Modeling & Simulation Systems Engineer - Level 2
Northrop Grumman · Colorado Springs, CO
$83,400–$125,200from the description
Jul 23, 2026
Colorado Springs, CO
Jul 24, 2026
What this job asks for AI summary
This on-site role at Schriever Space Force Base involves developing and maintaining high-fidelity infrared hard body (IRHB) missile threat models in support of the Missile Defense Agency's Ballistic Missile Defense System. Day-to-day work centers on capturing IR signature requirements, running simulation models, producing and validating data for ground test events, and collaborating with intelligence analysts and engineers. It suits early-career STEM candidates with a physics or engineering background and some scripting experience.
Mid level · 2+ years · Colorado Springs, CO · Secret clearance · Full-time
“or” means any one of them counts — you don't need all of them.
We read this from the posting text with AI. Skim the description below before ruling yourself out.
How this req sits in the market our data
Most people in this occupation already list these. Still required — just not what gets you shortlisted.
What the occupation pays Median $112,511 (middle half $80,144–$140,023). This posting is about at that midpoint.
Estimated from BLS employment for this occupation and area, per-skill prevalence across our listing corpus, and published wage benchmarks — as of Jul 28, 2026. It is a model, not a headcount.
Why we read it this way (7)
This role sits at the intersection of systems engineering and modeling & simulation (M&S) for infrared missile threat models — it does not map cleanly to a single SOC. 15-1299 (Computer Occupations, All Other) is used as the best fit for a specialized M&S/simulation engineer role; 15-1211 (Computer Systems Analysts) is the closest runner-up given the requirements-capture and V&V responsibilities.
The posting titles this 'Level 2,' which at Northrop Grumman corresponds to an early-career/mid-level engineer (0–2 years with a Master's, or 2 years with a Bachelor's), consistent with a Mid seniority assessment.
A Bachelor's degree in a STEM field is listed as 'preferred' rather than required, and a Master's degree is offered as an alternative path with 0–2 years of experience; the degree requirement is therefore set to None.
Python, Bash, and MATLAB are listed together as interchangeable scripting/automation options under Basic Qualifications; Python is named as the primary with the others as alternatives.
Agile, Scrum, Kanban, and Optical Signatures Code (OSC) appear under Preferred Requirements and are marked accordingly.
An active in-scope Secret clearance is explicitly required at time of application — this is a hard gate.
Requires a Secret clearance — the cleared population is a small fraction of this occupation, so the real candidate pool is materially smaller than the estimate below, which does not model clearance.
Read the full posting
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