Principal / Senior Principal Systems Engineer

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be availableCLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: NoCLEARANCE TYPE: SecretTRAVEL: Yes, 10% of the Time

Description 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 a trusted provider of mission-enabling solutions for global security. Our Engineering and Sciences (E&S) organization pushes the boundaries of innovation, redefines engineering capabilities and drives advances in various sciences. Our team is chartered with providing the skills, innovative technologies to develop, design, produce and sustain optimized product lines across the sector while providing a decisive advantage to the warfighter. Come be a part of our mission!

The Engineering & Sciences organization at Northrop Grumman Mission Systems (NGMS) is seeking a highly skilled Principal or Senior Principal Systems Engineer to join our team in Woodland Hills, CA . The ideal candidate will have a strong background in systems engineering principles and extensive experience executing post‑CDR program phases, including integration and test, verification sell‑off, and production transition. This role requires the ability to lead cross‑functional teams, manage configuration baselines, and ensure the successful transition of complex hardware and software systems into production.

What You’ll Get to Do:

• Own the post‑CDR technical baseline, ensuring requirements, architectures, and ICDs remain consistent, traceable, and properly controlled through qualification and production transition.

• Refine and maintain the verification cross‑reference matrix, mapping each requirement to specific test, analysis, inspection, or demonstration, including HIL and SIL coverage.

• Lead integration and test planning and execution, developing test procedures, coordinating lab resources, and driving incremental HW/SW integration from components through system‑level builds.

• Execute formal verification campaigns, analyze test results, resolve discrepancies, and maintain verification status reporting to support requirement sell‑off and customer acceptance.

• Support system validation and operational suitability activities, including mission‑scenario testing, host‑platform integration, and evaluation in representative environments.

• Partner with Operations and Manufacturing to enable production transition, contributing to DFM/DFA reviews, production test strategies, and as‑built configuration tracking.

• Drive ongoing configuration and change management, leading or participating in CCBs, assessing the technical impact of changes, and keeping DOORS traceability up to date.

• Maintain and report on the risk and issues register for post‑CDR phases, proposing mitigations and providing clear status to program leadership and customers.

• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to junior engineers; actively participate in cross‑functional teams to ensure alignment with program objectives and promote knowledge sharing across mechanical, electrical, and software disciplines.

• Drive continuous improvement by identifying process inefficiencies, proposing updates to configuration‑management practices and contributing to lessons‑learned documentation for future programs.

This position may be filled as a Principal Systems Engineer or Senior Principal Systems Engineer.

Basic Qualifications for Principal Systems Engineer:

• Bachelor of Science in a STEM discipline + 5 years of related Systems Engineering experience; Master of Science in a STEM discipline + 3 years of related Systems Engineering experience; Ph.D. in a STEM discipline + 1 year of related Systems Engineering experience

• Demonstrated systems‑engineering experience, preferably in aerospace or defense.

• Proficient with systems‑engineering tools such as DOORS, CAMEO, MATLAB, or comparable software.

• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills; able to interpret complex data and generate actionable insights.

• Excellent written and verbal communication, capable of translating technical concepts for non‑technical audiences.

• Collaborative team player who actively contributes to cross‑functional projects.

• Meticulous attention to detail with a commitment to high‑quality, reliable work.

• Agile and adaptable, thriving in fast‑changing, fast‑paced environments.

• U.S. Citizenship required.

• The ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government Secret clearance is required.

• Availability to work onsite full‑time in Woodland Hills, California.

Basic Qualifications for Senior Principal Systems Engineer:

• Bachelor of Science in a STEM discipline + 8 years of related Systems Engineering experience; Master of Science in a STEM discipline + 6 years of related Systems Engineering experience; Ph.D. in a STEM discipline + 4 years of related Systems Engineering experience

• Demonstrated systems‑engineering experience, preferably in aerospace or defense.

• Proficient with systems‑engineering tools such as DOORS, CAMEO, MATLAB, or comparable software.

• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills; able to interpret complex data and generate actionable insights.

• Excellent written and verbal communication, capable of translating technical concepts for non‑technical audiences.

• Collaborative team player who actively contributes to cross‑functional projects.

• Meticulous attention to detail with a commitment to high‑quality, reliable work.

• Agile and adaptable, thriving in fast‑changing, fast‑paced environments.

• U.S. Citizenship required.

• The ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government Secret clearance is required.

• Availability to work onsite full‑time in Woodland Hills, California

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree or PhD in a STEM field or in technical management.

• Solid understanding of inertial navigation and related products.

• Experience leading post‑CDR phases and reviews such as Test Readiness Review (TRR), System Verification Review (SVR) / Functional Configuration Audit (FCA), Physical Configuration Audit (PCA) and Production Readiness Review (PRR).

• Active DoD Secret clearance.

Primary Level Salary Range: $114,000.00 - $171,000.00Secondary Level Salary Range: $142,200.00 - $213,400.00The above salary range represents a general guideline; however, Northrop Grumman considers a number of factors when determining base salary offers such as the scope and responsibilities of the position and the candidate's experience, education, skills and current market conditions.Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay. Annual bonuses are designed to reward individual contributions as well as allow employees to share in company results. Employees in Vice President or Director positions may be eligible for Long Term Incentives. In addition, Northrop Grumman provides a variety of benefits including health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, savings plan, Company paid holidays and paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business.The application period for the job is estimated to be 20 days from the job posting date. However, this timeline may be shortened or extended depending on business needs and the availability of qualified candidates.Northrop Grumman is an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class. For our complete EEO and pay transparency statement, please visit U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.