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Principal Engineer Systems Architect

Northrop Grumman

Plymouth, MNJob$109–163K/yrSeen todaySeen in employer's feed today

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At a glance

Compensation
$109–163K/yr
Location
Plymouth, MN
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.

Secret clearanceBachelor's degree

Job overview

Northrop Grumman seeks a Principal Systems Engineer Architect for its Missile Products Division in Plymouth, Minnesota. The role participates in or leads complex system design and implementation using MBSE and SysML, developing models that support analysis, simulation, verification, and system lifecycle activities. The engineer works with cross-functional teams, customers, and program leadership on requirements, technical reviews, trade studies, system performance, cost, schedule, and risk.

Skills & qualifications

RequiredNice to have

Skills

MBSESysMLCameo System ModelerSystem Architecture DesignSystem AnalysisVerbal CommunicationWritten CommunicationSafety EngineeringReliability EngineeringSpecialty EngineeringAgile DevelopmentAtlassian ToolsU.S. DoD Product DevelopmentIBM DOORS

Qualifications

Bachelor's in Engineering, Physics, Mathematics, or Computer Science5 Years Related MBSE ExperienceU.S. CitizenshipDoD Security Clearance or Ability to Obtain

Benefits

Relocation Assistance
Medical Insurance
Paid Time Off

Full job description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available

CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: No

CLEARANCE TYPE: 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 Defense Systems designs, builds and delivers space, defense and aviation-related systems to customers around the world. Our products include launch vehicles, propulsion systems, missile products, subsystems and defense electronics, precision weapons, armament systems and ammunition, satellites and space components and services, and advanced aerospace structures.

Northrop Grumman Defense Systems is seeking a Principal Systems Engineer Architect to work at our Missile Products Division in Plymouth, MN. The ideal candidate will have leadership abilities, an intense desire to learn, and experience working in an engineering environment.

Job Summary:

The successful candidate, as part of an IPT environment, will participate or lead the development and implementation of complex system designs using Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) methodologies. The candidate will apply SysML to create comprehensive system models, facilitating analysis, simulation, and verification throughout the system lifecycle, ensuring robust and efficient system development. Model-based tasks include functional analysis, timeline analysis, detail trade studies, requirements management and allocation studies including distribution to hardware and software, interface definition, proposal writing and bidding, and management of recurring product cost and program risk.

This position will support the following key activities and responsibilities:

  • Coordination of Systems Engineering activities with project management, project leads and engineers, and functional management.

  • Develop and maintain system models using SysML to capture system architecture, requirements, behavior, and interfaces. Ensure system development models and requirements are consistent with MBSE pillar and domain framework.

  • Conduct system analysis through simulations and model-based evaluations to confirm the design approach and characterize system performance.

  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate system models with other engineering disciplines, ensuring consistency and traceability.

  • Translate complex system requirements into executable models, facilitating verification and validation activities.

  • Communicate technical insights from system models to stakeholders, including presenting analysis results and recommendations.

  • Create and manage requirements, generate specifications while working closely with internal and external customers.

  • Preparation and presentation of materials for various System Engineering Technical Reviews, Technical Interchange Meetings and other formal program reviews.

  • Prepare trade studies, system sensitivity studies, design optimization studies, system performance assessments, system design assessments & other analyses to support requirements, development and design assessments.

  • Support IPT leadership and interfaces to customer for System Engineering and product development activities.

  • Support the cost account manager to manage cost, schedule, technical performance and monthly earned value management system reporting.

Basic Qualifications:

  • BS degree in Engineering, Physics, Mathematics, or Computer Science

  • 5 years of related experience with Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) principles and methodologies

  • Proficient in SysML and MBSE tools such as Cameo System Modeler

  • Knowledge and experience with system architecture design and analysis

  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills

  • Must be U.S. Citizen and possess or ability to obtain a DoD Security Clearance

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Safety, Reliability and other Specialty Engineering experience

  • Experience with Agile development methodologies and managing work with Atlassian tools

  • Experience in US DoD product development

  • Knowledge/experience with IBM DOORS

What to Expect:

If you are a dynamic and motivated professional, Northrop Grumman is the company that will help further your experience and career growth. We offer highly competitive salaries, an array of benefits to give you the support you need, and the opportunity to connect with coworkers in an environment that’s professional, creative and flexible. Join our team and Work on What Matters.

Location:

Why consider a move to Plymouth, MN? Excellent schools, affordable housing, low crime, and an active outdoor culture just to name a few. Yes, winter can be brutal, but Plymouth boasts more than half a dozen sizable lakes, extensive trails and parks and plenty of shopping, entertainment & sporting activities. When the weather is warm, local outdoor activity is thriving! With affordable cost of living, low unemployment, low crime, diverse recreation and schools ranked among the best in the U.S. - there is plenty to love about this area!

Primary Level Salary Range: $108,800.00 - $163,200.00

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 11,832 open Systems Engineer jobs on Olive Jobs, counted November 5, 2026.

Pay
  • This posting$109–163K/yr
  • Minnesota median$103–151K/yr103 salary ranges
  • US median$116–190K/yr8,718 salary ranges

This range's midpoint, $136K, is 6% above the Minnesota median midpoint ($128K) — in the middle half of Systems Engineer salary ranges in Minnesota.

Openings
Olive Jobs lists 134 open Systems Engineer jobs in Minnesota and 11,832 across the US. 5% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
Hiring the most in Minnesota
Experience
This posting asks for at least 5 years of experience; Systems Engineer postings that state a minimum ask for 5 years at the median (9,875 postings).
Education
This posting asks for a bachelor's degree; 4,501 of the 11,832 open Systems Engineer jobs (38%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.

Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on November 5, 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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