Staff Engineer Systems Signal Processing

Northrop Grumman•McClellan Park, CA

48d•$177,000 - $265,600•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. Northrop Grumman Mission Systems is seeking a Staff 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.

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree and 12 years of experience in relevant engineering or sciences field or MS Degree and 10 years of experience in relevant engineering or sciences field or PhD and 8 years of experience in relevant engineering or sciences field
Expertise in digital signal processing algorithms used to build state-of-the-art high sensitivity, wideband, real-time processing digital receivers, OR,
Expertise in Signal characterization for a SIGINT mission experience; e.g., modulation recognition, demodulation, bit stream analysis, etc. OR,
Proven ability to detect, demodulate, and classify unknown waveforms without prior knowledge of the protocol. Experience with modulation‑recognition pipelines, blind‑parameter estimation, and bit‑stream analysis under noisy, jammed conditions.
U.S. citizenship
Must have a current active Secret security clearance with the ability to obtain and maintain SAP.

Nice To Haves

Experience performing optimum system function allocation to hardware and software requirements
Excellent written and oral communication skills, and a strong ability to work in an integrated product team environment
Expertise in C++ or Rust (a highly performant complied langue)
Demonstrated success in developing test plans that prove the system satisfies requirements and the ability to quickly capture and process data in tools like MATLAB and Python for debugging and specification verification
Prior experience designing hardware, firmware, and software to best allocate functionality to each subsystem
Ability to monitor hardware and software design teams with critical insight to help steer the team to a successful solution
Experience architecting and developing Electronic Warfare RF systems with real-time digital signal processing
Active Top Secret security clearance

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 (detect, demodulate, and classify unknown waveforms without prior knowledge of the protocol)
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.).
Develop TDOA/FDOA geolocation algorithms
Perform Signal characterization for a SIGINT mission; e.g., modulation recognition, demodulation, and bit stream analysis without knowing in advance what signal you're looking for.