Staff Systems Engineer - Air to Ground

Northrop Grumman; Baltimore (MD); On-site; USD 169,000 - 253,600; Full time

Job summary

Northrop Grumman Mission Systems has an opening for a Staff Systems Engineer (Air-to-Ground) to join our team in Linthicum, MD. The role focuses on leading radar system architectures, requirements, trade studies, and verification across RF, software, and platform domains.

You will model radar performance, drive system-level decisions, and interface with customers and partners. This on-site position requires US citizenship, a Secret clearance, and the ability to obtain SAP, with travel as needed.

Qualifications

• U.S. Citizenship is required.
• Active U.S. Government Secret Clearance required or ability to obtain SAP.
• Experience leading systems engineering for radar or RF sensor systems.
• Strong communication and leadership skills with experience presenting to senior leadership and customers.

Responsibilities

• Lead development of radar system architectures for air‑to‑ground missions and define system-level requirements.
• Partition performance budgets and interfaces across RF, processing, software, and platform teams.
• Direct trade studies on waveforms, antenna design, and CONOPS/mission scenarios.
• Lead radar performance modeling and end‑to‑end link budgets.
• Guide development of Air‑to‑Ground concepts and algorithms from a systems perspective.
• Make data‑driven recommendations to optimize performance, cost, and schedule.
• Define verification strategies and test architectures from lab to flight test.
• Oversee integration and test campaigns, including planning and discrepancy resolution.
• Mentor engineers in radar systems engineering best practices.

Skills

Radar systems

MATLAB

Python

C/C++

Education

Bachelor’s degree + 12 years experience / Master’s 10 / PhD 8

Tools

MATLAB

Python

C/C++

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.

Northrop Grumman Mission Systems has an opening for a Staff Systems Engineer (Air-to-Ground) to join our organization. Our organization within Northrop Grumman Mission Systems offers the opportunity to join a team to solve problems in the field and drive new solutions into next generation systems across a wide variety of platforms and environments. You will support the Systems Engineering Integration and Test (SEIT) team on multiple major development programs.

This position is based out of Linthicum, MD and will be 100% on-site.

What You`ll Get To Do

• Lead development of radar system architectures for air‑to‑ground missions, ensuring alignment with platform and mission needs (e.g., SAR, ISAR, GMTI/T, Targeting, Weather, Surface Return, Sea Surface Search, Ship Track, etc.).
• Define and partition system‑level requirements, performance budgets, and interfaces across RF, processing, software, and platform teams.
• Direct and review trade studies on waveforms, antenna design, processing architectures, and CONOPS/mission scenarios.
• Lead radar performance modeling and simulation (end‑to‑end link budgets, coverage, detection/tracking performance, clutter and interference analysis).
• Guide development and evaluation of Air‑to‑Ground concepts and algorithms from a systems perspective.
• Make data‑driven recommendations and decisions to optimize performance, cost, schedule, and technical risk.
• Define verification strategies and test architectures from lab through flight test for new and evolved radar capabilities.
• Oversee integration and test campaigns, including test planning, execution oversight, data analysis, and discrepancy resolution.
• Drive root cause investigations and corrective actions for complex system‑level issues.
• Represent the radar system engineering team in technical reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR) and risk/issue boards.
• Interface directly with customers to present technical approaches, performance results, and roadmaps.
• Support business development, including capture strategy, concept development, and proposal technical volumes/BOEs.
• Mentor early‑and‑mid‑career engineers in radar systems engineering best practices.
• Promote rigorous engineering discipline, configuration control, and requirements traceability.

This position is contingent upon the successful transfer of an active U.S Government Secret Clearance and the ability to obtain Special Program Access.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with 12 years of experience, Master`’s degree with 10 years of experience or Ph.D. with 8 years of experience in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, or related technical 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
• Ability to obtain Special Program Access (SAP).
• Experience of Radar Air-to-Ground applications, including developing and applying models in MATLAB, Python, and/or C/C++
• Experience leading systems engineering for radar or advanced RF sensor systems, including requirements, architecture, modeling, and integration/test.
• Understanding of air‑to‑ground radar modes and performance.
• Experience leading complex technical efforts and resolving system‑level issues across hardware and software boundaries.
• Experience with radar modeling/analysis tools (MATLAB, Python, or equivalent), including end‑to‑end performance assessments.
• Strong communication and leadership skills, with experience presenting to senior leadership and customers.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree (MS or PhD) in a relevant STEM field with emphasis in radar, RF systems, or signal processing.
• Experience as a lead systems engineer or IPT lead on an airborne radar development or major upgrade program.
• Familiarity with MBSE approaches and tools to manage complex architectures and requirements.
• Experience shaping technology roadmaps and IRAD/CRAD efforts in radar or advanced sensors.

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. Northrop Grumman benefits give you the flexibility and control to choose the benefits that make the most sense for you and your family.

Your benefits will include the following: Health Plan, Savings Plan, Paid Time Off and Additional Benefits including Education Assistance, Training and Development, 9/80 Work Schedule (where available), and much more!

Northrop Grumman has approximately 90,000 employees in all 50 states and in more than 27 countries. We strive to attract and retain the best employees by providing an inclusive work environment wherein employees are receptive to diverse ideas, perspectives, and talents to help solve our toughest customer challenges: to develop and maintain some of the most technically sophisticated products, programs, and services in the world.

Our Values. The women and men of Northrop Grumman Corporation are guided by Our Values. They describe our company as we want it to be. We want our decisions and actions to demonstrate these Values. We believe that putting Our Values into practice creates long-term benefits for shareholders, customers, employees, suppliers, and the communities we serve.

Our Responsibility. At Northrop Grumman, we are committed to maintaining the highest of ethical standards, embracing diversity and inclusion, protecting the environment, and striving to be an ideal corporate citizen in the community and in the world.

Primary Level Salary Range: $169,000.00 - $253,600.00

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 Vice President or Director positions may be eligible for Long Term 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.