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Graphics Software Engineer / Principal Graphics Software Engineer

Dulles, Virginia, United States
Full Time On-site

Summary

Job Description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available

CLEARANCE TYPE: SCI

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.

Embark on a career putting innovative, reliable, and agile products and ideas into orbit, and beyond. Northrop Grumman has opportunities waiting for you
that play a vital role in human space exploration, national defense, and scientific discovery, supporting multiple programs across the universe. With us, you’
ll discover a culture of curiosity and collaboration that will have you Defining Possible from the day you start. Our space systems connect and protect
millions of people on earth every day, now and for the future. Explore your future and launch your career today.


We have an opening on our qualified, diverse Flight Software & Simulation Team within the Software & Controls Engineering organization to support
graphical simulation CAD and software development for space vehicles for national security programs, NASA missions, and commercial satellites. We are
seeking Software Engineer or Principal Software Engineer candidates, depending on years of experience and skillset.


Candidates will plan, organize and be involved in the full software lifecycle to primarily develop spacecraft 3D models for use in our simulation graphics
applications. Additionally, software development skills are desired for contributions to the graphics software applications directly. Responsibilities include
graphical modeling and simulation activities across multiple projects. The ideal candidate will have expertise in C/C++ and Python programming, and be
well versed in 3D computer graphics rendering, having familiarity with modeling tools such as Blender.

A preferable candidate would be knowledgeable on the development and use of simulation models of sensors, actuators and space environments to demonstrate closed-loop spacecraft system performance and general integration and test of aerospace systems. An understanding of waterfall, spiral and Agile software development processes and continuous integration using Jenkins, Jira, Bitbucket, GitLab and related DevSecOps tools is also valuable.


In addition to developing software, preferred candidates should be familiar with basic engineering practices as they apply to integration, test and debugging
of software and space systems in a laboratory setting. This position will involve documenting designs, analysis, and test results plus creating presentation
materials for internal and external customers. The ability to clearly document technical and programmatic status to management and spoken English
fluency are necessary attributes of excellent candidates.


Roles and Responsibilities:

  • Plan, organize and be involved in the full software lifecycle to develop spacecraft simulation software using state-of-the-art tools and software

  • best practices.

  • Develop models to support modeling and simulation activities across multiple projects.

  • Establish simulation requirements.

  • Work with other engineering disciplines to integrate and validate space vehicle modeling and simulation.

  • Prepare designs documentation, analysis, test results and presentation materials for internal and external customers.

  • In this role, engineers will also:

  • Convert engineering spacecraft CAD models into optimized 3D visualizer tool models, using software such as Blender.

  • Develop software interaction between the simulated spacecraft components and the 3D visualization models.

  • Contribute to our ever-expanding graphical capabilities of the spacecraft simulation architecture using OpenSceneGraph, OpenGL, or similar.


Basic Qualifications:
Software Engineer Level 2:

  • Bachelor’s degree and 2 years of experience, or a Master's degree spanning computer graphics software development, scientific software and architecture, aerospace design, verification & test, and mission operations. (Degree should be in Software/Electrical/Computer/Aerospace Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, or a similar technical program with a computer graphics emphasis.)


Principal Software Engineer Level 3:

  • Bachelor’s degree and 5 years of experience, a Master’s degree and 3 years of experience, or PhD within technical programs spanning computer graphics software development, scientific software and architecture, aerospace design, verification & test, and mission operations. (Degree should be in Software/Electrical/Computer/Aerospace Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, or a similar technical program with a computer graphics emphasis.)


Remaining Qualifications for Both Levels:

  • 3D graphics development, using OpenSceneGraph, OpenGL or similar

  • Diverse programming proficiency: C/C++, Python

  • Experience building models and simulations

  • Able to develop in both Windows and Linux environments

  • US Citizenship is required for this position

  • Active Top Secret/SCI clearance at time of application

Preferred Qualifications:

  • System knowledge in one or more of the following domains: Spacecraft Command & Control, Mission Planning, Space Situational Awareness and

  • Visualization

  • Hardware interfacing, integration and test and controls experience

  • Agile development methodology, specifically Scrum, using Jira

  • Understanding of common embedded system tools, real-time operating systems and avionics integration and test practices

  • Usage and configuration of DevOps/CI/CD technologies (Jenkins, Ansible, Docker, etc.)

Primary Level Salary Range: $91,800.00 - $137,600.00

Secondary Level Salary Range: $114,000.00 - $171,000.00

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.

About Northrop Grumman

Northrop Grumman

Northrop Grumman is one of the largest aerospace and defense companies in the United States, building advanced systems across space, air, land, sea, and cyber domains. The company is known for some of the most complex defense programs in the world, including stealth aircraft, autonomous systems, missile defense technologies, satellites, and space-based intelligence platforms that support U.S. national security operations.

For job seekers, Northrop Grumman offers careers across a wide range of high-impact fields including aerospace engineering, software development, cybersecurity, systems engineering, manufacturing, program management, and intelligence support. The company is especially attractive to veterans, cleared professionals, and engineers who want to work on mission-critical systems that directly support the Department of Defense and intelligence community. Many roles involve long-term programs with significant technical depth and real-world operational impact.

Unlike smaller defense startups focused on narrow capabilities, Northrop Grumman operates across multiple major mission areas, giving employees exposure to highly advanced programs such as stealth platforms, space systems, autonomous vehicles, and next-generation command-and-control systems. The company is also a major leader in classified space and intelligence systems, where cutting-edge engineering and secure infrastructure play a critical role in national defense.

As global competition in space, cyber, and advanced military systems continues to intensify, Northrop Grumman remains one of the most strategically important employers in the defense industry. For professionals seeking stable, highly technical careers with long-term impact on national security, Northrop Grumman continues to stand out as a leading destination in aerospace and defense.

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