Summary written by USA Jobs 24 from Northrop Grumman's advert and our data on 16,898 current US jobs. How we check every job
At a glance
Northrop Grumman is hiring a Staff Engineer Systems in McLean, VA. It is a full-time role in Software & IT, asking for at least 12 years of experience, first listed on November 11. The advertised pay is $177,000–$265,600 a year. The description mentions Python and MATLAB. Northrop Grumman has 149 other openings in the US, 2 of them in McLean, VA. Across all employers on USA Jobs 24 there are 44 Software & IT openings in McLean, VA today; the typical one asks for 5 years and advertises about $211,000 a year at the midpoint.
How the pay compares
Northrop Grumman advertises $177,000 to $265,600 a year, a midpoint of $221,300 a year. Where an offer lands in a range usually depends on experience and on the exact location. That is higher than about 79% of the 140 software & IT jobs in Virginia that publish a yearly rate on USA Jobs 24, where the typical midpoint is $180,000 a year. To see roughly what this leaves after federal and Virginia tax, try our take-home pay calculator.
Skills in this advert
How often each skill named in this advert appears across the 4,540 software & IT jobs we list today. Python is the most widely requested (31% of jobs), while MATLAB is the least common (2%). Widely requested skills are what employers expect as a baseline; rarer ones show what is special about this job.
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Before you apply
- Check it is still open. We found this job on Northrop Grumman's Workday site on November 11 and checked it again November 11, 5:17 AM ET. When an employer takes a job down, we remove it at our next daily update.
- Check the location works for you. This role is based in McLean, VA. If you would need to move, ask whether relocation help is offered.
- Match the experience. The advert asks for at least 12 years of experience. If you are a little short, a close match on the skills in the advert can still win an interview.
- Tailor your resume. Use the advert's own words, such as Python and MATLAB, wherever they are true for you. Our resume guide shows how.
- Know your number. Decide the lowest offer you would accept before the first call. Our salary negotiation guide explains how to ask for more.
- Apply only through Northrop Grumman's own site. Our Apply button goes straight to Northrop Grumman's Workday page. If anyone contacts you about this job and asks for money, gift cards or bank details, stop and check it with our scam checker. Read how to spot a fake job offer.
About hiring at Northrop Grumman
Northrop Grumman has 150 openings on USA Jobs 24 today across 18 states. Most are in software & IT (80), operations (15) and engineering & mfg (9). The biggest locations are Melbourne, FL (18), Roy, UT (12) and Baltimore, MD (10). 3% of them are remote, 11% are open to entry-level candidates and 94% show pay. We collect Northrop Grumman's jobs every day straight from its own careers system (Workday), never from job boards or agencies.
The employer's advert
This is Northrop Grumman's own description of the job, copied word for word from its careers site. We have not edited it.
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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 McLean, Virginia, is seeking an experienced Space Systems Engineer to support a program within the Launch and Exploration Division. The selected candidate will join a cross-disciplinary team developing advanced spacecraft, payloads, and mission capabilities for civil space missions. The ideal candidate will bring substantial experience or demonstrated technical depth in spacecraft and payload engineering and systems test and apply that expertise to the civil space domain.
The Space Systems Engineer will lead the planning, execution, and reporting of System Test plans for verification and validation activities in conjunction with Assembly, Integration & Test and Requirements & Verification teams.
Primary responsibilities may include:
- Developing test plans and other artifacts at the system and lower levels to facilitate a verified product. This includes coordination across engineering disciplines, test facilities, and stakeholders to ensure test completeness, traceability to requirements, and timely closure of discrepancies.
- Supporting spacecraft and payload integration and test, mission-readiness activities, launch preparation, commissioning, and on-orbit execution.
- Supporting major program milestones, technical reviews, and mission-readiness reviews by developing technical content and translating complex engineering information into clear assessments and briefings for customers, program leadership, and other key stakeholders.
- Authoring and contributing to systems engineering artifacts, technical reports, and other critical program deliverables.
- Partner with CAMs to ensure proper execution of baseline scope and manage change control.
Basic Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in a STEM field with 12 years of relevant experience; master’s degree in a STEM field with 10 years of relevant experience; or PhD in a STEM field with 8 years of relevant experience.
- Must have U.S. citizenship with the ability to obtain a Top Secret Clearance.
- Demonstrated experience supporting the design, development, integration, test, or operation of spacecraft, payloads, space-based systems, or space missions more broadly.
- Demonstrated experience performing one or more systems-engineering functions, such as requirements development and management, interface definition and control, system architecture definition, concept of operations development, technical trade studies, systems test, or system verification and validation.
- Experience collaborating across multiple engineering disciplines to resolve technical issues and develop integrated spacecraft or mission solutions.
- Experience developing technical documentation and communicating complex engineering information to technical teams, program leadership, customers, or mission partners.
- Experience with Earned Value Management (EVM)
Preferred Qualifications:
- Lead the planning, execution, and reporting of System Test plans for verification and validation activities in conjunction with AI&T and R&V teams. This includes coordination across engineering disciplines, test facilities, and stakeholders to ensure test completeness, traceability to requirements, and timely closure of discrepancies.
- Experience developing spacecraft or space-mission architectures, concepts of operations (CONOPS), design reference missions, or operational scenarios.
- Experience performing mission analyses, performance analyses, or technical trade studies involving spacecraft and space missions.
- Experience supporting multiple phases of the spacecraft lifecycle, including design, integration, test, launch, commissioning, and on-orbit operations.
- Experience developing analytical, modeling, or automation tools using Python, MATLAB, Systems Tool Kit (STK), or comparable tools.
- Experience with model-based systems engineering (MBSE) methods and tools.
- Experience with spacecraft integration and test, mission-readiness activities, anomaly resolution, or on-orbit mission support.
- Experience supporting U.S. Government civil space programs.
- Demonstrated ability to synthesize complex technical information into clear recommendations and briefings for senior technical, program, customer, or executive stakeholders.
- Demonstrated ability to lead a team.
#NoVASpace
#SpaceSysEngJobs
#SpaceEngJobs
Primary Level Salary Range: $177,000.00 - $265,600.00The 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.USA Jobs 24 copied this listing from Northrop Grumman's official careers site on November 11, 2026 and checked it again November 11, 5:17 AM ET. Northrop Grumman will never ask you to pay to apply or to buy equipment with a check they send you. If anyone does, it is a scam.
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