Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems is seeking Principal and Sr. Principal Systems Test Engineers to support aircraft flight and mission hardware/software testing in our Test & Evaluation organization. Work includes hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) / system integration labs (SIL), “test like you fly” configurations, and test evidence for flight and mission software/hardware certification and airworthiness.
Key Responsibilities:
Perform first-time integration and checkout of new integrated hardware and software capabilities.
Plan, develop, dry run, and perform formal execution of test procedures that produce certification-quality evidence.
Lead HIL/SIL testing; define and maintain representative “test like you fly” configurations (hardware, software, loads, instrumentation).
Perform data analysis of recorded data to support pass or fail disposition of success criteria.
Decompose system/software requirements into test objectives; ensure traceability from requirements through test results and certification artifacts.
Develop and review test plans, procedures, cards, and reports for verification, validation, and certification.
Analyze data, identify anomalies, support or lead root-cause investigations, and recommend corrective actions for airworthiness and mission capability.
Coordinate with and support systems engineering, software, hardware, airworthiness, safety, production, and ground/flight test operations to resolve issues and keep lab, ground, and flight test aligned.
Mentor less-experienced engineers in systems test, HIL/SIL methods, and certification-focused verification.
This requisition may be filled at a higher grade based on qualifications listed below.
Basic Qualifications
This requisition may be filled at either a Principal or a Sr Principal Engineer Systems Test.
Basic qualifications Principal Engineer, Systems Test:
Must have a Bachelor of Science degree in a STEM discipline AND 5 years of related professional/military experience, OR a Master's degree AND 3 years of related professional/military experience OR a Ph.D. AND 1 years of related professional/military experience.
Must have an active US Government Secret clearance (with a background investigation within the past 6 years or enrolled into Continuous Evaluation).
Must have the ability to obtain and maintain Special Access Program (SAP) clearance, within a reasonable amount of time as determined by business needs.
Experience in systems integration and test for complex aerospace/defense or mission systems (hardware + software).
Hands-on with HIL and/or SIL, including configuration control and data/instrumentation systems.
Experience developing/executing test procedures and analyzing data for flight or mission systems.
Demonstrated ability to solve complex test problems with ingenuity and creativity.
Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Basic qualifications Sr Principal Engineer, Systems Test:
Must have a Bachelor of Science degree in a STEM discipline AND 8 years of related professional/military experience, OR a Master's degree AND 6 years of related professional/military experience OR a Ph.D. AND 4 years of related professional/military experience.
Must have an active US Government Secret clearance (with a background investigation within the past 6 years or enrolled into Continuous Evaluation).
Must have the ability to obtain and maintain Special Access Program (SAP) clearance, within a reasonable amount of time as determined by business needs.
Experience in systems integration and test for complex aerospace/defense or mission systems (hardware + software).
Hands-on with HIL and/or SIL, including configuration control and data/instrumentation systems.
Experience developing/executing test procedures and analyzing data for flight or mission systems.
Demonstrated ability to solve complex test problems with ingenuity and creativity.
Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience with flight test and airworthiness/mission system Hardware/Software certification (e.g., flight release, safety of flight, mission approval).
Familiarity with flight/mission software verification and certification and related standards (e.g., DO-178C, DO-254, MIL-STD-516 or similar).
Demonstrated use of “test like you fly” in lab and/or flight configurations.
Experience with test automation/data analysis tools (e.g., Python, MATLAB, LabVIEW).
Experience as technical lead or primary technical contact with customers/partners.
Skills Required
- Bachelor of Science in a STEM discipline and 5 years related experience OR Master's and 3 years OR Ph.D. and 1 year (Principal level)
- Bachelor of Science in a STEM discipline and 8 years related experience OR Master's and 6 years OR Ph.D. and 4 years (Sr Principal level)
- Active U.S. Government Secret clearance (background investigation within past 6 years or enrolled in Continuous Evaluation)
- Ability to obtain and maintain Special Access Program (SAP) clearance
- Experience in systems integration and test for complex aerospace/defense or mission systems (hardware + software)
- Hands-on experience with hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) and/or system integration labs (SIL), including configuration control and data/instrumentation systems
- Experience developing/executing test procedures and analyzing data for flight or mission systems
- Demonstrated ability to solve complex test problems with ingenuity and creativity
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Experience with flight test and airworthiness/mission system hardware/software certification (flight release, safety of flight, mission approval)
- Familiarity with flight/mission software verification and certification standards (e.g., DO-178C, DO-254, MIL-STD-516 or similar)
- Demonstrated use of 'test like you fly' in lab and/or flight configurations
- Experience with test automation/data analysis tools (e.g., Python, MATLAB, LabVIEW)
- Experience as technical lead or primary technical contact with customers/partners
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.





