Senior Principal / Principal Flight Test Instrumentation Engineer

Northrop Grumman Corp. (AU); Melbourne (FL); On-site; USD 98,400 - 184,200; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Travel opportunities

Overtime eligibility

Bonuses

Health insurance

Life and disability insurance

Savings plan

Paid holidays

Paid time off

Job summary

Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems seeks a Flight Test Instrumentation Engineer in Melbourne, FL to develop instrumentation drawings for flight-test aircraft. The role requires a STEM degree, 5+ years of related experience, and active Secret clearance with Top Secret potential.

It involves telemetry, data systems, and collaboration with multidisciplinary teams. The position offers relocation assistance, travel up to 25%, and a comprehensive benefits package including health and life insurance

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science in a STEM discipline with 5+ years related experience, or Master’s with 2+ years.
• Active U.S. Government Secret clearance with eligibility for Top Secret.
• Flight-test environment experience and instrumentation test equipment knowledge.
• Understanding of data systems, telemetry, RF, and data-bus architectures.
• Familiarity with MIL-STD documents and specifications.

Responsibilities

• Define instrumentation configurations and signal conditioning for airborne data acquisition.
• Monitor instrumentation system configurations and authorize changes, support reviews and procedures.
• Develop architectural implementations for TTC data systems and coordinate with customers and engineers.
• Collaborate in a dynamic team to support test, data processing, and post-test analysis.

Skills

Secret clearance

Flight-test experience

Instrumentation systems

Telemetry & RF

Data systems

MIL-STD data buses

Education

Bachelor of Science in STEM

Master’s degree in STEM

Tools

MIL-STD-1553

IEEE-1394

ARINC-429

RS-232/RS-422

Job description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available.

CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes
CLEARANCE TYPE: Secret
TRAVEL: Yes, 25% of the Time

At Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems that impact people’s lives around the world today and in future generations. Our pioneering spirit has enabled us to be at the forefront of many technological advancements, from the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean to stealth bombers to landing on the moon. We seek people with bold ideas, courage, and a pioneering spirit to join forces to invent the future and have fun along the way.

Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems has an opening for a Flight Test Instrumentation Engineer (Principal Engineer / Sr Principal Engineer) based in Melbourne, FL. As a member of the Flight Test Instrumentation team, you will develop instrumentation drawings for flight‑test aircraft.

Essential Functions

• Define instrumentation system configurations, signal conditioning requirements, and architectures common to airborne data acquisition hardware, gathering, tracking, and communicating requirements effectively to multidisciplinary teams.
• Monitor and understand the configuration of the instrumentation system to recommend or authorize configuration changes and perform engineering design tasks, support design reviews, write procedures, integrate test, and participate in trade‑study analyses.
• Develop architectural implementations for TTC airborne data acquisition systems.
• Work in a dynamic people‑focused environment while interacting with customers and other design engineers.

Basic Qualifications for Principal Flight Test Instrumentation Engineer

• Bachelor of Science degree in a STEM discipline AND 5 years of related professional/military experience, OR Master’s degree AND 2 years of related professional/military experience.
• Active U.S. Government Secret clearance (background investigation within the past 6 years or enrolled in Continuous Evaluation).
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret clearance within a reasonable time as determined by business needs.
• Experience working in flight‑test environments.
• Solid understanding of application and implementation of data systems, telemetry and RF, onboard recording systems, ground stations, subsystems, and specialized instrumentation test equipment.
• Strong knowledge of capabilities, uses, and limitations of strain gages, accelerometers, pressure transducers, and other commonly used instrumentation sensors.
• Basic knowledge of data‑bus architectures: MIL-STD-1553, IEE-1394, ARINC-429, RS-232, and RS-422.
• Knowledge or experience navigating MIL-STD documents and specifications.

Basic Qualifications for Sr Principal Flight Test Instrumentation Engineer

• Bachelor of Science degree in a STEM discipline AND 8 years of related professional/military experience, OR Master’s degree AND 6 years of related professional/military experience.
• Active U.S. Government Secret clearance (background investigation within the past 6 years or enrolled in Continuous Evaluation).
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret clearance within a reasonable time as determined by business needs.
• Experience working in flight‑test environments.
• Solid understanding of application and implementation of data systems, telemetry and RF, onboard recording systems, ground stations, subsystems, and specialized instrumentation test equipment.
• Strong knowledge of capabilities, uses, and limitations of strain gages, accelerometers, pressure transducers, and other commonly used instrumentation sensors.
• Basic knowledge of data‑bus architectures: MIL-STD-1553, IEE-1394, ARINC-429, RS-232, and RS-422.
• Knowledge or experience navigating MIL-STD documents and specifications.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience gathering system requirements.
• Ability to create detailed design specifications, product manuals, ICDs, and/or design handbooks.
• Design and operational experience with TTC data systems.
• Familiarity with fundamental principles of Symvionics IADS software or working in a Mission Control Room.
• Knowledge of IRIG 106; CH10, CH7, and TM Downlink.
• Military aircraft development experience or familiarity with MIL‑HDBK‑516B Expanded, -516C, and related DOD documentation.
• Demonstrated ability to support post‑test data processing and analysis to provide recommendations / authorize configuration changes of the test instrumentation system for flight to engineering and leadership.

Salary & Benefits

The primary level salary range is $98,400.00 – $147,600.00 and the secondary level range is $122,800.00 – $184,200.00. Eligible employees may receive overtime, shift differential, discretionary bonuses, and other benefits such as health insurance, life and disability insurance, savings plan, paid holidays and paid time off.

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. U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance. For our complete EEO and pay transparency statement, please visit http://www.northropgrumman.com/EEO.