Northrop Grumman Mission Systems is a trusted provider of mission-enabling solutions for global security. Our Engineering and Sciences (E&S) organization pushes the boundaries of innovation, redefines engineering capabilities, and drives advances in various sciences. Our team is chartered with providing the skills, innovative technologies to develop, design, produce and sustain optimized product lines across the sector while providing a decisive advantage to the warfighter. Come be a part of our mission!
The Multidomain Sensing, Targeting, and Survivability Division (MSTS), located in the Northwest Chicago suburbs, develops operational Electronic Warfare (EW) and targeting systems that provide situational awareness, self-protection, and offensive electronic attack capability to platforms across the spectrum from visible light IR to millimeter wave RF. By joining us, you’ll work on projects that help safeguard our nation related to land forces, rotary wing survivability systems, international and U.S. military electronic warfare systems, communications systems, missile warning systems and sensors, infrared counter-measure systems (IRCM), automatic test equipment, modeling and simulation, and situational awareness programs. The Hardware Engineering organization plays a key role in developing these solutions.
The Principal/Sr. Principal Digital Design Engineer role involves full life-cycle product development from system concept and requirements through design, implementation, test verification, production, and field support while working in integrated product teams spanning Engineering, Manufacturing, and Program Management. Digital subsystem and circuit card designs utilize the latest FPGA technologies from all major vendors and device families including Xilinx, Altera, and Actel, and support high speed interfaces, Radio Frequency (RF) and Electro-Optical (EO) DSP, controls, data links, embedded processing and processor interfaces.
Job Description:
As a Principal/Sr. Principal Digital Design Engineer, you will join our diverse team and be responsible for research, design, and development of digital hardware products. Your expertise in digital component design and analysis, modeling and simulation, circuit level design and test, and project leadership are desired for this position. Researches, designs, develops, and tests a variety of electronic equipment and systems, including radar and radiation detection equipment; radio, television and other communications equipment and systems; circuitry components; analog and digital computers; and control and test equipment.
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This position may be filled at either a Principal or Sr. Principal Digital Design Engineer level based on the qualifications listed below.
This position will be full-time, on-site at our Rolling Meadows, IL. location.
This position is contingent upon Funding/Contract award, special access program and acquiring and maintaining the necessary US Government security clearance per customers' requirements prior to start.
Basic Qualifications for a Principal Digital Design Engineer:
- Bachelors’ degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering or similar engineering discipline with a minimum 5 years of digital electronics design experience or a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering or similar engineering discipline and 3 years of digital electronics design experience.
- Digital circuit design experience, including simulation & schematic capture through test and integration
- Prior hands-on prototyping and debug experience testing complex digital subsystems, such as complex circuit card development involving FPGAs, and/or embedded processors, and/or high-speed interfaces.
- Demonstrated ability to lead projects with 2 or less team members.
- Demonstrated ability to translate system performance and operational specifications into hardware requirements, design, and test specifications.
- Familiarity with documentation revision control and review systems similar to DOORS, ClearCase, and ClearQuest.
- US Citizen
- Ability to obtain and maintain a minimum of a Secret clearance with additional customer specified clearance prior to start.
Basic Qualifications for a Sr. Principal Digital Design Engineer:
- Bachelors’ degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering or similar engineering discipline with a minimum 8 years of digital electronics design experience or a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering or similar engineering discipline and 6 years of digital electronics design experience.
- Extensive digital circuit design experience, including simulation & schematic capture through test and integration.
- Extensive hands-on prototyping and debug experience testing complex digital subsystems, such as complex circuit card development involving FPGAs, and/or embedded processors, and/or high-speed interfaces
- Demonstrated ability to lead projects with 2 or more team members.
- Demonstrated ability to translate system performance and operational specifications into hardware requirements, design, and test specifications.
- Familiarity with documentation, revision control and review systems similar to DOORS, ClearCase, and ClearQuest.
- US Citizen
- Ability to obtain and maintain a minimum of a Secret clearance with additional customer specified clearance prior to start.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Advanced degree in Electrical or Computer Engineering with a minimum 10 years of digital electronics design experience.
- Working knowledge of Electronic Warfare systems.
- Experience in Aerospace and/or Defense industries.
- Recent circuit card design experience utilizing circuit-related tools including Cadence Concept, Allegro, and/or Mentor DxDesigner, Expedition.
- Working experience with ClearCase/ClearQuest and DOORS Current Secret or Top-Secret Security Clearance.
- Proven skills to include: team leadership, mentoring others, communicating with all levels of an organization internally and externally, being adaptable, creative, collaborative and also comfortable working independently and enjoying solving difficult problems.
Primary Level Salary Range: $108,800.00 - $163,200.00Secondary Level Salary Range: $135,800.00 - $203,600.00The 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 Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a similar engineering discipline with at least 5 years of digital electronics design experience, or a master’s degree with at least 3 years of experience.
- Digital circuit design experience from simulation and schematic capture through test and integration.
- Hands-on prototyping and debugging experience with complex digital subsystems, including FPGAs, embedded processors, or high-speed interfaces.
- Ability to lead projects with two or fewer team members for the Principal level, or two or more team members for the Sr. Principal level.
- Ability to translate system performance and operational specifications into hardware requirements, design specifications, and test specifications.
- Familiarity with documentation revision control and review systems similar to DOORS, ClearCase, and ClearQuest.
- U.S. citizenship.
- Ability to obtain and maintain at least a Secret clearance with additional customer-specified clearance before starting.
- Advanced degree in Electrical or Computer Engineering with at least 10 years of digital electronics design experience.
- Working knowledge of electronic warfare systems.
- Experience in the aerospace or defense industries.
- Circuit-card design experience using Cadence Concept, Allegro, Mentor DxDesigner, or Expedition.
- Current Secret or Top Secret security clearance.
- Team leadership, mentoring, communication, adaptability, creativity, collaboration, independent work, and complex problem-solving skills.
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.
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