This Systems Engineering position is for a Human Spaceflight Principal Systems Engineer (T03) on a Civil and Space Systems (CSS) program at Northrop Grumman located in Gilbert, AZ and Sterling, VA. In this role, the Systems Engineer will perform duties contributing to space vehicle systems engineering test activities. The job responsibilities will be as an individual-contributor and deliverable/product lead within a multi-disciplinary engineering team.
Successful candidate will perform traditional Systems Engineering functions, including support of verification/validation planning, support of subsystem test planning, development of system test plans, management and review of system test designs, development of system/subsystem test trades, support of system level testing in a production environment including environmental testing and supporting closure of test program verification notices. Responsibilities will also include interaction with program, functional and customer leadership.
The candidate must be knowledgeable in space systems, spacecraft subsystems design, or mission operations. Position will also include responsibilities relating to integration, testing, and operational readiness of spacecraft and payloads. Candidate may be called on to assist in new business activities, such as conceptual design and analysis for proposals and funded studies and may include authoring sections for both.
Duties:
Perform test planning and support test execution for one or more moderately complex (or portions of complex) components, subsystems, and/or functional systems.
Audit verification criteria for component, subsystem, and/or functional systems tests.
Development of system level test plan to align required system level verification activities as defined in the Systems Requirements Document
Development of joint test plans with the customer (NASA) and their associated partner organizations (European Space Agency, Canadian Space Agency, etc.) for verification of interfaces with government furnished elements
Coordinate/oversee subsystem level test plan development (led by the subsystem area) to ensure subsystem level testing is properly accounted for/incorporated at the system level
Work with Integration & Test (I&T), engineering, and mission operations to design / develop test procedures/scripts for vehicle testing
Develop and manage the space vehicle Test Like You Fly (TLYF) exceptions and mitigations
Support review of component level test documentation
Support appropriate components/subsystem/system level Test Readiness Reviews (TRRs) and post-test reviews
Provide SE support to I&T for duration of vehicle test campaign including FRB/MRB support, data reviews and test report generation
Troubleshoot and develop solutions to challenging Engineering problems
Support Systems Test Cost Account Manager in maintaining baseline cost and schedule plans including EVMS
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Basic Qualifications:
B.S. in STEM - Science, Technology, Engineering, Math or related + 5 years of experience, or Masters of Science degree in technical field + 3 years of experience
Experience with all phases of system development life cycle from product requirements definition to product launch
Experience leading and/or developing system level test plans / test requirements documents
Experience in design and development of Spacecraft Test and Operational Language (STOL) scripts
Experience leading and/or supporting the conduct of test programs
Experience in supporting failure review board investigations and development of corrective actions
Experience in supporting development of Test Like You Fly exceptions and mitigations
Experience leading multidisciplinary teams including internal and customer stakeholders in the review and adjudication of issues associated with test plans, test procedures, test report deliverables
Must have the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government DoD security clearance
Preferred Qualifications:
M.S. in STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering, Math or related area.
Experience in: avionics or digital electronics design, power systems design, telecommunications design, thermal design, and/or ECLSS design
Experience with payload integration
Understanding of spacecraft integration & test, launch, and mission operations
Familiarity with Command and Telemetry database content
Experience with human spaceflight vehicle development including integration & test
Desired experience includes Requirements Management Tools such as DOORS, various analysis engineering tools such as MATLAB, and collaborative applications such as Confluence.
Experience supporting compilation and organization of verification evidence documentation for verification closures with delivery to customer.
Actual spacecraft operations and related ground systems expertise is always a plus.
Test experience in one or more of the following areas: Active thermal control systems (fluid pumps) integrated with environmental control systems (heat exchangers); Life Support Systems; Fault tolerant/multi string computing and power architectures; Systems requiring crew
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