Systems Engineer - Level 5

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.

About the role

Northrop Grumman Space Systems has an opening for a Systems Engineer - Level 5 to join our team in Chandler, AZ. The successful candidate will design and develop system architectures, define key capabilities and performance requirements, and ensure requirements are met while evaluating performance with the customer. This role involves leading complex systems engineering efforts on advanced missile programs, owning major trade studies, developing and managing Interface Control Documents (ICDs), and providing technical leadership across a multi-disciplinary team.

Responsibilities

• Lead system-level trade studies to evaluate design alternatives, assess performance vs. cost/schedule/risk, and support architecture decisions for advanced missile systems.
• Develop, maintain, and baseline system- and subsystem-level Interface Control Documents (ICDs), including mechanical, electrical, data, and software interfaces.
• Apply Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) methods and tools to capture requirements, architecture, behaviors, and verification/validation plans.
• Serve as a technical lead for multi-disciplinary engineering teams (e.g., GNC, avionics, propulsion, structures, software, I&T), ensuring system-level integration and design coherence.
• Act as Control Account Manager (CAM) for assigned work scope, including planning, budgeting, tracking, and reporting performance.
• Implement Earned Value Management (EVM) principles to monitor cost and schedule, identify variances, and develop recovery plans.
• Lead and coordinate Integrated Product Teams (IPTs), driving technical execution, risk management, and cross-functional issue resolution.
• Develop and maintain systems engineering artifacts including requirements documents, CONOPS, specifications, verification matrices, and system-level test strategies.
• Support integration and test planning and execution, including test readiness reviews, anomaly resolution, and verification/validation activities.
• Participate in customer technical interchange meetings, design reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR), and formal reviews, presenting technical status, risks, and mitigations.
• Support risk and opportunity management, including identification, assessment, and mitigation planning at the system level.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in a STEM discipline (Science, Technology, Engineering or Math) with 12 years of related engineering experience; OR a Master’s degree in STEM with 10 years of related engineering experience.
• Hands-on experience with Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) tools and practices (e.g., SysML, Cameo/MagicDraw, Rhapsody, or equivalent).
• Demonstrated multi-disciplinary engineering leadership on complex hardware/software integrated systems.
• Proven experience as a Control Account Manager (CAM) or equivalent role, responsible for scope, cost, and schedule.
• Working knowledge and practical application of Earned Value Management (EVM) principles and metrics (e.g., CPI, SPI, variance analysis).
• Experience leading or co-leading Integrated Product Teams (IPTs) or cross-functional technical teams.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including experience preparing and delivering technical presentations to internal and external stakeholders.
• Must have an active DoD Secret security clearance.
• Travel: 10% of the time.
• Must be able to obtain required clearance for start (Secret).

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Systems Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related technical field, or PhD.
• Significant experience with missile systems or other launch/flight vehicles (e.g., tactical or strategic missiles, interceptors, sounding rockets, or space launch).
• Familiarity with range and range safety requirements, processes, and interfaces (e.g., Eastern/Western Range, flight safety analyses, flight termination systems).
• Experience supporting or leading missile launches, including pre-launch integration, test, countdown, and post-flight assessment.
• Background in mission planning and mission execution for missile or launch systems, including trajectory design, constraints, and operational considerations.
• Experience with integration & test (I&T) of complex flight hardware and software, including hardware-in-the-loop (HWIL) and system-level testing.
• Knowledge of requirements development and management tools (e.g., DOORS, Jama) and configuration management practices.
• Familiarity with government and industry standards relevant to missile and launch systems (e.g., MIL-STDs, range safety directives, flight safety criteria).
• Possess and maintain a Top Secret / SCI security clearance.

Skills

• Systems thinker with the ability to balance performance, cost, schedule, and risk.
• Comfortable making data-driven decisions in ambiguous or fast-evolving environments.
• Strong leadership, influence, and collaboration skills across disciplines and organizations.
• Proactive, self-directed, and able to drive issues to closure.

Pay

Primary level salary range: $152,900.00 - $229,300.00. 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.

Benefits

Northrop Grumman offers a comprehensive Total Rewards and benefits package designed to help you thrive at work and in life, including:

• Health insurance coverage
• Life and disability insurance
• Savings plan
• Company-paid holidays
• Paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business