Staff Engineer Hardware

Northrop Grumman • San Diego, CA

2d • $161,000 - $241,400 • Onsite

About The Position

Northrop Grumman Mission Systems is hiring a Staff Hardware Engineer (Level 5) for its Manufacturing Engineering team supporting F-22. The role is based at the Mission Systems Sector in San Diego, California, supporting the Communication Systems and Secure Processing and Networking business units. The engineer will serve as a technical leader and subject-matter expert for RF/digital hardware, driving sustainment strategy, design improvements, and test and process optimization across a complex hardware portfolio. The role is part of the San Diego Operations Test Engineering Department and reports to the Test Engineering Manager in San Diego. Work is full-time and primarily onsite at the Rancho Carmel and Spectrum campuses; scheduled telework may be approved at the manager’s discretion. Travel is required, with the description citing up to 25% of the time.

The successful candidate will provide technical leadership for RF/digital hardware sustainment, establish test strategies and equipment roadmaps, lead root-cause investigations and corrective actions, and improve test methods, equipment, and product yields. The role also includes integrating hardware and software efforts, mentoring engineers and technicians, and supporting organizational and depot-level maintenance at customer and field locations as needed. An active Secret clearance is required, and the candidate must be able to obtain and maintain a DoD Top Secret clearance. U.S. citizenship is required.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a STEM discipline and at least 11 years of related engineering experience; or a master’s degree in a STEM discipline and at least 9 years; or a Ph.D. in a STEM discipline and at least 7 years.
• Experience working with classified and unclassified networks, secure data/storage solutions, and government interfaces.
• Working knowledge of engineering principles, processes, and software/hardware integration.
• Hands-on experience performing electrical and RF troubleshooting using equipment such as multimeters, network/spectrum analyzers, and oscilloscopes.
• Experience reading and interpreting specifications, schematics, and block diagrams and translating them into test and troubleshooting approaches.
• Experience assessing test equipment effectiveness, including availability, performance, and quality, and leading improvement efforts.
• Analytical thinking, problem-solving, and technical decision-making skills for complex hardware issues.
• Experience leading and influencing cross-functional teams, working independently and as part of an integrated product team.
• Active Government Secret-level Security Clearance.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DoD Top Secret clearance.
• U.S. citizenship required.

Nice To Haves

• Experience serving as a hardware technical lead or subject-matter expert on a major program or product line.
• Experience leading an organization as a manager with direct reports.
• Experience writing, reviewing, and presenting technical information to internal stakeholders and external customers.
• Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a related field, with specialization in RF or high-speed digital design.
• Knowledge of C, C++, LabVIEW, Python, or other scripting languages used in automated test environments.
• Familiarity with FPGA/VHDL concepts and programming, and their interaction with hardware test and diagnostics.
• Experience in high-reliability aerospace/defense hardware environments, including military/aerospace standards and environmental testing.
• Active DoD Top Secret Clearance.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership and direction for RF/digital hardware sustainment across the program.
• Define and drive hardware test strategies, architectures, and equipment roadmaps.
• Own high-impact investigations (RCCAs) and lead cross-functional teams to resolve complex hardware and test issues.
• Analyze hardware and test performance data to identify systemic trends and lead corrective and improvement actions.
• Guide development, verification, and implementation of new or improved test methods, fixtures, and equipment.
• Collaborate with systems, software, and manufacturing engineering to ensure robust hardware/software integration.
• Mentor and coach engineers and technicians, building capability in troubleshooting and root-cause analysis.
• Establish and maintain product yield targets, drive yield improvement initiatives, and report status in program forums.
• Support organizational and depot-level maintenance and technical support at customer and field locations, as needed.
• Partner with program management and functional leadership to align hardware sustainment priorities with program objectives.

Benefits

• Health Plan and health insurance coverage
• Savings Plan
• Paid Time Off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business
• Education Assistance
• Training and Development
• 9/80 Work Schedule where available
• Company-paid holidays
• Life and disability insurance
• Potential overtime, shift differential, and discretionary bonus, depending on the position

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior