Sr. Principal Electronics Engineer – Test Hardware and Software

Northrop Grumman Corp.; Baltimore (MD); On-site; USD 136,000 - 204,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Discretionary bonus

Paid time off (PTO)

Job summary

Northrop Grumman Corp. is seeking a Sr. Principal Electronics Engineer – Test Hardware and Software in Baltimore, MD.

The role focuses on designing and maintaining test fixtures and software for complex electronic systems across the product lifecycle, with hands-on troubleshooting and cross-functional collaboration. The candidate will work on DC, analog, digital and RF test setups, read specifications, and participate in design reviews to ensure hardware and software meet requirements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in STEM with 8 years of experience or higher, or Master’s with 6 years, or PhD with 3 years.
• Ability to read and interpret specifications, schematics and block diagrams.
• Experience in hardware and software design and development.
• Experience with RF theory and test equipment.

Responsibilities

• Understand requirements and derive test hardware/software requirements from specifications.
• Design electromechanical test fixtures and software test solutions.
• Provide manufacturing support during hardware builds.
• Integrate test fixtures and software into a functioning solution.
• Certify test systems per customer requirements and support deployment.
• Troubleshoot and fix system-level issues across hardware and software.

Skills

C/C++ development

RF theory

Hardware-software integration

Test hardware design

Education

Bachelor’s degree in STEM with 8 years’ experience

Tools

LabWindows CVI

Visual Studio

C/C++ Development

Schematic design tools

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.

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.

We are seeking a Sr. Principal Electronics Engineer – Test Hardware and Software to join our team in Baltimore, MD. The candidate should be a self‑driven problem solver with experience developing, enhancing, and maintaining test hardware and software for complex electronic systems.

In this role, you will support the entire product lifecycle, from design and implementation through flight test and debugging, to ensure that product requirements are met. You will design and integrate electromechanical test fixtures and test software, provide manufacturing and factory support, troubleshoot and correct root causes of system‑level issues, and participate in design reviews and technical peer reviews to ensure system and hardware requirements are satisfied.

The position requires a mix of test hardware and software design skills, experience with DC, Analog, Digital, and RF test &measurement equipment, and a hands‑on approach to troubleshooting complex electronic systems.

Typical Roles and Responsibilities include:

• Understanding design to cost, scope, and schedule
• Requirements definition and deriving test hardware and software requirements from specifications
• Design of electromechanical test fixtures &software test solutions
• Providing manufacturing support during the hardware build process
• Integration of test fixtures &software into a functioning test solution
• Test equipment &software certification per customer requirements
• Test system deployment and factory support
• Software maintenance and/or hardware fixture update initiatives
• Conducting reviews of hardware‑related products, hardware designs, and technical documents
• Active participation in design reviews and other technical reviews, as required
• Active participation in technical peer reviews to ensure system/hardware requirements are being met from an end‑to‑end system point of view
• Troubleshooting and correcting root causes of various system‑level issues
• Prioritizing work and making recommendations to Technical Leads, as required

This role is contingent upon candidates ability to obtain and maintain a government Secret Clearance.

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in STEM with 8 years’ experience, or
• Master’s degree in STEM with 6 years’ experience, or
• Ph.D. degree in STEM with 3 years’ experience.
• The ability to read and interpret specifications, electrical schematics and block diagrams
• Mix of hardware and software design and development
• Experience in text‑based programming (e.g. C / C++)
• Background and working knowledge in RF theory and concepts
• Effective verbal and written communication
• Experience with test &measurement equipment
• Ability to obtain and maintain a government Secret Clearance

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience leading a hardware design or software design from requirements through verification and validation and certification
• Experience with building schedules and estimating Engineering costs
• Hardware Test design and Test Software integration background
• Experience with LabWindows CVI, Visual Studio, C/C++ or C# Development
• Experience with Test Sequence Development
• Experience with modern software version control tools such as Git or Subversion
• Experience with schematic design tools (e.g. Mentor Graphics, Zuken, DxDesigner/Xpedition, or similar)
• Proficiency with digital, analog, RF test equipment, RF theory and high speed digital design
• Familiarity with differential digital interfaces like LVDS – PXI/PXIe and VME bus experience
• Hands‑on troubleshooting of electronic hardware and test systems
• Advanced degree in Engineering or related STEM discipline
• Ability to work with minimal direction and guidance
• Active Secret clearance

Primary Level Salary Range:

$135,800.00 - $203,600.00

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 VicePresident orDirector positions may be eligible for LongTerm 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.