Senior Principal Systems Engineer - COMMS

Northrop Grumman; Baltimore (MD); On-site; USD 144,245 - 195,155; Full time

Job summary

Northrop Grumman Corp. (AU) is seeking a Sr. Principal Systems Engineer (Comms) in Linthicum, MD for 100% on-site work. Travel up to 10% and relocation assistance may be available.

Clearances are required to start. You will lead COMMS waveform, capability, and CONOPS development and coordinate with multiple programs and pursuits. Responsibilities include guiding internal and external stakeholders, developing technology roadmaps, and mentoring junior engineers while ensuring end-to-end system

Qualifications

• Degree plus experience in STEM fields; 8+ years for Bachelor track, or 6+ for Master, or 4+ for PhD.
• U.S. Citizenship is required.
• Current/active U.S. Government Secret Clearance required.
• Experience in COMMS applications, including modeling in MATLAB, Python, and/or C/C++.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the technical SME for COMMS waveforms, capabilities, and CONOPS across programs.
• Provide guidance to internal stakeholders and external customers.
• Develop and maintain COMMS technology roadmaps aligned with customer needs.
• Coordinate COMMS with adjacent systems for end-to-end coherence.
• Lead or support architecture, design reviews, and technical trades for COMMS.
• Supervise and mentor junior engineers in the COMMS domain.
• Review performance models, link budgets, and system-level estimates.
• Support proposal development including technical volumes and BOE inputs.
• Represent COMMS in technical forums, working groups, and customer engagements.
• Identify risks and opportunities and propose mitigation strategies.
• Develop and maintain comms requirements within systems using DoD radios.

Skills

COMMS

MATLAB

Python

C/C++

Education

Bachelor's degree in STEM

Master's degree in STEM

PhD in STEM

Job description

Sr. Principal Systems Engineer (Comms)

Location: Linthicum, MD. Site: 100% on-site.

Relocation assistance may be available.

Travel: 10% of the time.

Clearance required for start: Yes.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the technical SME for COMMS waveforms, capabilities, and CONOPS across multiple programs and pursuits.
• Provide technical consultation and guidance to internal stakeholders (engineering, business development, program management) and external customers.
• Develop and maintain COMMS technology roadmaps aligned with emerging customer needs, mission threads, and enterprise strategies.
• Coordinate and integrate COMMS activities with adjacent systems and technologies to ensure end-to-end solution coherence.
• Lead and/or support technical trades, architecture development, and design reviews related to COMMS solutions.
• Supervise, mentor, and provide technical oversight to junior and mid-level engineers working in the COMMS domain.
• Review, supervise, and validate performance models, link budgets, and system-level estimates.
• Support proposal development, including technical volumes, basis-of-estimate inputs, and customer briefings.
• Represent the COMMS product area in internal and external technical forums, working groups, and customer engagements.
• Identify technical risks, gaps, and opportunities within the COMMS product area and propose mitigation and investment strategies.
• Develop and maintain comms related requirements within systems using existing military radios.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with 8 years of experience, Master’s degree with 6 years of experience or Ph.D. with 4 years of experience in STEM or related fields; an additional 4 years of experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• U.S. Citizenship is required.
• A current/active U.S. Government Secret Clearance.
• Experience in Comms applications, including developing and applying models in MATLAB, Python, and/or C/C++ and implementing novel systems.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degrees in STEM or related fields.
• Strong understanding of networking strategies including TCP/IP & WAN architectures.
• Familiarity with current network products and technologies such as routers, firewalls, and switches.
• RF and digital system design & analysis.
• Antenna theory and operation.
• Comms integration and testing.
• System Performance Verification and Component Qualifications for Flight.
• System Engineering, Requirements Derivation.
• Design documentation: Visio, Catia, interconnects and rack elevations.
• Experience using simulators and test equipment to verify integration of radio within mission system.
• Knowledge of message formats for common DoD radio links (e.g., Link16).

Benefits

Northrop Grumman provides a comprehensive benefits package and a work environment which encourages your growth and supports the mutual success of our people and our company. The benefits include Health Plan, Savings Plan, Paid Time Off, Education Assistance, Training and Development, a 9/80 Work Schedule (where available), and more.

Salary

Primary Level Salary Range: $135,800.00 – $203,600.00. The range is a guideline; salary offers consider scope, responsibilities, experience, education, skills, and market conditions. Additional compensation may include overtime, shift differential, discretionary bonus, and, for VP or Director positions, long-term incentives.

Equal Opportunity Employer

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.