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Systems Engineer – Level 3

Gilbert, Arizona, United States
Full Time On-site
RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available

CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes

CLEARANCE TYPE: Top Secret

TRAVEL: No

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 3 to join our team in Gilbert, Arizona.

This position will support a spacecraft product line as a Vehicle Responsible Engineer (VRE) in Gilbert, AZ. The VRE reports to the LSE and Program Manager and helps support integration and test of a spacecraft. The VRE is a key member of a cross-disciplinary team driving technical execution culminating in the delivery of a fully mission capable spacecraft to our customers!

Job Responsibilities:

  • Support program technical execution in accordance with Northrop Grumman Systems Engineering processes and best practices

  • Provide direct Systems Engineering support to ensure the safe, effective, and efficient build-up and test of the assigned Space vehicles (SVs) and associated ground support equipment (GSE) throughout the Integration & Test (I&T) campaign

  • Help plan and execute testing strategies to exercise spacecraft functionality, measure performance, and verify survivability in the extreme launch and space environments (Dynamics, TVAC, and EMI/EMC)

  • Recognize and mitigate technical issues and risks

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

  • Author and provide input to major program data products and other deliverables

  • Incorporate lessons learned to continue to strengthen the product line

  • Lead by example and be willing to mentor, coach, train, guide, direct and advise entry level staff

  • This position will nominally support 1st shift activities, however alternate shift and/or weekend work will be periodically required in support of major program milestones

Basic Qualifications:

  • 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.

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

  • Active U.S. Government Top Secret clearance at the time of application and the ability to obtain and maintain SCI clearance

  • Self -starter with strong problem-solving skills

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Active SCI access with a Single Scope Background Investigation (SSBI) completed within 5 years OR  an active clearance with Single Scope Background Investigation (SSBI) completed within 5 years.

  • Experience working on aircraft or spacecraft systems

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

  • Excellent communication Skills (upward and downward)

  • Experience with various technical tools such as CREO, Windchill, 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

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

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

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.

Primary 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.

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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