Systems Engineer/Principal Systems Engineer Signals Processing

0090 CORP-Corporate Office; United States; On-site; USD 91,800 - 171,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health plan

Savings plan

Paid time off

Education assistance

Training and development

9/80 schedule

Job summary

Northrop Grumman Mission Systems seeks a Systems Engineer or Principal Systems Engineer with a Signal Processing background in Sacramento, CA. You will help develop transformative signal processing solutions for SIGINT, working with SDRs, GPUs, and UWB software-defined radios.

Role involves architecture trades, algorithm design, and deployment across platforms; candidates should have core communications concepts and the ability to translate requirements into systems terms.

Qualifications

• BS in STEM with 2 years relevant experience or MS in a STEM field.
• Willing and able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret with SCI clearance.
• Understanding of SIGINT operations, military capabilities, and geolocation concepts.
• Ability to translate complex operational needs into technical system requirements.
• DSP fundamentals: Modulation/demodulation, FFT/spectral analysis, filtering, resampling, channelization, and detection/estimation theory.
• SIGINT/RF fundamentals: SDR, RF front-ends, IQ data, geolocation techniques (DF/beamforming).
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret/SCI security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Perform architecture trades, design analysis, and performance modeling.
• Provide engineering support for hardware development efforts.
• Design detection and characterization algorithms for RF signals.
• Implement detection and characterization algorithms.
• Test signal processing algorithms and receivers in a lab environment.
• Design, test, and produce detection, characterization, and geolocation algorithms.
• Support deployment of core products on new platforms (aircraft, drones, ships).

Skills

Signal processing

DSP fundamentals

Geolocation concepts

SDR experience

C++/Python/Rust

Agile/DevOps

CUDA

Education

BS in STEM

MS in STEM

PhD in STEM

Tools

Jira

Confluence

Bitbucket

Docker

Kubernetes

CUDA

Job description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available.

CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: No

CLEARANCE TYPE: SCI

TRAVEL: Yes, 10% of the Time

Northrop Grumman offers employees 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.

Position

Northrop Grumman Mission Systems is seeking a Systems Engineer or a Principal Systems Engineer with a Signal Processing background to work in Sacramento, California. Join a team that develops transformative signal processing solutions to solve complex challenges in Signals Intelligence (SIGINT). Your work will contribute to real-world national security initiatives. We offer a wide variety of professional development opportunities, mentorship by senior engineers, and access to cutting‑edge tools and technologies like Ultra‑Wideband (UWB) Software‑Defined Radios (SDRs) and Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) for deployment of advanced signal processing algorithms. The engineer will be expected to have a basic understanding of core communications systems engineering concepts from their electrical engineering degree to perform analysis, devise requirements for, and implement the signal processing algorithms.

Responsibilities

• Perform architecture trades, design analysis, and performance modeling.
• Provide engineering support for hardware development efforts.
• Design detection and characterization algorithms for Radio Frequency communication signals.
• Implement detection and characterization algorithms.
• Test signal processing algorithms and receivers in a lab environment.
• Design, test, and produce detection, characterization, and geolocation algorithms.
• Support the deployment of core products on new platforms (e.g., manned aircraft, drones, ships, etc.).

Qualification Levels

This position can be filled at the Level 2 Systems Engineer or Level 3 Principal Systems Engineer – Signals Processing, based on specific requirements listed below.

Basic Qualifications for Systems Engineer Level 2

• BS in STEM degree with 2 years relevant experience; or MS degree in a STEM field.
• Willing and able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret with SCI clearance.
• Command on core communications systems engineering concepts to perform analysis, devise requirements for, and implement the signal processing algorithms.
• Understanding tactical SIGINT operations, military capabilities, and geolocation concepts.
• Ability to convert complex operational needs into technical system requirements.
• DSP fundamentals: Modulation/demodulation, FFT/spectral analysis, filtering (FIR/IIR), resampling, channelization, and detection/estimation theory.
• SIGINT/RF expertise: Experience with Software Defined Radios (SDR), RF front‑ends, IQ data, geolocation techniques (DF/beamforming), and signal characterization.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret/SCI security clearance.

Basic Qualifications for Principal Systems Engineer Level 3

• BS degree in STEM with 5 years relevant experience; or MS degree in STEM field with 3 years of related experience; or PhD in STEM field with 1 year of related experience.
• Willing and able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret with SCI clearance.
• Understanding tactical SIGINT operations, military capabilities, and geolocation concepts.
• Ability to convert complex operational needs into technical system requirements.
• DSP fundamentals: Modulation/demodulation, FFT/spectral analysis, filtering (FIR/IIR), resampling, channelization, and detection/estimation theory.
• SIGINT/RF fundamentals: Experience with Software Defined Radios (SDR), RF front‑ends, IQ data, geolocation techniques (DF/beamforming), and signal characterization.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret/SCI security clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Active Top Secret with SCI clearance.
• Experience with the Atlassian tool suite (Jira, Confluence, Bitbucket).
• Practical experience or coursework in programming languages such as C++, Rust, or Python.
• Experience with simulating and processing RF communications in GNU Radio.
• Agile/DevOps experience: Agile software development and containerization tools like Docker or Kubernetes for deploying SIGINT applications.
• GPU acceleration: Demonstrated experience with CUDA for algorithm optimization.
• Active TS with SCI clearance.

What We Can Offer You

Northrop Grumman provides a comprehensive benefits package and a work environment that encourages your growth and supports mutual success. Your benefits will include flexibility and control to choose the most relevant options. Benefits include: Health Plan, Savings Plan, Paid Time Off, and additional benefits such as Education Assistance, Training and Development, 9/80 Work Schedule (where available), and more.

Salary Ranges

Primary Level Salary Range: $91,800.00 - $137,600.00
Secondary Level Salary Range: $114,000.00 - $171,000.00

Salary ranges are guidelines; final offers depend on scope, responsibilities, experience, education, skills, and 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 reward individual contributions and allow employees to share in company results. Vice President or Director positions may be eligible for Long Term Incentives. Additional benefits include health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, savings plan, company-paid holidays, and paid time off for vacation and/or personal business.

Application Timeline

Estimated application period: 20 days from the job posting date; the timeline may change based on business needs and qualified candidates’ availability.

EEO 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, please visit http://www.northropgrumman.com/EEO.

Citizenship

U.S. citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.