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Northrop Grumman Undersea Systems in Annapolis, MD is currently seeking an experienced Principal or Sr. Principal PCB Layout Design Engineer to join the Hardware Engineering Team.
In this role, the Principal or Sr. Principal PCB Layout Design Engineer will generate printed circuit board (PCB) stack-ups and layouts, draw and revise components, create bare printed wiring board (PWB) drawings, circuit card assembly (CCA) drawings, and establish references and standard data for PCB design artifacts. Utilizing computer-aided design (CAD) graphic tools such as Mentor Graphics Xpedition to complete details of critical layout data in accordance with standard engineering drafting practices, military specifications, as well as industry standards.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Layout components and route electrical conductors for complex PCB’s and flex circuits
- Interface with electrical and mechanical engineers to work through component placement, routing, mechanical fitment for rigid, flex, and rigid-flex assemblies
- Design to electrical requirements, mechanical outlines, for producibility and manufacturability
- Calculate layer stack-up based on industry standards, supplier capabilities, and engineering requirements
- Generate drawings for the bare PWB and assembled CCA levels, as well as their corresponding part lists
- Assist in component selection for PCB designs to reduce supply chain procurement risks.
- Create and document the required electronic data file outputs for fabrication and manufacturing
- Understand technical theories of electrical and mechanical behavior of PCBs to influence layout decisions (i.e. impedance matching, differential pairs, strains and stresses, orientation of components, etc.)
- Maintain and update CAD central libraries for PCB mounted components
- Address Technical Queries (TQs) with suppliers
- Perform reviews of PCB related documentation in Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) Workflows
- Generate and incorporate PCB engineering change notices.
- Collaborate with others to refine the PCB engineering workflow.
This position can be filled at a Principal or Senior Principal level.
Basic Qualifications for Principal Layout Design Engineer:
- Bachelor's degree in STEM field with 5 years of directly related professional working experience or Master's degree in STEM field with 3 years of directly related professional working experience. An additional 4 years of relevant experience could be considered in lieu of a degree.
- Drafting and design experience of PCB layout and layer stack-up (analog, digital, RF, mixed signal topologies).
- Knowledge of industry specifications and design for manufacturing (DFM) rules for PCB design, fabrication and manufacturing.
- Knowledge of PCB design rules and techniques for PCBs with anywhere from 2-20 layers from initial prototype to production.
- Excellent interpersonal skills. Be able to coordinate and lead PCB design reviews with engineering, chief engineers, and program management.
- Ability to interface with various departments across a variety of programs.
- US Citizen with ability to obtain a US government secret security clearance.
Basic Qualifications for Senior Principal Layout Design Engineer:
- Bachelor's degree in STEM field with 8 years of directly related professional working experience or Master's degree in STEM field with 6 years of directly related professional working experience or PhD in STEM field with 4 years of directly related professional working experience. An additional 4 years of relevant experience could be considered in lieu of a degree.
- Drafting and design experience of PCB layout and layer stack-up (analog, digital, RF, mixed signal topologies).
- Knowledge of industry specifications and design for manufacturing (DFM) rules for PCB design, fabrication and manufacturing.
- Knowledge of PCB design rules and techniques for PCBs with anywhere from 2-20 layers from initial prototype to production.
- Excellent interpersonal skills. Be able to coordinate and lead PCB design reviews with engineering, chief engineers, and program management.
- Ability to interface with various departments across a variety of programs.
- US Citizen with ability to obtain a US government secret security clearance.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Advanced degree in STEM field
- Active US Government Secret security clearance
- Knowledge of Mentor Graphics Xpedition CAD tool for PCB design.
- Experience with MIL-STD compliant designs that meet reliability and maintainability requirements.
- Experience with electronic packaging / mechanical design for naval & oceanic applications
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Primary Level Salary Range: $98,900.00 - $148,300.00Secondary Level Salary Range: $123,400.00 - $185,000.00The 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's degree in a STEM field with 5 years of directly related experience, or master's degree with 3 years; 4 additional relevant years may substitute for the degree.
- For the Senior Principal level, bachelor's degree with 8 years, master's degree with 6 years, or PhD with 4 years of directly related experience; 4 additional relevant years may substitute for the degree.
- Professional PCB layout and layer stack-up design experience across analog, digital, RF, and mixed-signal topologies.
- Knowledge of PCB industry specifications and design-for-manufacturing rules for design, fabrication, and manufacturing.
- Knowledge of PCB design rules and techniques for 2- to 20-layer boards from prototype through production.
- Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to coordinate and lead PCB design reviews with engineering, chief engineers, and program management.
- Ability to interface with multiple departments across a variety of programs.
- U.S. citizenship and ability to obtain a U.S. government Secret security clearance.
- Advanced degree in a STEM field.
- Active U.S. government Secret security clearance.
- Experience with Mentor Graphics Xpedition CAD for PCB design.
- Experience with MIL-STD-compliant designs meeting reliability and maintainability requirements.
- Experience with electronic packaging or mechanical design for naval and oceanic applications.
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.
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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.
