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Mechanical

Thermal Systems Engineer - Level 3 or 4 (Active TS or SCI)

Northrop Grumman logoNorthrop Grumman$114,000–$171,000/yrRedondo Beach, CA, United StatesFull timePosted 1mo ago
  • US citizenship
  • Top Secret clearance

How this pay compares

This posting states $114k–$171k a year. Open mechanical engineer jobs in California post a median of $158k a year, the middle half $130k–$180k, across 266 jobs that state their pay, so this one is within the middle half of what they post.

Mechanical engineers in California: pay by town and employer

About the job

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 Space Sector has an opening for a Thermal Systems Engineer (Level 3 or 4)to join the Vehicle Engineering Directorate within Western Region Engineering.

This position is located onsite in Redondo Beach, California. The Thermal, Propulsion & Cryocooler Systems (TPCS) department, part of the Western Region Vehicle Engineering organization, is comprised of approximately 75 highly skilled professionals, ranging from early-career engineers to senior chief engineers and leadership.

Supporting numerous programs, the department offers abundant opportunities for career advancement into higher-level technical roles or leadership positions. Our culture emphasizes cross-program collaboration, continuous professional growth, and a strong sense of community.

The ideal candidate will possess a comprehensive understanding of thermal‑engineering principles, theories, and concepts, and will be familiar with related engineering disciplines. ## Job responsibilities include (but are not limited to) the following - Develop thermal‑systems requirements. - Perform thermal analyses to create and optimize thermal‑control designs, delivering solutions to a wide range of challenging problems. - Document thermal analyses and designs. - Review and approve drawings for thermal‑design hardware content. - Report analysis results and design details to internal management and external customers. - Partner with test engineering to plan and execute subsystem‑level thermal tests and perform associated analyses. - Provide feedback on the impact of potential cost and/or schedule changes. - Work independently with minimal technical oversight and general direction. - Coordinate with other engineering disciplines. - Mentor early career engineers and provide guidance on best practices.

This requisition may be filled at either Thermal Systems Engineer (Level 3) or Thermal Systems Engineer (Level 4) based on the qualifications listed below. ## Basic Qualifications - Thermal Systems Engineer (Level 3) - Bachelor’s degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) discipline with 5+ years of engineering experience; or Master’s degree in a STEM discipline with 3+ years of engineering experience; or Ph.D. in a STEM discipline with 1+ years of engineering experience. - Must possess an active Top Secret clearance or SCI access at time of application. - Thermal design and/or analysis experience for spacecraft subsystems, payloads and directed energy systems. - Demonstrated expertise in thermal testing, thermal requirements derivation and verification, and advanced thermal materials. ## Basic Qualifications - Thermal Systems Engineer (Level 4) - Bachelor’s degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) discipline with 8+ years of engineering experience; or Master’s degree in a STEM discipline with 6+ years of engineering experience; or Ph.D. in a STEM discipline with 4+ years of engineering experience. - Must possess an active Top Secret clearance or SCI access at time of application. - Thermal design and/or analysis experience for spacecraft subsystems, payloads and directed energy systems. - Demonstrated expertise in thermal testing, thermal requirements derivation and verification, and advanced thermal materials. ## Preferred Qualifications - Design, analysis and integration experience of spacecraft thermal systems - Experience using thermal analysis tools (SINDA/G, SINDA/FLUINT, TSS, Thermal Desktop) - Experience using aerospace standard design tools (NX, CATIA) - MS in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering with 6 years of engineering experience - Experience with space vehicle thermal design and/or integration - Detail-oriented and have excellent verbal and written communications skills, leadership skills, and organization skills - Spacecraft and/or Payload background with experience through the entire system lifecycle from concept, design, production, integration, test, launch, to operation support. - Experience working on thermal design and troubleshooting efforts.

Northrop Grumman offers a competitive and robust benefits program.

As a full-time employee of Northrop Grumman, you are eligible for: Medical, Dental & Vision coverage 401k Educational Assistance Life Insurance Employee Assistance Programs & Work/Life Solutions Paid-Time off Health & Wellness Resources Employee Discounts Flexible Schedules: For example, the ability to work a 9/80 work schedule, which allows an employee to work a nine-hour day Monday through Thursday and take every other Friday off of work For more details, please view Northrop Grumman Benefits . #LosAngelesSpace #LI-DB1 #SpaceEngJobs #SpaceGNCJobs #SPEnhancedERAP Primary Level Salary Range: $114,000.00 - $171,000.00 Secondary Level Salary Range: $142,200.00 - $213,400.00 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.

From Northrop Grumman's job posting, checked 7 Nov 2026. The employer's own page is the final word on requirements and availability.

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About Northrop Grumman

Satellites, space telescopes, cargo spacecraft and rocket boosters, inside a defense prime.

Pay on its listings: 98% of its open jobs state an hourly rate

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