Consulting Mission Architect Engineer
Northrop Grumman· Defense· Oct 22, 2026 · 6d ago
United States-Virginia-Dulles
In office
Full-time
Principal
$141K–$216K est.
16+ years exp
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.
Northrop Grumman Space Systems in Dulles, VA, is looking for an experienced mission architect who can be the subject matter expert and key customer interface for space superiority missions.
This Architect will lead technical efforts supporting capture and strategy for a key and critical program, focused on experimental programs for first of a kind missions. This candidate will closely work with business development, business directors, external customers, and external subject matter experts to shape the feasibility of new missions and architectures. This on site work includes working not only on mission design, but actual design, development, and delivery of hardware to achieve mission effect.
*This position requires up to 100% on-site work due security constraints and an ability to pass an enhanced security review.
You will be responsible for:
• Interface and drive engagement with customers and stakeholders.
• Manage the a technical team as a technical leader
• Direct developmental and analytical efforts to reduce risk, mature the system, ensure mission success, and grow the business area.
• Support the family of programs with system architecture establishment/evolution and CONOPs development.
• Ability to capture core concepts and instructional needs from a large amount of technical data (ground and space hardware) and communicate technical concepts to an audience of non-subject matter experts with varying levels of domain experience
• Be self-directed and able to envision the end state of the product and take initiative to drive product development to closure
• Educate leads, customers, and engineers on mission capability, analysis, and CONOPS
• Performs system-of-system trades, modeling, simulation and analysis to assess space mission architecture alternatives for delivering a customer mission effect, data or capability as it fits within a broader campaign
• Support capture activities, including RFI/RFP preparation, customer presentations and demonstrations, and competitor analysis
• Brief and lead technical meetings for senior leaders across the space community
Basic Qualifications:
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or other STEM related degree with 16 years of experience in a related engineering field such as mechanical, electrical, aerospace and/or operations; 14 years with a Master's; 12 years with a PhD
• Requires an active Top-Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) clearance at time of application
• Understanding of Systems Engineering principles and practices
• Experience with developing and presenting briefing slides to senior leaders and executive level personnel
• Strong written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to work within diverse teams
• Experience with specific customer community for the mission
Preferred Qualifications:
• Experience in mission design, satellite ground software, distributed modeling & simulation
• Understanding of system of system architecture designs the interplay between various national security customers and products
• Prior aerospace-related work experience for a U.S Government Agency or Contractor
• Previous experience with flight hardware on operational systems
• Previous experience with Class C / demonstration programs
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#SpaceSysEngJobs
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Primary Level Salary Range: $212,100.00 - $318,100.00
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.
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