Principal Test Engineer - 18314

Northrop Grumman; Huntsville (AL); On-site; USD 98,900 - 148,300; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental & Vision coverage

401k

Educational Assistance

Life Insurance

Employee Assistance Programs & Work/Li

Paid Time Off

Health & Wellness Resources

Employee Discounts

Job summary

Northrop Grumman Defense Systems in Huntsville, AL is seeking a Principal Test Engineer to lead and execute integrated test activities for complex defense systems. The role focuses on translating contractual requirements into test solutions and coordinating across internal teams and suppliers.

The ideal candidate will have a strong background in test planning, systems engineering tools like DOORS, and proven leadership and communication skills to manage programs and risk in a fast-paced

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a STEM field from an accredited university, with sufficient relevant experience as specified.
• US Citizenship with active DoD Secret Clearance and ability to obtain TS/SAP approvals.
• Minimum 3 years' experience in developing integrated test plans and procedures for complex defense systems.
• Experience planning and executing HW testing with requirements traceability and systems engineering processes.

Responsibilities

• Translate customer contractual requirements into comprehensive test solutions within schedule and cost constraints.
• Develop, lead, and execute integrated test plans, procedures, and schedules for subsystem and system-level testing.
• Coordinate testing activities across internal teams and external suppliers.
• Contribute to the Integrated Test Plan (ITP) and ensure test requirement traceability.
• Perform technical analysis of system performance and produce evaluation reports.
• Review supplier test efforts and verify test data.
• Design proof-of-concept test methods to mitigate risks.
• Manage test data acquisition, analysis and documentation for design improvements.
• Serve as technical liaison with customers, contractors, and senior stakeholders on test matters.
• Ensure compliance with safety, security, and export-control requirements.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Problem solving

Teamwork

Education

Bachelor's degree in STEM

Tools

DOORS

CAMEO tools

MBSE concepts

Job description

Relocation Assistance

Relocation assistance may be available.

Clearance Required for Start

Yes.

Clearance Type

Secret.

Travel

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 Test Engineer. This position is located in Huntsville, AL and supports the Advanced Programs portfolio. The ideal candidate is a team player; but also, a strong independent contributor with strong leadership skills, demonstrated problem-solving skills, excellent communication skills, as well as interpersonal and organizational skills and a proactive, detail-oriented approach.

Primary Responsibilities

• Translate customer contractual requirements into comprehensive test solutions while balancing schedule and cost constraints
• Develop, lead, and execute integrated test plans, procedures, and schedules for subsystem and system-level testing
• Coordinate integrated testing activities across internal teams and external suppliers
• Contribute to the program Integrated Test Plan (ITP) and ensure test requirement completeness and traceability
• Perform technical analysis of system performance and produce system-level evaluation reports
• Review supplier test efforts, including verification and validation of delivered components and test data review
• Design and implement proof-of-concept test methods to mitigate early program risks
• Manage test data acquisition, analysis, and documentation to drive design improvements
• Serve as a technical liaison with customers, contractors, and senior stakeholders on test matters
• Ensure compliance with safety, security, and export-control requirements throughout testing

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in a Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) discipline from an accredited university and 5 years of relevant experience, OR a Masters degree and 3 years of relevant experience, OR a PhD and 1 year of relevant experience
• Must be a US Citizen with an active DoD Secret Clearance, at time of application, current and within scope, with an investigation date within the last 6 years
• Must have the ability to obtain and maintain Top Secret Clearance and Special Access Program (SAP) approval within a reasonable period of time, as determined by the company to meet its business needs
• Minimum 3 years demonstrated experience developing integrated test plans and procedures for complex defense systems
• Minimum 3 years experience planning and executing HW testing, with solid understanding of requirements traceability and systems-engineering processes (e.g., DOORS)

Preferred Qualifications

• Active DoD Top Secret Clearance
• Proven experience developing an Integrated Test Plan (ITP) for a major acquisition program
• Experience drafting and managing supplier Statements of Work (SOW) for test activities
• Knowledge of Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) concepts and hands‑on experience with CAMEO tools
• Prior involvement in Department of Defense (DoD) acquisition programs, particularly in strategic deterrence or missile systems

Position Benefits

• 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: $98,900.00 - $148,300.00.

The 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.