Staff CAL Systems Engineer

Northrop Grumman•Baltimore, MD

19d•$169,000 - $253,600•Onsite

About The Position

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 the heart of Defining Possible is our commitment to missions. In rapidly changing global security environments, Northrop Grumman brings informed insights and software-secure technology to enable strategic planning. We’re looking for innovators who can help us keep building on our wide portfolio of secure, affordable, integrated, and multi-domain systems and technologies that fuel those missions. By joining in our shared mission, we’ll support yours of expanding your personal network and developing skills, whether you are new to the field, or an industry thought leader. At Northrop Grumman, you’ll have the resources, support, and team to do some of the best work of your career. We are seeking Staff CAL Systems Engineers to join our Built‑in‑Test (BIT) / Calibration Systems Engineering team in Linthicum, MD. This role is 100% on‑site and primarily focused on calibration (Cal) modes for advanced RF sensor systems.

Requirements

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 with MATLAB for data analysis and/or algorithm development.
Domain experience in sensor simulations for RF sensors.
Experience with integration and test of RADAR, SIGINT, or EW systems.
Experience programming in C/C++.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree in a STEM or related technical field.
Experience with Python for data analysis, test automation, or algorithm prototyping.
Demonstrated experience with calibration modes, requirements verification, algorithm development, or system integration for RF or sensor systems.
Active DoD Top Secret clearance or higher.

Responsibilities

Take existing Cal modes and systematically vet, test, and mature them for operational use.
Partner with other mode teams to incorporate and tailor Cal modes that support their specific performance needs.
Analyze Cal performance, identify deficiencies or edge cases, and define updates to tactical code for correction and optimization.
Provide clear technical guidance to a software engineering team that will implement fixes and enhancements in the tactical code base.
Tie Cal mode design, test results, and analysis artifacts directly to requirements verification, ensuring full traceability from requirements through implementation and test.
Support system integration & test (I&T), focusing on calibration behavior in integrated environments and helping close performance verification for sensor modes.
Develop, refine, and document calibration algorithms that compensate for hardware and system‑level errors in RF sensors.
Use modeling, simulation, and analysis tools (e.g., MATLAB, Python) to design and evaluate Cal algorithms against system performance requirements.
Define algorithm interfaces, data flows, and constraints to enable robust embedded/tactical implementations.
Collaborate closely with software engineering teams to translate Cal algorithms into tactical code (primarily C/C++, with supporting MATLAB/Python scripts), providing ongoing technical direction and clarification.
Participate in code reviews and integration activities to ensure that the tactical implementation correctly reflects algorithm intent and performance assumptions.
Support lab and field testing to validate algorithm behavior and confirm that implemented Cal modes meet performance and stability requirements.
Confirm that calibrations correctly capture and compensate for hardware and system errors so that sensor performance levels meet or exceed requirements.
Derive and refine BIT and calibration requirements from system‑level performance objectives and concepts of operation.
Design and evolve calibration and diagnostic modes, including how they are invoked, executed, monitored, and maintained across the system lifecycle.
Assess the effectiveness of modeling and simulations supporting BIT/Cal performance, and use results to improve calibration strategies and test approaches.
Develop an in‑depth understanding of sensor hardware capabilities and limitations to inform calibration design and integration decisions.
Verify embedded implementations of BIT and Cal modes, ensuring they align with requirements and modeling assumptions.
Produce publication‑quality technical documentation, including Cal concepts, test plans, procedures, and verification evidence.
Support factory test, system integration & test, and field support activities with a focus on calibration behavior and system performance closure