Sr. Principal Test Engineer - Lab Manager

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available

CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes

CLEARANCE TYPE: Top Secret

TRAVEL: 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.

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 is seeking a qualified and experienced Sr. Principal Test Engineer Lab Manager to join Tactical Fighters Business Unit in Baltimore, MD . The candidate should have a very strong knowledge in integration and test, troubleshooting, manufacturing, SAP, calibration, and procurement. The position is responsible for coordinating with all engineering disciplines and operations teams to meet program, integration test schedules, and budget. This position will work within a team environment consisting of engineering, program management, production, and supporting staff. The ideal candidate will have strong teambuilding skills and exhibit comprehensive verbal and written communication/presentation skills. This position would be based in Baltimore, MD, which requires being onsite, and does not support remote or hybrid work.

Typical Responsibilities:

• Partner with the Logistics team to procure tooling, equipment, consumables, and capital assets for system benches and PME.
• Receive, verify, and distribute incoming materials; monitor Jira tickets and schedule movements with material handlers.
• Maintain consumable inventory levels; reorder materials using approved procurement methods.
• Track all purchase orders and document ownership based on funding sources.

• Maintain hardware trackers for PME and lab‑based test assets; perform routine inventory and maintain hardware trackers for PME, lab-based assets, capital assets, GFE, and BFE.
• Manage entry/exit requests for equipment with Cybersecurity.
• Coordinate with Security for escorts and access control.
• Serve as custodian for test equipment; monitor calibration due dates, coordinate sanitization, and arrange calibration depot services.
• Oversee spare and turn‑in equipment, ensuring timely back‑fill and return to labs.
• Maintain secure storage safes, update combinations with security, and provide access to authorized personnel.

• Lead program shipping efforts: develop shipping plans, create packing lists, and coordinate crate construction.
• Work with Shipping Office and external transportation providers to meet program timelines and security requirements.
• Generate shipping transactions and manage escort support for equipment moves.

• Direct day‑to‑day lab operations, aligning resources with Program Management, Systems, SEIT, I&T/IPT, Software, and TDE leadership to meet schedule and quality goals.
• Conduct facilities surveys; communicate lab status, security, utility, and growth requirements to Facilities Engineering.
• Coordinate setup/tear‑down of specialized test fixtures, document configurations, and produce as‑built drawings for future use.

• Act as Safety liaison to Environmental Health, Safety, and Fire Protection; conduct periodic inspections, enforce housekeeping, and manage special‑material storage.
• Enforce Northrop Grumman, customer, and federal audit policies; perform daily ESD/FOD/safety sweeps and corrective actions.
• Manage compliance training records for program contributors in the LX system (ESD, FOD, KeyPoint, HAZCOM, etc.) and ensure all lab users maintain current certifications.

• Track all program, corporate, and customer‑owned property; interface with Property Management for accountability.
• Monitor and execute configuration changes to lab workspaces per user requests; assess impact and communicate updates to programs.

• Oversee laboratory industrial waste handling as required by program needs and regulatory guidelines.

• Monitor rental agreements for equipment and facilities; submit updates and ensure contract compliance.
• Oversee the PAO cooling cart program; maintain compliance with M&P and MTC directives.
• The selected candidates will perform in a fast-paced work environment with high expectations, significantly diverse assignments, and collaborative/team settings. The selected candidates are expected to be technically savvy, self-motivated, self-starter, highly organized, detail oriented, and possess effective verbal and written communication skills.

Basic Qualifications:  

• 8 years experience with a Bachelors; 6 years experience with Masters; 4 Years with a PhD. 4 years of additional experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• Active US Government Top Secret Clearance or higher and Special Access Program (SAP) clearance is required prior to start
• Proven ability to collaborate with business units and divisions and communicate effectively with both technical and non‑technical audiences.
• Minimum 8 years of radar-system support and development, including hands-on work with Common Radar Module (CRM) standard, receiver/exciter, processor, ground/airborne radars, manufacturing, operations and systems engineering.
• Ability to work full-time onsite in Baltimore, MD.

Preferred Qualifications:  

• 8 + years of engineering experience focused on laboratory operations, test‑equipment management, and logistics coordination.
• Expertise in integration, test, reliability, and endurance testing of radar systems.
• Direct experience coordinating procurement, receipt, storage, and distribution of tooling, consumables, and capital equipment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with a track record of producing clear shipping plans, inventory reports, and facility‑status briefs.
• Demonstrated ability to work with multiple engineering specialties, cross‑functional teams, and external suppliers.

This position is contingent upon the successful transfer of Top Secret Clearance and the ability to obtain/maintain Special Program Access (SAP) prior to start

Primary Level Salary Range: $123,400.00 - $185,000.00

The 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.