Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems has an opening for a Sr. Principal Embedded Payload Electronics Engineer to join our team in San Diego (Rancho Bernardo), CA or Palmdale, CA. This position will be in our Avionics Integration Organization.
Roles and Responsibilities will include:
Requirements management, system integration, test plan development, and test execution of a payload system throughout the entire development, demonstration, and test phases.
Understand all system requirements, develop statements of work, specifications and interface control documents, prepare, monitor and update program schedules, conduct and participate in all related design reviews, and provide technical guidance to the cross-functional team.
Perform subsystem trades, analysis of alternatives, modeling, and simulation for mission effects, data, or capabilities (including air vehicles, payloads, ground segments, mission planning, CONOPS, DRM, system security, and interfaces)
Develop, execute, and document lab test procedures and validation plans (including signal chaining, link budgets, interference checks, and pass/fail criteria) and capture test results and anomalies
Configure and operate RF and network testbeds/emulators (including channel emulators, attenuators, spectrum analyzers, signal generators, and protocol/network simulators) to reproduce operational environments
Troubleshoot hardware/software integration issues across RF front end, digital baseband, modem stacks, and network interfaces
Support configuration management and lab readiness: maintain test fixtures, instrumentation calibration records, test scripts, version control for test artifacts, and produce concise technical reports for stakeholders
The selected candidate will be required to work full-time, on-site at our facility. There is NO remote / hybrid / telework available for this position. Travel up to 25% may be required.
Basic Qualifications:
Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics) discipline and 8 years of related engineering experience; OR a Master’s degree in a relevant STEM discipline and 6 years of related engineering experience; OR a PhD in a relevant STEM discipline and 4 years of related engineering experience.
Practical experience working with integrating payload systems
Requirements management, system integration, test plan development, and test execution of a payload system
Generation and update of specifications in DOORS, including requirements traceability and dxl script development
Familiarity with Systems Engineering tools and MBSE applications (e.g. DOORs, Cameo, Magicdraw, etc.)
Must have an active US Government Top-Secret Clearance (with a background investigation within the past 6 years or enrolled into Continuous Evaluation).
Ability to obtain and maintain US Government SCI clearance
Must have the ability to obtain and maintain Special Access Program (SAP) clearance, within a reasonable amount of time as determined by business needs.
Preferred Qualifications:
Current applicable Special Access Program (SAP) clearance.
Presenting analysis that shapes the system design and obtaining end-customer buy-in
Creating and refining Model Based System Engineering products (System behavioral models, Use Case realizations, State Machines, etc.)
Capability assessments to predict requirement compliance
Generating and reporting system Technical Performance Measures
Interface development and documentation
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in STEM with 8 years experience OR Master's with 6 years OR PhD with 4 years
- Practical experience integrating payload systems
- Requirements management, system integration, test plan development, and test execution of payload systems
- Generation and update of specifications in DOORS including requirements traceability and DXL script development
- Familiarity with Systems Engineering tools and MBSE applications (DOORS, Cameo, MagicDraw)
- Configure and operate RF and network testbeds/emulators (channel emulators, attenuators, spectrum analyzers, signal generators, protocol/network simulators)
- Troubleshoot hardware/software integration across RF front end, digital baseband, modem stacks, and network interfaces
- Active US Government Top-Secret Clearance (background investigation within past 6 years or enrolled in Continuous Evaluation)
- Ability to obtain and maintain US Government SCI clearance
- Ability to obtain and maintain Special Access Program (SAP) clearance
- Current applicable Special Access Program (SAP) clearance
- Experience presenting analysis that shapes system design and obtains end-customer buy-in
- Experience creating and refining MBSE products (system behavioral models, use case realizations, state machines)
- Capability assessments to predict requirement compliance
- Generating and reporting system Technical Performance Measures
- Interface development and documentation experience
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.
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