Come join Northrop Grumman – Xetron, part of the Mission Systems sector, where we develop new capabilities for our military and intelligence customers around the globe. At Xetron we design systems that only science fiction writers could imagine, because they’re that cool!
Xetron is an operating unit of the Northrop Grumman Corporation, located in Cincinnati, Ohio where employees have the chance to know everyone on site while working on cutting‑edge technologies and high‑impact products. You’ll tackle the next generation of challenging problems, share expertise, and learn from world‑class teammates. Remember when you were excited about the challenge of the problem, the importance of the solution, and the fun you had with your team? You’ll experience that at Xetron! See why we receive comments on our YouTube Videos like “This company is insanely advanced” and “Wow. This is mind blowing.” See some of our recent Awards and Recognition and read about some of the reasons to live in Cincinnati..
We are seeking cleared or clearable, Embedded Software Engineers to develop our sensor, communication, and cyber systems onsite in Cincinnati, OH.
Engineers here are part of multi-disciplinary program teams implementing next-generation, specialized communication systems and sensing systems critical to US intelligence customers and allies. Team members conduct all phases of these programs, including requirements generation, hardware-selection, software development, and system integration and test.
Programs at Northrop Grumman in Cincinnati are engineering intensive, rapid-schedule jobs for diverse SIGINT/EW and Cyber applications. Research and solve problems in the areas of advanced waveform development, low size, weight, and power (low SWaP) processing systems, specialized space communication payloads, and persistent signal surveillance systems.
Our employees take advantage of Northrop Grumman’s flexible work arrangements, including 9/80 schedules and 4/10 schedules. We offer training and learning opportunities supporting technical and personal growth in al business areas that benefit our customers. Northrop Grumman offers competitive benefits including 401k matching!
Are you seeking a challenging role with a strong team? Come define possible with us in Cincinnati!
These position can be filled a the Engineer or Principal Engineer level.
Basic Qualifications for Engineer level (level 2):
- Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in science, engineering, or related field with 2 Years of experience; or 0 years with a Masters (MS) degree
- Experience with C, C++, and embedded assembly languages such as ARM, PIC, and AVR
- Experience with embedded systems development environments such as Xilinx SDK, TI Code Composer Studio, IAR Embedded Workbench, and the GNU compiler collection (GCC) and associated tools
- Experience with embedded systems debugging and system analysis tools such as. JTAG emulators, remote GDB servers, USB or benchtop logic analyzers)
- Experience with scripting languages (Python, Bash, Batch, etc)
- Knowledge of full lifecycle of development from requirements through design, implementation, integration, test and product release
- Familiarity with various version control systems (Git, GitLab, GitHub, Bitbucket, etc) and Agile software planning tools (Jira, Rally, etc)
- US Citizenship is required
- The ability to obtain a DoD Top Secret security clearance prior to starting employment (we will sponsor).
Basic Qualifications for Principal Engineer level (level 3):
- Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in science, engineering, or related field with 5 Years of experience; or 3 years with a Masters (MS) degree
- Experience with C, C++, and embedded assembly languages such as ARM, PIC, and AVR
- Experience with embedded systems development environments such as Xilinx SDK, TI Code Composer Studio, IAR Embedded Workbench, and the GNU compiler collection (GCC) and associated tools
- Experience with embedded systems debugging and system analysis tools such as. JTAG emulators, remote GDB servers, USB or benchtop logic analyzers)
- Experience with scripting languages (Python, Bash, Batch, etc)
- Knowledge of full lifecycle of development from requirements through design, implementation, integration, test and product release
- Familiarity with various version control systems (Git, GitLab, GitHub, Bitbucket, etc) and Agile software planning tools (Jira, Rally, etc)
- US Citizenship is required
- The ability to obtain a DoD Top Secret security clearance prior to starting employment (we will sponsor).
Preferred Qualifications for both levels:
- Active Top Secret Clearance
- Experience with embedded communications protocols such as SPI, I2C, RS-232, CAN, SpaceWire, and MIL-STD-1553B
- Interest in digital signal processing (DSP)
- Experience with GNU Radio or other software-defined radio (SDR) platforms
- Experience with MATLAB/Octave
- Experience with embedded real-time operating systems (RTOS) such as FreeRTOS, Zephyr, VxWorks, or Linux with PREEMPT_RT
Skills Required
- Bachelor of Science degree in science, engineering, or a related field plus 2 years of experience for Engineer Level 2, or a Master's degree with 0 years of experience
- Bachelor of Science degree in science, engineering, or a related field plus 5 years of experience for Principal Engineer Level 3, or a Master's degree with 3 years of experience
- Experience with C, C++, and embedded assembly languages such as ARM, PIC, and AVR
- Experience with embedded systems development environments including Xilinx SDK, TI Code Composer Studio, IAR Embedded Workbench, and GCC
- Experience with embedded systems debugging and system analysis tools, including JTAG emulators, remote GDB servers, USB analyzers, or benchtop logic analyzers
- Experience with scripting languages such as Python, Bash, or Batch
- Knowledge of the full software development lifecycle from requirements through design, implementation, integration, testing, and product release
- Familiarity with version control systems such as Git, GitLab, GitHub, or Bitbucket
- Familiarity with Agile software planning tools such as Jira or Rally
- U.S. citizenship
- Ability to obtain a DoD Top Secret security clearance prior to starting employment
- Active Top Secret clearance
- Experience with embedded communications protocols including SPI, I2C, RS-232, CAN, SpaceWire, and MIL-STD-1553B
- Interest in digital signal processing
- Experience with GNU Radio or other software-defined radio platforms
- Experience with MATLAB or Octave
- Experience with embedded real-time operating systems such as FreeRTOS, Zephyr, VxWorks, or Linux with PREEMPT_RT
Northrop Grumman Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Northrop Grumman and has not been reviewed or approved by Northrop Grumman.
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Healthcare Strength — Health coverage offers multiple medical plan options by region alongside dental, vision, mental‑health resources, and wellness programs. Recent materials also highlight added family‑building support, including a dedicated fertility benefit.
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Retirement Support — The 401(k) savings plan is positioned as competitive with a company match, auto‑escalation features, and access to an employee stock fund/ESPP. Official filings and benefits guides emphasize retirement as a core element of the Total Rewards package.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Many sites offer a 9/80 schedule, generous PTO, paid holidays, and flexible/telework options where program needs allow. Paid parental and caregiver leave are prominently featured, with recent enhancements for the delivering parent.
Northrop Grumman Insights
What We Do
We are a close-knit community of big thinkers collaborating to keep the world safe. Our passion, creativity and expertise bring next-level technology solutions to life in autonomous systems, cyber, C4ISR, strike, space, and logistics and modernization for our customers around the globe. On the Northrop Grumman team, you’ll join our pursuit of excellence immersed in a dynamic culture of innovation and respect. Your unique perspective will help achieve our shared vision for the future of global security. Every step of the way, you'll be supported by world-class training, employee resource groups and a comprehensive benefits package that enables greater health and happiness for you and your family. Worldwide and across disciplines, we’re challenging what’s possible for technology to protect people and places from undersea to outer space and into cyberspace. And we see the impact of our performance every day. We are Northrop Grumman, and we work on what matters—now, you too can make a difference. Explore opportunities in engineering, IT, manufacturing, business management, cybersecurity and more with us. Northrop Grumman is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.







