Principal Systems Engineer - Operations Analysis/ModSim

CORP-Corporate Office

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US-California-San Diego US-California-El Segundo Until 9/1/2026 3+ years exp First posted July 3, 2026 Last posted July 3, 2026
Job description
RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available

CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes

CLEARANCE TYPE: Top Secret

TRAVEL: 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 Aeronautics Systems is seeking a Principal Systems Engineer in Rancho Bernardo, CA or El Segundo, CA. The successful candidate will be assigned to develop and deliver systems engineering products.

Essential Functions:

• Support Operations Analysis and Modeling and Simulation (M&S) activities for Aeronautics Systems to inform trade studies, concepts of operations, and requirements.

• Plan and execute studies (trade studies, sensitivity analyses, Monte Carlo), analyze results, and visualize findings to drive data-informed decisions.

• Develop complex algorithms and scripts for use in mission simulation tools.

• Develop, integrate, and maintain analytical models and simulation tools (e.g., MATLAB/Python/Simulink or similar) to evaluate system performance and mission effectiveness.

• Develop and integrate physics-based RF algorithms with front-end GUI interfaces

• Learn and understand Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs) to support blue/red kill chains across multiple security environments, programs, architectures, and platforms.

• Solicit input from various stakeholders, synthesize data, and communicate results to various levels of leadership.

• Prepare clear technical documentation and concise briefings; present results to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

• Candidate will be expected to have excellent written and verbal communication and strong interpersonal skills, with a collaborative, detail-oriented approach.

• To be successful in the role you will need strong communication, interpersonal and leadership skills.

Basic Qualifications:

• Must have a Bachelor of Science degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) field and 5 years of relevant military / professional experience, OR a Master of Science Degree in a STEM field and 3 years of relevant military / professional experience, OR a PhD in a STEM field and 1 year of relevant military / professional / academic experience.

• Experience developing physics-based models and simulations using object oriented programming principles in MATLAB, Python, C++, or Java.

• Experience with object oriented languages (C#, Java) and modeling/simulation of radars, missiles, Integrated Air Defense Systems (IADS), and/or air and space platforms.

Must have an active U.S. Government Top Secret Clearance or higher (with a background investigation completed within the last 6 years or currently enrolled into Continuous Evaluation)

Must have the ability to obtain and maintain Special Access Program (SAP) clearance, within a reasonable amount of time as determined by business needs.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Current applicable Special Access Program (SAP) clearance.

• Active USG Top Secret or higher clearance (with a background investigation within the past 5 years or enrolled into Continuous Evaluation).

• Demonstrated ability to work in a rapid prototyping environment.

• Familiarity with Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) and system architecture integration.

• Experience with version control tools such as Github or Bitbucket.

• Familiarity with parallel computing system architecture.

• Experience developing CI/CD pipelines (Git/TFS, Azure DevOps, etc.) and collaborate in version controlled, team based environments.

• Operational Military Experience

Primary Level Salary Range: $114,000.00 - $171,000.00

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 http://www.northropgrumman.com/EEO. U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.
About this role

Summary

Develop and deliver systems engineering products for operations analysis and simulation.

Job title

Principal Systems Engineer - Operations Analysis/ModSim

Experience level

3+ years

Minimum experience

3+ years exp

Industry

aerospace

Location requirements

Remote in California or Rancho Bernardo/El Segundo, CA; some travel allowed

Salary

$114k–$171k

Management role

No

Skills & keywords

Required skills

matlabpythonsimulinkobject oriented programmingtop secret clearance

Preferred skills

sap clearancembseversion controlparallel computingci/cd pipelines

Specializations

operations analysismodeling and simulationphysics-based modelsalgorithm developmentsecurity environments
Locations

Structured locations inferred from the posting.

California, USA

Remote State

Rancho Bernardo, San Diego, CA, USA

On-site City

El Segundo, CA, USA

On-site City