Sr. Principal Systems Engineer - Technical Lead

0887 DS - Armament Systems; United States; On-site; USD 122,800 - 184,200; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Paid time off

Life and disability insurance

Job summary

0887 DS - Armament Systems is seeking a Sr. Principal Systems Engineer to lead engineering efforts in Mesa, AZ. This role includes overseeing the complete lifecycle of medium caliber gun systems, ensuring they meet strict performance and safety standards.

The ideal candidate will possess a Bachelor's in relevant engineering fields with at least 8 years of experience and must be a U.S. citizen eligible for DoD clearance. A competitive salary range from $122,800 to $184,200 is offered along with comprehensive benefits.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of relevant engineering experience; or 6+ years with a Master's degree.
• U.S. Citizenship and eligibility for a DoD Secret Clearance.
• Fast learner with a strong interest in hardware integration.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the technical lead for product lines.
• Ensure medium caliber gun systems meet performance, reliability, and safety standards.
• Drive end-to-end system development from concept to validation.

Skills

Systems leadership

Technical communication

Problem-solving

Requirements traceability

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical, Systems, Mechanical, Computer, or Aerospace Engineering

Master’s degree in relevant discipline

Tools

DOORS

Job description

Northrop Grumman gives employees incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems that impact people’s lives around the world today and for generations to come. Our pioneering spirit has enabled us to lead in 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. We have an insatiable drive to do what others think is impossible, and employees are not only part of history—they’re making history.

About the Role

Northrop Grumman is seeking an experienced Sr. Principal (Level4) Systems Engineer—Technical Lead—to support our Armament Systems business site in Mesa, AZ. This unique career opportunity is crafted for an individual who excels in systems leadership. In this role, you will serve as the technical lead for our product lines, owning the entire system’s lifecycle from requirements definition and system design to hardware integration, testing, and safety analysis. You will be responsible for ensuring that our medium caliber gun systems meet rigorous performance, reliability, and safety standards while interfacing with customers, stakeholders, and cross‑functional teams.

Systems Leadership & Technical Ownership Responsibilities

• Defined & Decomposed Requirements – demonstrate ability to partner with leadership, program management, and stakeholders to capture, prioritize, and break down system/stakeholder requirements into clear, actionable work packages.
• System Design Documentation – proven experience creating and maintaining technical specifications, interface diagrams, and performance charts to guide product development.
• System Architecture & Interface Control – proven experience defining the physical architecture (subsystems, assemblies, components) and creating/maintaining Interface Control Documents to ensure clear, traceable hand‑offs between teams.
• Configuration Management & Baseline Control – hands‑on management of baseline configuration items, version‑control processes, and change‑control boards to guarantee that the approved design baseline is protected during development.
• Customer‑Facing Technical Interface – track record of translating external customer needs into complete system solutions, delivering detailed technical briefings, and acting as the single point of contact for all technical queries.
• Trade‑Study Execution & Risk Evaluation – performed quantitative cost‑benefit, risk, and multi‑criteria trade‑study analyses, delivering risk matrices, mitigation plans, and reports that shaped architecture and allocation decisions.
• Full‑Lifecycle System Development – led end‑to‑end development from concept definition and preliminary design through integration, test, verification, and validation, ensuring schedule and quality targets were met.
• Verification & Validation Planning – developed comprehensive verification plans, test concepts of operation, and validation strategies aligned with system requirements, laying the groundwork for formal testing.
• Requirements Traceability Management – implemented and maintained end‑to‑end requirements traceability matrices linking stakeholder needs through design, verification, and validation artifacts.
• Hands‑On Test & Integration – proven record of performing system‑level testing, hardware/software integration, troubleshooting, and driving root‑cause analysis to implement corrective actions.
• Reliability & Maintainability Optimization – worked directly with product teams to improve reliability, maintainability, and overall system performance using reliability‑centered design techniques.
• Process & Innovation Leadership – led continuous‑improvement initiatives within the engineering organization, delivering measurable gains in cycle time, defect reduction, or cost savings.
• Technical Communication – prepared and presented high‑impact technical reports, proposals, and data packages for internal reviews, program baselines, and client briefings, translating complex engineering data into clear business value.
• Design Review Leadership – led and facilitated formal Preliminary Design Reviews (PDR) and Critical Design Reviews (CDR), documenting decisions, capturing action items, and ensuring compliance with program schedules and standards.

Sr. Principal Systems Engineer Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical, Systems, Mechanical, Computer, or Aerospace Engineering with 8 or more years of relevant engineering experience; or a Master’s degree in any of the above disciplines with 6 or more years of experience.
• U.S. Citizenship and eligibility to obtain a DoD Secret Clearance if necessary.
• Ability to obtain clearance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and Explosives as an Employee Possessor.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree that aligns with Electrical, Systems, or Computer Engineering.
• Proven ability as a fast learner with a strong interest in hardware integration.
• Willingness to learn from mentors, peers, and others.
• Experience in sustaining complex aerospace or defense systems.
• Proficiency with requirement database tool DOORS.
• Works well in a small team environment.
• Ideal background in controls and controllers.
• A minimum of 5+ years of system design experience.
• Strong technical problem‑solving, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Strong resolve to drive tasks to completion autonomously.

Salary and Benefits

Primary Level Salary Range: $122,800.00 - $184,200.00. This range represents a general guideline; Northrop Grumman considers factors such as the scope and responsibilities of the position and the candidate’s experience, education, skills, and market conditions. Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and discretionary bonuses in addition to base pay. Employees may also be eligible for long‑term incentives. Benefits include health insurance, life and disability insurance, a savings plan, company‑paid holidays, and paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business.

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