Principal Electrical Engineer / Senior Principal Electrical Engineer (Instrumentation Subsystem Design)
Please note that this opportunity is contingent on program funding. Start dates are determined after funding confirmation.
Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems has an opening for a Principal Electrical Engineer/Sr. Principal Electrical Engineer to join our team of qualified, diverse individuals within our Test & Evaluation organization. This position will be located in Melbourne, FL.
**This role may be filled at the Principal OR Senior Principal level based on the qualifications listed, below**
Note: This is an individual contributor role with no direct reports. Due to the classified nature of the work being performed, this position does not offer any virtual or telecommute working options.
As a Principal/Sr. Principal Electrical Engineer supporting the Instrumentation & Data team, you will be responsible for designing electrical harness assemblies which connect various sensors measuring environmental conditions (vibration, temperature, pressure, etc.), data acquisition units, network switches, power distribution equipment, digital bus interfaces, antennas, transmitters, data recorders, and other Weapon Replacement Assembly (WRA) elements within the Instrumentation subsystem. You will produce Product Definition Packages (PDPs) which include wiring diagrams, schematics, and formboard/stick drawings supporting flight, ground, lab, and specialty test articles.
You will collaborate with subsystem responsible engineers, various IPTs, and design stakeholders to ensure PDPs meet requirements for each test article. Familiarity with harness components, EMI shielding, proven commercial and mil-spec practices, and harness fabrication processes is desired. Additionally, you will support working shipside to help troubleshoot issues during manufacturing and test execution. Previous experience in flight test instrumentation design and/or operations and integration of common interface protocols (Ethernet, ARINC-429, MIL-STD-1553, IEEE 1394, etc) is preferred but not required.
Desire to work in a fast-paced work environment and excellent communication skills are essential. Candidate must have a willingness to embrace change and work in a dynamic environment. 10% travel to support program activities and integration will be required.
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
Developing aircraft electrical wiring designs of a functional system including the selection of aircraft-type conductors and electro-mechanical components such as connectors, backshells, relays, switches, circuit breakers, terminal junction systems, termination hardware, etc. in accordance with SAE AS50881, IPC/WHMA-A-620, and proven mil-spec/commercial practices
Designing aircraft system wiring diagrams and harness definition in electrical CAD tools such as Capital Harness, AutoCAD Electrical, HarnesSys or similar
Familiarity with EMI shielding and separation requirements
Familiarity working with harness fabrication shops
Working independently under general supervision and collaborate within a multi-disciplined Integrated Product Team (IPT), interfacing with IPT leadership, suppliers, customers, and other technical disciplines
Working in a fast-paced work environment with high expectations, significantly diverse assignments, and collaborative/team settings across all levels
Basic Qualifications for Principal Electrical Engineer:
Must have a Bachelor of Science degree in a Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math (STEM) discipline AND 5 years of related professional/military experience OR a Master of Science degree in a STEM discipline AND 3 years of related professional/military experience, OR a STEM Ph.D. AND 1 year of related professional/military experience
Your ability to transfer and maintain the final adjudicated government Secret clearance (DoD must be in-scope or enrolled in Continuous Evaluation) and any program access(es) required for the position within a reasonable period of time, as determined by the Company.
Must have experience in Instrumentation.
Basic Qualifications for Sr. Principal Electrical Engineer:
Must have a Bachelor of Science degree in a Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math (STEM) discipline AND 8 years of related professional/military experience OR a Master of Science degree in a STEM discipline AND 6 years of related professional/military experience, OR a STEM Ph.D. AND 4 years of related professional/military experience
Your ability to transfer and maintain the final adjudicated government Secret clearance (DoD must be in-scope or enrolled in Continuous Evaluation) and any program access(es) required for the position within a reasonable period of time, as determined by the Company.
Must have experience in Instrumentation.
Preferred Qualifications:
Advanced proficiency with Siemens Capital, HarneSys, or AutoCAD electrical design software
Advanced proficiency with Siemens Teamcenter or similar Product Lifecycle Management software
Advanced degree in Electrical Engineering
#AS-FA3
Primary Level Salary Range: $98,400.00 - $147,600.00Secondary Level Salary Range: $122,800.00 - $184,200.00The 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.Skills Required
- Bachelor of Science in STEM AND 5 years related experience OR Master of Science in STEM AND 3 years OR STEM Ph.D. AND 1 year (Principal level)
- Bachelor of Science in STEM AND 8 years related experience OR Master of Science in STEM AND 6 years OR STEM Ph.D. AND 4 years (Senior Principal level)
- Ability to transfer and maintain a final adjudicated government Secret clearance (DoD in-scope or enrolled in Continuous Evaluation)
- Experience in Instrumentation
- Willingness and ability to work on-site (no telecommute/virtual options) in Melbourne, FL
- Willingness to travel up to approximately 10% to support program activities and integration
- Experience designing aircraft electrical wiring and harness definitions in accordance with SAE AS50881, IPC/WHMA-A-620 and mil-spec/commercial practices
- Advanced proficiency with Siemens Capital, HarnesSys, or AutoCAD Electrical design software
- Advanced proficiency with Siemens Teamcenter or similar Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) software
- Advanced degree in Electrical Engineering
- Familiarity with EMI shielding/separation requirements, harness fabrication processes, and common interface protocols (Ethernet, ARINC-429, MIL-STD-1553, IEEE 1394)
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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Retirement Support — 401(k) matching is considered strong, with additional defined-benefit coverage for certain cohorts and options like catch-up contributions. Retirement programs are repeatedly highlighted as a core strength of the total rewards.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — PTO, company-paid holidays, and compressed work schedules (such as 9/80) provide meaningful time away and flexibility. These scheduling options are cited as a major quality-of-life benefit across many locations.
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Parental & Family Support — Paid parental leave alongside caregiver leave, adoption assistance, and back-up care supports a range of family needs. These programs have been expanded recently, signaling continued investment in family support.
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.








