Principal/Sr. Principal Controls Engineer - 19677

ngc; Roy (UT); On-site; USD 98,000 - 184,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Coverage

Dental Coverage

Vision Coverage

401k

Educational Assistance

Life Insurance

Employee Assistance Programs

Paid Time Off

Health & Wellness Resources

Employee Discounts

Job summary

Northrop Grumman Defense Systems seeks a Principal / Sr. Principal Controls Engineer – Systems Signal Architecture & Controller Integration in Roy, UT, for the Sentinel program. You will own control system signal architectures and integrate COTS and custom controllers across facility, launch, and mission equipment subsystems.

The role emphasizes collaboration with electrical, systems, software, and test engineering to deliver safe, reliable control solutions. U.S.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in STEM with 5+ years of relevant experience; or 3+ years with a Master’s; or 1+ with a PhD.
• Experience in control system design, signal architectures, I/O lists, and controller configurations for complex systems.
• US Citizenship with Active DoD Secret clearance or higher and ability to obtain SAP certification.
• Hands-on experience configuring COTS controllers (PLC/PAC/DAQ) and integrating with sensors/actuators.
• Experience with MATLAB/Simulink and tool suites, with knowledge of industry standards.

Responsibilities

• Own the end-to-end signal architecture for assigned systems, including I/O lists and routing.
• Specify, configure, and integrate COTS controllers and custom hardware for safe, reliable control.
• Translate system requirements into control logic, interfaces, and testable specs.
• Develop ICDs, control narratives, and sequences of operations with cross-team alignment.
• Model, simulate, and analyze control strategies using MATLAB/Simulink; support trades.
• Create test plans, perform hardware-in-the-loop tests, and drive root-cause analysis.

Skills

Control System Design

Signal Architecture

I/O Lists

Controller Configs

COTS Controllers

PLC/PAC/DAQ

MATLAB/Simulink

LabVIEW

Communication Protocols

DoD Clearance

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Education

Bachelors in STEM

Masters preferred

Tools

MATLAB

Simulink

LabVIEW

Cameo

MagicDraw

DOORS

Job description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be availableCLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: YesCLEARANCE TYPE: SecretTRAVEL: Yes, 10% of the Time

Description

At Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems that impact people's lives around the world today, and for generations to come. Our pioneering and inventive spirit has enabled us to be at the forefront of many technological advancements in our nation's history - from the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean, to stealth bombers, to landing on the moon. We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage and a pioneering spirit to join forces to invent the future, and have fun along the way. Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity and bringing your whole self to work — and we have an insatiable drive to do what others think is impossible. Our employees are not only part of history, they're making history.

Northrop Grumman Defense Systems is seeking a Principal / Sr. Principal Controls Engineer – Systems Signal Architecture & Controller Integration. This position is located in Roy, UT supporting the Sentinel program.

What You’ll Do:

You will join the Sentinel Launch Systems Infrastructure team as a controls engineer focused on systems signal architecture and controller operations for both COTS controllers and custom hardware. In this role, you will define and integrate control system signal architectures, select and configure controllers, and ensure robust, testable interfaces across facility, launch, and mission equipment subsystems.

The ideal candidate understands how weapon system and facility requirements drive control system behavior, and can translate those needs into controller configurations, I/O mappings, communication networks, and testable requirements. You will work closely with electrical, systems, software, and test engineering to deliver safe, reliable, and maintainable control solutions.

• Controls & Signal Architecture Ownership

• Develop and maintain the end to end signal architecture for assigned systems, including I/O lists, signal types, addressing, and routing. Ensure clean segregation of safety critical, mission critical, and non critical signals.

• Controller Integration (COTS & Custom) Specify, configure, and integrate COTS controllers (e.g., PLCs, PACs, motion controllers, data acquisition hardware) and custom control hardware. Implement control logic, I/O mapping, and fault handling to meet system performance and safety requirements.

• Requirements & Interface Definition

• Translate system level requirements into control system and signal level requirements. Develop interface control documents (ICDs), control narratives, and sequence of operations to align hardware, software, and facility teams.

• Modeling, Simulation & Analysis

• Use analytical tools and models (e.g., MATLAB/Simulink, similar platforms) to evaluate control strategies, timing, and performance. Support trade studies to select architectures, networks, and controller technologies.

• Test, Verification & Troubleshooting

• Develop and execute test plans, procedures, and automated test sequences for controller hardware and software. Support integration labs, hardware in the loop (HIL) setups, and field test activities, including root cause analysis (RCA) for control system anomalies.

• Cross Functional Collaboration Work closely with electrical power, facility, mechanical, software, and systems engineering to ensure controls solutions align with power distribution, instrumentation, and mechanical actuation. Coordinate changes and maintain configuration control of control system artifacts.

• Documentation & Configuration Management

• Create and maintain engineering documentation including control schematics, signal lists, controller configuration baselines, test procedures, and as built updates. Ensure all artifacts meet program, customer, and configuration management requirements.

• Continuous Improvement & Support

• Identify opportunities to improve reliability, maintainability, and testability of control systems. Support proposals, design reviews, and technical interchanges by providing controls engineering expertise.

Basic Qualifications:

• T03-Bachelor’s degree in a Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) discipline from an accredited university and 5+ years of relevant experience; or 3+ years with a Master’s; or 1+ years with a PhD.

• T04-Bachelor’s degree in a STEM discipline and 8+ years of relevant experience; or 6+ years with a Master’s; or 4+ years with a PhD.

• U.S. Citizenship with an Active DoD Secret clearance or higher (awarded within the past 6 years), and the ability to obtain and maintain Special Access Program (SAP) certification.

• 5+ years of experience in control system design and integration, including development of signal architectures, I/O lists, and controller configurations for complex systems (industrial, aerospace, defense, or similar).

• Hands on experience configuring and operating COTS controllers (e.g., PLCs, PACs, industrial controllers, DAQ modules) and integrating them with sensors, actuators, and higher level control or monitoring systems.

• Experience designing, implementing, or supporting control systems for ground, facility, launch, or mission equipment systems, with an understanding of how system level requirements drive control logic and interfaces.

• Experience with one or more control/analysis tools (e.g., MATLAB/Simulink, LabVIEW, PLC programming environments) and familiarity with relevant industry or military standards for control and instrumentation.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with demonstrated success collaborating across multi disciplinary engineering teams and engaging with stakeholders to resolve technical and schedule challenges.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Breadth in Control Technologies – Experience with a range of controller platforms (e.g., Allen Bradley, Siemens, NI, Schneider, or equivalent) and familiarity with integrating COTS controllers with custom electronic hardware.

• Networked Control Systems – Knowledge of industrial communication protocols (e.g., Ethernet/IP, Profinet, Modbus/TCP, CAN, RS 485, MIL STD 1553, or similar) and experience designing and troubleshooting control networks.

• EMI/EMC & Environmental Considerations – Understanding of EMI/EMC, grounding/shielding, and environmental constraints as they impact signal integrity and control hardware performance.

• Model Based & Requirements Tools – Experience with Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) tools (e.g., Cameo, MagicDraw) and/or requirements management tools (e.g., DOORS), including traceability from system requirements to control system implementation and test.

• Test & Automation Experience – Experience developing automated test scripts, HIL environments, or integration test stands for verification of controllers and signal architectures.

• DoD / Acquisition Familiarity – Knowledge of DoD acquisition processes, milestone reviews, and government contracting, including authorship and release of engineering documentation for formal reviews.

• Professional Credentials – Electrical/Controls Professional Engineering (P.E.) license, Certified Systems Engineering Professional (CSEP), or relevant industry certifications preferred.

As a full-time employee of Northrop Grumman Space Systems, 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 positions 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. This role may offer a competitive relocation assistance package.

Primary Level Salary Range: $98,400.00 - $147,600.00Secondary Level Salary Range: $122,800.00 - $184,200.00The 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.