Principal / Sr. Principal Systems Engineer - Integration & Test

Northrop Grumman•Baltimore, MD

1d•$108,800 - $203,600•Onsite

About The Position

Northrop Grumman Mission Systems' Baltimore and Partnered Sites (BaPs) division is seeking Systems Integration & Test Engineers (Level 3 or Level 4) in Baltimore, MD. This role spans both hardware sell-off testing and software integration & test for advanced RF radar systems. You will work in a lab and system bench environment, collaborating closely with hardware, firmware, and software teams to verify that end-to-end system performance meets requirements and to support flight test and fielded system needs. This position will be onsite full-time in Baltimore, MD.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree with 5 years of experience, Master's degree with 3 years of experience or Ph.D. with 1 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 (for Principal Systems Engineer)
Bachelor’s degree with 8 years of experience, Master's degree with 6 years of experience or Ph.D. with 4 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 (for Sr. Principal Systems Engineer)
U.S Citizenship is required
A current/active U.S. Government Secret Clearance
Ability to obtain Special Program Access (SAP).
Experience with RF lab test equipment: i.e. signal generator, oscilloscope, spectrum analyzer, etc.
Experience troubleshooting and resolving HW/SW/FW integration problems
Experience coding in MATLAB to support coding, test scripting, data analysis, and signal processing
Experience working a system bench, running acceptance test plans, writing test reports, troubleshooting hardware and software, communicating status updates.

Nice To Haves

Active U.S. Government Top Secret Clearance or higher
Previous experience working on a Special Access Program
Knowledge integrating and testing software written in C, C++.
Knowledge of RADAR Systems
Knowledge of firmware and hardware control integration planning and execution
Knowledge of embedded systems design and implementation
Experience developing scripts in python to automate manual processes.
Understanding of Systems Engineering concepts, including requirements analysis and verification planning and execution
Experience working in a multi-disciplinary team environment
Solid verbal and written communication skills to effectively communicate internally

Responsibilities

System Integration & Sell-off Test (Hardware & System Level): Perform hands-on integration, troubleshooting, and testing of sophisticated RF sensor systems, including hardware and software components in development and production environments. Support development, configuration, and maintenance of integration environments and labs (system benches, racks, RF paths, interconnects). Configure and operate RF lab test equipment (signal generators, spectrum analyzers, oscilloscopes, delay lines, etc.) to execute acceptance, sell-off, and regression tests. Review and interpret interconnect diagrams and HW configurations (REP, antenna, racks, cabling) to establish and modify bench configurations. Conduct system bench integration and checkout, including open-air radiate and RFTG configurations. Execute system-level confidence, acceptance, and sell-off test plans; analyze test results and prepare comprehensive reports with clear pass/fail rationale and corrective actions. Troubleshoot and resolve HW/SW/FW integration issues using a combination of test equipment, bench logs, and modeling/simulation tools. Support environmental, reliability, and occasional flight test integration activities.
Software Integration & Test (SABR Development I&T): Execute software integration & test activities for SABR Development I&T, including ASE script development, SCT/FQT execution, weekly software load checkouts, and regression testing. Run Operational Flight Program (OFP) builds on system benches (SYS1, SW1), including IBIT, basic mode operation, and open-air / RFTG configurations. Develop, modify, and debug ASE scripts (TCL) to automate test scenarios; use debugging tools to resolve issues and improve test coverage. Serve as Test Director for System Confidence Tests (SCT) and support Formal Qualification Testing (FQT) on SABR benches. Use tools such as CMP, MapView/Postlink, Sensor Server, and bench logs (e.g., superputty output) to monitor, analyze, and verify system behavior. Develop and maintain software test tools and MATE-based automated test procedures; update MATE tests and test plans as requirements evolve. Support weekly software load checkouts including attending SW SCCBs, executing load checkout procedures, and documenting results.
Flight Test & Field Support: Support flight test activities including HW checkout on SYS1, flight card design and checkout, and coordination of necessary baseline and configuration documentation. Support SABR installation/integration on test aircraft (e.g., CRJ), and subsequent removal and return of assets to labs. Provide flight test support in multiple roles as experience grows (note taker, radar operator, test director).
Lab, Asset, and Process Management: Perform asset and configuration management in labs and benches (hardware tracker database, bench logs, configuration baselines). Support Bay 18/20 and MS 425 test campaigns including configuration control, test execution, and documentation. Participate in process improvement initiatives: identify improvements to I&T tools, test procedures, and lab workflows; implement and document approved changes. Support Galleon data collection activities, including fiber cable inspection/cleaning, RAID configuration, and Linux command-line operation. Comply with and help maintain security procedures including sanitization processes, documentation, and secure handling of equipment and media.
Collaboration & Systems Engineering: Collaborate with multi-disciplinary teams (software, firmware, hardware, systems, flight test) to understand expected unit- and system-level behavior and translate requirements into test cases. Support the development and maintenance of system integration plans and system test plans. Participate in I&T readiness reviews, design reviews, and audits of I&T facilities and processes. Apply systems engineering concepts including requirements analysis, verification planning, and traceability to ensure comprehensive coverage of system requirements. Communicate status, risks, and issues clearly through written reports, presentations, and daily interactions with stakeholders.