Sr Principal/Principal Flight Test Engineer

0090 CORP-Corporate Office; United States; On-site; USD 103,600 - 155,400; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Life and disability insurance

Savings plan

Paid time off

Eligibility for overtime

Job summary

0090 CORP-Corporate Office is seeking a Flight Test Engineer to develop Integrated Test Plans and lead CNI test planning groups. The ideal candidate will have at least 5 years of related experience and must maintain a US Government clearance.

Responsibilities include interfacing with design teams, conducting Test Readiness Reviews, and mentoring junior engineers. A Bachelor’s degree in a STEM discipline is required, with a preference for candidates with advanced degrees and direct testing experience.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in a related professional/military role.
• Ability to maintain US Government clearance.
• Willingness to work odd hours and overtime as needed.

Responsibilities

• Develop and publish Integrated Test Plans (ITPs).
• Lead CNI test planning working groups.
• Interface with analysis teams to define test configurations.

Skills

STEM degree required

US Government clearance

Test planning experience

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor of Science in a STEM discipline

Master's degree in a STEM discipline

Tools

Integrated Analysis & Data System (IADS)

Statistical analysis tools

Job description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available. CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes. CLEARANCE TYPE: Secret. TRAVEL: Yes, 10% of the Time.

Responsibilities

• Develop and publish Integrated Test Plans (ITPs), detailed test procedures, and schedules that address CNI functional, performance, and survivability requirements for developmental and operational test phases.
• Lead CNI test planning working groups, coordinating across avionics, communications, navigation, and mission systems disciplines to align test objectives, resources, and risk mitigation strategies.
• Interface with design and analysis teams to define test configurations, instrumentation, and data collection requirements for radar, datalink, GPS/INS, IFF, electronic warfare, and other CNI subsystems.
• Review and evaluate test requirements and traceability matrices to ensure completeness, compliance with applicable MIL STD/DO */GPM/IER standards, and alignment with aircraft mission goals.
• Perform technical analysis of system level CNI performance, preparing comprehensive evaluation reports that document compliance, margin, and any corrective actions required.
• Support the development, review, and approval of test cards and checklists in collaboration with engineering, test operations, and safety personnel.
• Conduct Test Readiness Reviews (TRR) and support Pre /Post Test Briefings to communicate status, risks, and findings to stakeholders.
• Provide real‑time mission control room support using Integrated Analysis & Data System (IADS), making safety‑critical decisions and adjusting test execution to maintain efficiency and data integrity.
• Execute pre and post test data analyses, applying statistical methods and model‑based verification to identify anomalies, root causes, and corrective actions for CNI subsystems.
• Maintain and report testing metrics, flight hour utilization, and constraints using other enterprise tools.
• Mentor junior engineers and act as the principal subject‑matter expert (SME) for CNI test methodology, standards, and best practices across the test team.
• Coordinate with security, safety, and certification authorities to ensure compliance with classified handling requirements and airworthiness directives.

Basic Qualifications

Principal Engineer Flight Test Engineer

• Must have a Bachelor of Science degree in a STEM discipline AND 5 years of related professional/military experience, OR a Master’s degree AND 3 years of related professional/military experience.
• Must have an active US Government clearance (with a background investigation within the past 6 years or enrolled into Continuous Evaluation).
• Must have the ability to obtain and maintain Special Access Program (SAP) clearance, within a reasonable amount of time as determined by business needs.
• Willingness to work overtime, odd‑hour shifts, and occasional weekends to support test schedules.

Senior Principal Engineer Flight Test Engineer

• Must have a Bachelor of Science degree in a STEM discipline AND 8 years of related professional/military experience, OR a Master’s degree AND 6 years of related professional/military experience.
• Must have an active US Government clearance (with a background investigation within the past 6 years or enrolled into Continuous Evaluation).
• Must have the ability to obtain and maintain Special Access Program (SAP) clearance, within a reasonable amount of time as determined by business needs.
• Willingness to work overtime, odd‑hour shifts, and occasional weekends to support test schedules.

Preferred Qualifications

• A current active in‑scope U.S. Government DoD Top Secret clearance.
• Outstanding oral and written communication; experience presenting technical briefings to senior leadership, contractors, and customers.
• Direct test experience with communication suites (e.g., Link16, SATCOM, TDL), navigation systems (GPS, INS, GAINS, DME), and identification technologies (IFF, ADSB).
• Prior experience working in classified environments and implementing Safety Management System (SMS) processes for flight test operations.
• Prior experience and familiarity with the USAF 412th Test Wing processes.

Compensation

Primary Level Salary Range: $103,600.00 – $155,400.00. Secondary Level Salary Range: $129,300.00 – $193,900.00.

Benefits

• Health insurance coverage.
• Life and disability insurance.
• Savings plan.
• Company‑paid holidays and paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business.
• Eligibility for overtime, shift differential, and discretionary bonuses in addition to base pay.

Equal Opportunity & EEO

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 and certain other restricted positions. For our complete EEO and pay transparency statement, please visit http://www.northropgrumman.com/EEO.