Staff Systems Signal Processing Engineer

Northrop Grumman•Baltimore, MD

5d•$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 a Staff Systems Signal Processing Engineer to lead the design, development, integration, and verification of advanced signal processing solutions for complex sensor systems. The ideal candidate will be a technical leader with deep expertise in digital signal processing (DSP), algorithm development, and system-level performance analysis, capable of driving architecture decisions and mentoring junior engineers. This position is based out of Linthicum, MD and will be 100% on-site.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree with 12 years of experience, master's degree with 10 years of experience or Ph.D. with 8 year 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) prior to start
Experience with digital signal processing theory and application, including detection theory, estimation, filtering, spectral analysis, and time‑frequency methods.
Experience developing and analyzing algorithms in MATLAB, Python, or similar scientific computing environments
Experience in system‑level signal processing for radar or similar sensing systems.
Experience with requirements development, system architecture, and verification in a structured systems engineering environment.
Strong communication skills and ability to work effectively in cross‑functional, multi‑disciplinary teams

Nice To Haves

Master's Degree or PhD in a STEM discipline
Experience with real‑time implementation of algorithms on embedded processors, FPGAs (e.g., VHDL/Verilog, HDL‑Coder, or FPGA tool flows), or GPUs.
Experience with data fusion, multi‑sensor tracking, machine learning applied to signal processing, or adaptive processing techniques.
Background in DoD or aerospace/defense programs, including working with government customers, requirements documents, and gated reviews.
Demonstrated ability to lead technical teams, make architecture decisions, and influence system design across disciplines.

Responsibilities

Lead the system-level architecture and design of signal processing chains for RF or multi‑sensor systems, from requirements through verification
Develop and analyze signal processing algorithms for detection, estimation, tracking, classification, filtering, and data fusion.
Perform system modeling and simulation (e.g., MATLAB, Python, and/or C++) to evaluate concept performance, trades, and robustness under representative operational scenarios.
Define and flow down system and subsystem requirements, including performance budgets, interfaces, and key design parameters.
Partner with hardware, software, and integration teams to implement algorithms on embedded processors, FPGAs, or real‑time platforms; support optimization and HW/SW partitioning.
Conduct system performance analysis, including SNR/CFAR analysis, detection and false‑alarm trade studies, sensitivity and robustness assessments, and end‑to‑end verification against requirements.
Lead or support lab/field test activities, including test plan development, data collection, data reduction, and post‑test analysis.
Prepare and deliver technical reviews and briefings to internal leadership, customers, and cross‑functional teams; clearly communicate complex technical concepts and tradeoffs.
Provide technical leadership and mentoring to early‑career and mid‑level engineers in signal processing, modeling, and systems engineering practices.
Support capture and proposal efforts by contributing to technical concepts, architectures, and requirements