Northrop Grumman Defense Systems is seeking to hire a Principal Systems Test Engineer / Senior Principal Systems Test Engineer. This position will be located in Colorado Springs, CO supporting the Sentinel program.
This supports the Air Force’s sustainment, development, production and deployment of hardware and system modifications for Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Ground and Airborne Launch Control Systems, Launch Facilities and associated infrastructure.
This will be a blended role between the Command System (CS) Launch, Guidance and Control (LGC) Embedded Test Team, and the CS Lab Operations Team. Test engineer responsibilities will include, development of unit-level hardware test procedures, collaboration with Systems Engineer (SE) for requirement text development as well as support for higher level test activities. Lab operations responsibilities will include leading coordination for lab integration activities with various Product Teams, leading efforts for stand-up / enforcement of lab operations policies (CM, Lab Access, Lab Scheduling, etc.) This role will require the ability to coordinate with Product Teams on technical content while also maintaining a high level of communication with the various lab stakeholders.
Basic Qualifications:
- T04 Principal Systems Test Engineer: 5 Years with bachelor's in science; 3 Years with Masters; 0 Years with PhD. Or 8 years of equivalent experience in the area of aeronautical aviation test and/or evaluation/hardware support.
- T04 Senior Principal Systems Test Engineer: 8 Years with Bachelors in Science; 6 Years with Masters; 4 Years with PhD of equivalent experience in the area of aeronautical aviation test and/or evaluation/hardware support.
For both levels:
- Must have an active U.S. Government DoD Secret security clearance at time of application, current and within scope, with an ability to obtain and maintain Special Access Program (SAP) approval within a reasonable period of time, as determined by the company to meet its business need.
- Experience working in a Modeled Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) environment using software such as DOORS, CAMEO.
- Demonstrated experience of system integration (HW and SW) and test principles.
- Experience with development of test plans, procedures, and reports (functional testing and checkout).
- Experience working with the Atlassian Suite of tools (Confluence, Jira).
- Experience with data collection/instrumentation and lab equipment (spectrum analyzers, multimeters, o-scopes).
Preferred Qualifications:
- Active TS clearance or higher (awarded within the past 6 years) with the ability to receive a Special Access Program (SAP) certification.
- Current CompTIA Security+ certification
- Working knowledge of system integration (HW and SW) and test principles.
- Experience defining test objectives based on test requirements.
- Experience with data collection/instrumentation methods.
- Experience in troubleshooting anomalous hardware and software.
- Experience with development of test plans, procedures, and reports (functional testing and checkout).
- Experience working with the Atlassian Suite of tools (Confluence, Jira)
- Experience in design, maintenance, and/or troubleshooting of test cables, test sets and support equipment.
- Experience with data collection/instrumentation and lab equipment (spectrum analyzers, multimeters, o-scopes)
- Experience with NI PXI equipment and LabView, TestStand
- Experience test objectives based on test requirements.
- Experience with data collection/instrumentation methods.
- Experience in troubleshooting anomalous hardware and software.
- Experience in design, maintenance, and/or troubleshooting of test cables, test sets and support equipment.
As a full-time employee of Northrop Grumman, you are eligible for our robust benefits package including:
- Medical, Dental & Vision coverage
- 401k
- Educational Assistance
- Life Insurance
- Employee Assistance Programs & Work/Life Solutions
- Paid Time Off
- Health & Wellness Resources
- Employee Discounts
This position’s standard work schedule is a 9/80. The 9/80 schedule allows employees who work a nine-hour day Monday through Thursday to take every other Friday off.
#Sentinelintandtest
Primary Level Salary Range: $94,200.00 - $141,200.00Secondary Level Salary Range: $117,500.00 - $176,300.00The 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
- 5-8 years (Principal) or 8+ years (Senior Principal) of relevant test/hardware experience depending on degree
- Active U.S. Government DoD Secret security clearance at time of application
- Ability to obtain and maintain Special Access Program (SAP) approval
- Experience working in a Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) environment
- Experience with DOORS and CAMEO
- Demonstrated experience in system integration (hardware and software) and test principles
- Experience developing test plans, procedures, and reports (functional testing and checkout)
- Experience with Atlassian Suite (Confluence, Jira)
- Experience with data collection/instrumentation and lab equipment (spectrum analyzers, multimeters, oscilloscopes)
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
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