Space Principal/Sr. Principal Mission Validation Lead Systems Engineer
Ngc· Defense· Oct 13, 2026 · 15d ago
Linthicum, MD
Location
In office
Work mode
Full-time
Schedule
Lead/Staff
Level
$136K–$204K
Compensation
5+ years exp
Experience
Job description
RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: No relocation assistance available
CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes
CLEARANCE TYPE: SCI
TRAVEL: Yes, 25% 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.
The Mission SEIT team is looking for a Space Principal/Sr. Principal Mission Validation Lead Systems Engineer. In this role you will be responsible for planning, coordinating, and performing on-orbit validation. This position will also allow you to perform other Mission SEIT duties, exposing you to the broader organization and customer. The role is located in Baltimore but will require coordination across multiple sites and will require some travel as the program gets closer to validation.
Basic Qualifications:
Principal Engineer: Bachelor Degree in STEM curriculum with 5 years relevant experience; 3 years with MS Degree; or PhD with 0 years of experience.
Sr Principal Engineer: Bachelor Degree in STEM curriculum with 8 years relevant experience; 6 years with MS Degree; or PhD with 3 years of experience.
Experience with RF analysis
Self-starter
Ability to work with a geographically dispersed team
Active TS/SCI security clearance required at time of application
Ability to brief customers and leadership
Desired quals:
Experience with validation
Experience with on-orbit checkout
Experience with MatLab and/or building analysis tools
Test planning experience
Experience working on a geographically distributed team
Experience with customer interaction
Primary Level Salary Range: $108,800.00 - $163,200.00
Secondary Level Salary Range: $135,800.00 - $203,600.00
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 northropgrumman.com. U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.
Requirements
Must-haves
RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: No relocation assistance available
CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes
TRAVEL: Yes, 25% of the Time Description
Principal Engineer: Bachelor Degree in STEM curriculum with 5 years relevant experience; 3 years with MS Degree; or PhD with 0 years of experience.
Sr Principal Engineer: Bachelor Degree in STEM curriculum with 8 years relevant experience; 6 years with MS Degree; or PhD with 3 years of experience.
Experience with RF analysis
Self-starter
Ability to work with a geographically dispersed team
Active TS/SCI security clearance required at time of application
Ability to brief customers and leadership
Experience with validation
Experience with on-orbit checkout
Experience with MatLab and/or building analysis tools
Test planning experience
Experience working on a geographically distributed team
Experience with customer interaction
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.
Nice-to-haves
None flagged.
Application prep
Use the role’s language and application details while tailoring your materials.