Range: $98,400.00 - $147,600.00

The above salary range represents a general guideline; however, Northrop Grumman considers a number of factors when determining base salary offers such as the scope and responsibilities of the position and the candidate's experience, education, skills and current market conditions.

Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay. Annual bonuses are designed to reward individual contributions as well as allow employees to share in company results. Employees in Vice President or Director positions may be eligible for Long Term Incentives. In addition, Northrop Grumman provides a variety of benefits including health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, savings plan, Company paid holidays and paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business.

The application period for the job is estimated to be 20 days from the job posting date. However, this timeline may be shortened or extended depending on business needs and the availability of qualified candidates.

Northrop Grumman is an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class. For our complete EEO and pay transparency statement, please visit http://www.northropgrumman.com/EEO. U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.

Job Category: Engineering

How this job compares

Set against the 11,546 open Systems Engineer jobs on Olive Jobs, counted November 4, 2026.

Pay
  • This posting$79–148K/yr
  • Virginia median$120–184K/yr825 salary ranges
  • US median$116–190K/yr8,481 salary ranges

This range's midpoint, $113K, is 25% below the Virginia median midpoint ($152K) — in the lowest quarter of Systems Engineer salary ranges in Virginia.

Openings
Olive Jobs lists 1,045 open Systems Engineer jobs in Virginia and 11,546 across the US. 5% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
Hiring the most in Virginia
Experience
This posting asks for at least 1 year of experience — less than three in four Systems Engineer postings that state a minimum ask for (median 5 years, across 9,622 postings).
Education
4,535 of the 11,546 open Systems Engineer jobs (39%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.

Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on November 4, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.

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