Sr Principal Systems Architect Engineer – Global Sys & Sw Architect (26-276)

Northrop Grumman Northrop Grumman · Aerospace · Colorado Springs, CO +2 · Systems/Architecture/Test

Northrop Grumman is seeking a Sr Principal Systems Architect Engineer to support the C2BMC program, focusing on translating requirements into architecturally compliant designs, developing system requirements and architectural decompositions, and serving as a technical liaison. The role requires a deep understanding of systems engineering processes, software engineering principles, and experience with various system architecture artifacts. A Top Secret clearance is mandatory.

What you'd actually do

  1. Work under the direction of the Global Chief Architect (or delegate) with task-order engineers, software architects, and program managers to translate requirements into architecturally compliant allocations and to complete design packages that meet the mandated "ilities” criteria.
  2. Develop, review, and baseline derived system requirements, architectural decompositions, and engineering estimates, explicitly addressing maintainability, reliability, usability, and scalability throughout.
  3. Serve as the technical liaison to MDA working-level counterparts.
  4. Provide guidance and skill-building to junior systems engineering staff, emphasizing “ilities”-focused design thinking.
  5. Participate in iteration planning, internal review boards, and governance activities; educate teammates on architectural patterns in use; ensure designs are testable, traceable, and optimized for long-term operation.

Skills

Required

  • Bachelor’s Degree in STEM Computer Science, Software Engineering, Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, or a related field from an accredited university, along with 8 years of experience; or a Master’s degree (preferred) in a STEM-related field with 6 years of relevant work experience; or a PhD in a related discipline with 4 years of relevant work experience
  • Current, active in-scope DoD-issued Top Secret security clearance at the time of application, which is required to start with the eligibility to be read on to SCI clearance
  • Willingness to travel 10% of the time for business needs
  • Deep understanding of systems engineering processes and software engineering principles
  • Proven record of applying those principles to craft product solutions that are maintainable, reliable, usable, and scalable
  • Experience producing, reviewing, and maintaining artifacts such as requirements specifications, Interface Control Documents (ICDs), Use Cases, System Architecture Descriptions, Trade Study reports, Data Flow Diagrams, “ilities” analyses (reliability, maintainability, usability, scalability, etc.), and other MBSE deliverables
  • Hands-on work with Object-Oriented Analysis/Design (OOA/OOD) and the implementation of large, integrated software systems that meet strict "ilities” goals
  • Comfortable working in cross-disciplinary teams that include systems, software, and specialty engineers to deliver end-to-end solutions
  • Excellent written skills and the ability to present technical approaches and findings clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences
  • Capable of writing and executing detailed engineering plans in a project environment
  • Hands-on experience executing under FAR (e.g., operational concept development, requirements analysis)

Nice to have

  • Master’s degree in a STEM-related field
  • PhD in a related discipline
  • SCI clearance eligibility

What the JD emphasized

  • Top Secret
  • Top Secret clearance
  • STEM
  • systems engineering
  • software engineering principles
  • maintainable
  • reliable
  • usable
  • scalable
  • requirements specifications
  • ICDs
  • Use Cases
  • System Architecture Descriptions
  • Trade Study reports
  • Data Flow Diagrams
  • ilities analyses
  • MBSE deliverables
  • OOA/OOD
  • FAR