Principal / Sr Principal Engineer Aeronautical - Hardware Avionics

Northrop Grumman Corp. (AU); San Diego (CA); Hybrid; USD 114,000 - 213,400; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Health benefits

Job summary

Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems in California seeks Principal/Senior Principal Engineer (Aeronautical - Hardware Avionics) to join the Air Vehicle Hardware Avionics team in Rancho Bernardo. The role requires regular site presence with a hybrid model combining remote and on-site work to support lab and field activities.

Candidates must hold a STEM degree with 5+ years (or higher) relevant experience and be able to obtain a Secret clearance. Experience with MATLAB and IFF/TCAS is preferred.

Qualifications

• Must have a STEM degree at required level with related professional/military experience.
• Ability to obtain and maintain U.S. Government Secret clearance and SAP.
• Experience with MATLAB and core Microsoft Office apps; hands‑on with test equipment.

Responsibilities

• Integrate IFF and TCAS hardware, define interfaces and interoperability.
• Conduct investigations, system testing, and flight testing in labs.
• Provide remote and on-site troubleshooting for production and field issues.
• Support proposal development, verification & validation, and cost/risk analysis.
• Translate customer requirements into total system solutions balancing tech, schedule and cost constraints.

Skills

STEM degree

5+ years experience

Secret clearance

MATLAB

Test equipment (oscilloscopes, etc.)

Education

Bachelor's Degree in STEM

Master's Degree in STEM

Ph.D. in STEM

Tools

MATLAB

Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Project, Visio)

Oscilloscopes / Signal Generators

Job description

Relocation Assistance

Relocation assistance may be available.

Clearance, Travel, and Location

Clearance required for start: No. Clearance type: Secret. Travel: Yes, 10% of the time. Position will be located in Rancho Bernardo (San Diego), CA. Regular presence at the site is required, with a hybrid schedule of remote and on-site work as needed.

Position Overview

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 Aeronautics Systems has an opening for a Principal Engineer Aeronautical - Hardware Avionics (Level 3) or Senior Principal Engineer Aeronautical - Hardware Avionics (Level 4) to join our Air Vehicle Hardware Avionics team of qualified, diverse individuals. This role will be located in Rancho Bernardo (San Diego), CA. Note: This position requires regular presence at our Rancho Bernardo (San Diego) site, with a hybrid work schedule that includes both remote work and on-site lab work as needed to support business needs.

Key Responsibilities

• Integrate IFF and TCAS hardware, accounting for hardware capabilities / limitations, defining interfaces, and addressing interoperability standards.
• Conduct investigations, system testing, and flight testing in lab environments.
• Provide remote and on-site troubleshooting for production and field issues.
• Support proposal development and evaluation, technical planning, verification & validation, cost & risk analysis, and trade studies.
• Ensure the logical and systematic conversion of customer or product requirements into total system solutions that balance technical, schedule, and cost constraints.

Basic Qualifications

Principal Engineer Aeronautical - Hardware Avionics (Level 3)

• Must have a Bachelor’s Degree in a STEM discipline and 5 years of related professional/military experience; OR a Master’s Degree in a STEM discipline and 3 years of related professional/military experience; OR a Ph.D. in a STEM discipline and 1 year of related professional/military experience.
• Must have the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government Secret clearance and Special Access Program (SAP) within a reasonable amount of time as determined by business needs.
• Experience with Matlab and core Microsoft Office applications (such as Word, Excel, Project, and Visio).
• Hands‑on experience utilizing test equipment (such as oscilloscopes, signal generators, signal analyzers, multi‑meters, etc.).
• Experience with Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) and/or Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) transponders, including their operation, maintenance, integration, or design.

Senior Principal Engineer Aeronautical - Hardware Avionics (Level 4)

• Must have a Bachelor’s Degree in a STEM discipline and 8 years of related professional/military experience; OR a Master’s Degree in a STEM discipline and 6 years of related professional/military experience; OR a Ph.D. in a STEM discipline and 4 years of related professional/military experience.
• Must have the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government Secret clearance and Special Access Program (SAP) within a reasonable amount of time as determined by business needs.
• Experience with Matlab and core Microsoft Office applications (such as Word, Excel, Project, and Visio).
• Hands‑on experience utilizing test equipment (such as oscilloscopes, signal generators, signal analyzers, multi‑meters, etc.).
• Experience with Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) and/or Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) transponders, including their operation, maintenance, integration, or design.

Preferred Qualifications

• Active U.S. Government Secret security clearance or higher.
• Comprehensive knowledge of IFF, including military and civilian modes and associated certifications.
• Comprehensive knowledge of TCAS, including Due Regard and airspace integration.
• High‑level understanding of radio‑frequency communication.
• Familiarity with databuses and related protocols, such as MIL‑STD‑1553, RS‑485, ARINC‑429.
• Experience performing system‑level design/troubleshooting.
• Flight test, supplier management, requirements development and verification experience.
• Prior experience as a military, civil, or commercial avionics technician.

Salary

Primary Level Salary Range: $114,000.00 - $171,000.00

Secondary Level Salary Range: $142,200.00 - $213,400.00

Benefits

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.

EEO Statement

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.