Systems Engineer - Level 3 at Northrop Grumman
Colorado Springs, CO
$103,600–$155,400from the description
Jul 24, 2026
Colorado Springs, CO
Jul 26, 2026
What this job asks for AI summary
A mid-level systems engineering role supporting a defense modeling and simulation program focused on missile defense threat environments, split between a contractor facility and Schriever Space Force Base in Colorado Springs. Day-to-day work involves requirements derivation, Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) artifact development, technical documentation, and data analysis, in close collaboration with senior engineers. Suits a STEM-degreed engineer with hands-on M&S experience, Python/MATLAB/C++ skills, and an active Secret clearance.
Senior level · 5+ years · Colorado Springs, CO · Bachelor's required · Secret clearance · Full-time
Advertised as Mid, but the requirements read as Senior.
“or” means any one of them counts — you don't need all of them.
Posted 3 times — it's one opening, so apply once.
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 $131,571 (middle half $103,691–$168,322). 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 (8)
The posting internally calls this a 'mid-level opportunity' and titles it 'Systems Engineer - Level 3', but the Basic Qualifications require 5 years of experience (or 3 with a Master's), which aligns with Senior on the standard career ladder — hence the advertised vs. actual seniority split.
The primary SOC is 15-1211 (Computer Systems Analysts) because the role centers on systems engineering artifacts, requirements derivation, MBSE modeling, and documentation rather than building software. However, the scripting/automation requirement (Python/MATLAB/C++) and M&S development context give 15-1252 (Software Developers) a reasonable claim as a runner-up.
Python, MATLAB, and C++ are listed together as interchangeable options under a single 'demonstrated experience' requirement in the Basic Qualifications; they are captured as one skill with alternatives accordingly.
CAMEO and MagicDraw are listed as interchangeable MBSE tool options ('such as CAMEO or MagicDraw') under Basic Qualifications — captured as one skill with MagicDraw as the alternative.
Agile/Scrum appears only under Preferred Qualifications.
A current active Secret clearance is required to start; the ability to obtain TS/SCI is also required. A current TS/SCI is listed as a preferred qualification.
The role is on-site daily at either the Northrop Grumman facility or Schriever Space Force Base in Colorado Springs, CO; remote/hybrid work is described as very limited.
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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