Software System Engineer (Level 1 or 2) - AHT

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be availableCLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: YesCLEARANCE TYPE: SecretTRAVEL: Yes, 10% 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’s Space Sector is seeking a Software System Engineer (Level 1 or 2) to join our team of highly qualified, diverse professionals within the Western Region Software Engineering Directorate. This position is located onsite in Manhattan Beach, CA .

The Western Region Software Engineering organization comprises over 800 skilled professionals—including Software Engineers, DevOps Engineers, Database Administrators, and Network Engineers—at every career stage, from early‑career engineers to senior chief engineers and architects. The organization supports numerous programs and offers ample opportunities for advancement into higher‑level technical roles or leadership positions. Our culture promotes cross‑program collaboration, continuous professional development, and a strong sense of community.

The Software Systems Engineer will support maintenance of a large (~500 KSLOC) C++ embedded system performing on‑board payload functions. The software is hosted on PowerPC processors and consists of Resource Control Software (RCS), Security Equipment Computer (SEC), Phased Array Controller (PAC), and Gimbal Control Unit (GCU), all running on VxWorks. The candidate will work as a Software System Engineer on the Software System Engineering team to support on‑orbit activities and anomaly resolution, in addition to annual software deliveries. The candidate must be able to interpret requirements, generate test scenarios to recreate on‑orbit issues, and evaluate software problems. Activities will focus on on‑orbit data analysis and recreation of on‑orbit issues with new test cases in multiple test environments (test set, UNIX, and Wind River Simics). Strong troubleshooting and debugging skills are preferred.

Job responsibilities of the Software System Engineer (Level 1 or 2) include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Review and understand the Payload‑to‑Terminal, Payload‑to‑Payload (Crosslink) message protocols, and other Interface Control Documents (ICDs).
• Review and understand the relevant application requirements.
• Review and understand the underlying software design.
• Design, implement, and execute test scenarios using a custom software integration framework.
• Analyze on‑orbit and test results (output messages, telemetry measurands, directives, etc.). • Write and present on‑orbit findings.
• Generate and execute UNIX shell scripts and Python scripts.
• Run and debug test scenarios in a SIMICS simulation environment, including basic model updates.
• Use VxWorks debugging tools to diagnose and resolve embedded software issues.
• Troubleshoot and debug test set software and operating system upgrades (Solaris, Linux).
• Must be able and willing to work onsite fulltime
  
  

This requisition may be filled at a higher grade based on the qualifications listed below.

Basic Qualifications – Associate Software Engineer (Level 1):

• Bachelor’s degree in a STEM discipline with 0 years of experience
• Active U.S. Government Secret clearance required at the time of application.
• Experience with Unix/Linux-based systems and MS Excel.
• Experience with C++ and debugging C++ using a debugger.

Basic Qualifications – Software Engineer (Level 2):

• Bachelor’s degree in a STEM discipline with 2+ years of relevant relevant software engineering experience or Master’s degree in a STEM discipline.
• Active U.S. Government Secret clearance required at the time of application.
• Experience with Unix/Linux-based systems and MS Excel.
• Experience with C++ and debugging C++ using a debugger.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with Agile development.
• Experience with MilSatCom.
• Software testing experience.

Primary Level Salary Range: $76,200.00 - $114,400.00Secondary Level Salary Range: $91,800.00 - $137,600.00The 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 U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.