RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available
CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes
CLEARANCE TYPE: Secret
TRAVEL: Yes, 10% of the Time
DescriptionNorthrop Grumman Defense Systems (DS) is seeking a Modeling & Simulation Software Architect 6 to assist in the updating and/or rebuilding of our 6DOF and other simulation infrastructures up to and beyond the current industry standard that support mission-focused modeling, simulation, analysis, and test environments for weapons systems within the Advanced Weapons Business Unit at Northridge, CA. Our Advanced Weapons team designs, develops, and manufactures missile systems that support U.S. national and allied security objectives.
This position is required to be full-time, on-site in the Northridge, CA location. No remote/telework arrangement is available for this position. Applicants must have a current US Government DoW Secret security clearance with ability to get cleared for Special Access Program (SAP) clearance.
The Modeling & Simulation Software Architect 6 role shapes scalable, maintainable, and high-performance solutions used to evaluate complex systems, inform design decisions, and support operational readiness. The architect works across software, systems engineering, integration, and test teams to ensure modeling and simulation capabilities align to mission objectives, technical requirements, and long-term product strategy.
Key Responsibilities
- Define and maintain the software architecture for modeling and simulation applications, frameworks, and supporting services.
- Lead architectural decisions for distributed, real-time, and data-intensive simulation environments.
- Translate mission and system requirements into technical designs, interfaces, and implementation approaches.
- Guide the development of reusable simulation components, APIs, data models, and integration patterns.
- Partner with systems engineers, algorithm developers, and subject matter experts to ensure the software architecture supports fidelity, performance, and extensibility needs.
- Establish software design standards, interface control approaches, and technical roadmaps across the modeling and simulation environment.
- Conduct architecture reviews, trade studies, and technology evaluations to inform design decisions and risk reduction.
- Support integration of simulation software with hardware-in-the-loop, test benches, visualization tools, and external mission systems as required.
- Oversee non-functional requirements including scalability, cybersecurity, reliability, maintainability, and configuration management.
- Mentor software engineers and technical leads in architecture methods, software design practices, and development standards.
- Support Agile or iterative development activities including backlog refinement, technical planning, and release readiness.
- Coordinate with program leadership and government stakeholders to communicate architecture strategy, technical risks, and execution plans.
Basic Qualifications - (Level 6):
- BS degree in aerospace engineering, physics, software engineering, systems engineering, or a related field is required with 14 years of relevant software engineering experience or closely related technical development or an MS degree in areas above with 12 years of the same experience mentioned
- Prior experience as a technical lead for modeling and simulation efforts, with specific contributions demonstrating the ability to originate principles, rather than simply apply principles.
- 4+ years of daily development in C++ and embedded software
- Experience integrating truth models, GNC algorithms, and hardware models into a simulation.
- Significant experience and proficiency in developing for VxWorks (preferably) or another real time operating system (RTOS).
- Experience working with operating system abstraction layers.
- Current US Government DoW Secret security clearance with ability to get cleared for Special Access Program (SAP) clearance
Preferred Qualifications
- Master’s degree in a relevant STEM discipline.
- Experience architecting simulation environments for aerospace, defense, autonomy, command and control, radar, electronic warfare, or mission systems.
- Experience integrating simulations into systems of simulations
- Experience in optimizing c/c++ for speedHey
- Experience with cloud-enabled simulation, containerization, and microservices-based architectures.
- Experience leading technical teams, performing design reviews, and driving architecture governance.
Primary Level Salary Range: $192,800.00 - $289,200.00
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.
