
Sr Principal Engineer Systems
Required skills
- Secret clearance
- STEM degree
- Systems engineering lifecycle
- Requirements development
- Requirements decomposition
- Requirements management
- Requirements traceability
- Verification & validation planning
- Verification & validation execution
- Interface definition
Nice to have
- Top Secret clearance
- SRR
- PDR
- CDR
- System architecture development
- CONOPS definition
Role summary
Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems is seeking a Senior Principal Systems Engineer to join their Systems Engineering organization. This role, located in California, involves applying the full systems engineering lifecycle from concept to delivery, including requirements definition, interface management, integration, verification, and validation. Responsibilities include developing V&V strategies, managing ICDs, supporting system architecture and CONOPS development, and providing input to design reviews. The position requires a STEM Bachelor's degree with 8+ years of relevant experience (or Master's with 6+, PhD with 4+), experience across the systems engineering lifecycle, familiarity with requirements management tools like DOORS, ICD development, and technical presentation skills. An active U.S. Government Secret clearance is mandatory, with the ability to obtain Top Secret and SAP clearances.
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 Aeronautics Systems has an opening for a Senior Principal Systems Engineer to join our team of diverse, qualified individuals in our Systems Engineering organization. This role may be located in Rancho Bernardo, CA, El Segundo, CA, or Palmdale, CA.
In this role, you will apply the full systems engineering lifecycle—from concept and requirements definition through integration, verification & validation (V&V), and delivery. You will have regular interaction with customers and leadership, including preparation and delivery of technical briefings.
Key Roles and Responsibilities
- Apply the full systems engineering lifecycle, including Concept development and system definition, Requirements development, decomposition, and allocation, Interface definition and management, Integration, verification, and validation planning and execution
- Develop Verification & Validation (V&V) strategies and plans, including Requirement Verification Plans and System Test & Verification Plans.
- Work closely with test and specialty engineering teams to ensure test procedures correctly interpret and verify requirements.
- Develop and maintain Interface Control Documents (ICDs) for internal and external system interfaces through internal coordination with Integrated Product Teams (IPTs), suppliers, and customers, and through interface working groups.
- Support development and documentation of system architectures and Concepts of Operations (CONOPS) working with cross-functional teams to ensure the architecture supports performance, reliability, safety, and maintainability objectives.
- Provide systems engineering input to design reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR) and integration/test readiness reviews.
- Prepare and deliver technical briefings to internal leadership and external customers.
Basic Qualifications
- Must have a Bachelors of Science degree in a STEM field and at least 8 years of relevant military / professional experience, OR a Master's Degree in a STEM field and at least 6 years of relevant military / professional experience, OR a PhD and at least 4 years of relevant military / professional experience
- Must have experience across the systems engineering lifecycle, including: Requirements development and decomposition, Requirements management and traceability, Verification & validation planning and execution
- Must have experience with requirements management tools (e.g., DOORS, DOORS Next, or similar).
- Must have experience with ICD development and interface definition.
- Must have experience preparing and delivering technical presentations to customers or leadership.
- Must have an active U.S. Government Secret clearance (investigation within the last 6 years or enrolled in Continuous Evaluation).
- Must have the ability to obtain and maintain Top Secret clearance and Special Access Program (SAP) clearance within a reasonable amount of time as determined by business needs.
- Must have the ability to obtain and maintain subsequent SAP PARs following commencement of employment to be able to completely support statement of work
Preferred Qualifications
- Active USG Top Secret and/or current Special Access/SCI, as required by program.
- Experience supporting major systems engineering milestones (e.g., SRR, PDR, CDR).
- Experience with system architecture development, model-based systems engineering (MBSE), and/or CONOPS definition.
- Hands-on experience with HW/SW integration and test, including test procedure development and discrepancy/anomaly resolution.
- Familiarity with Agile development methods and/or CI/CD environments.
- Experience coordinating with suppliers on technical requirements, interfaces, and verification expectations.
Sample Northrop Grumman interview questions
- 1
Can you discuss the role of reusability and scalability in UVM's verification approach?
technicalmedium - 2
Can you detail the function of a register table within embedded system design?
technicalmedium - 3
Could you outline how virtual memory is implemented in embedded systems and its advantages?
system designmedium - 4
Can you discuss the role and functionality of a watchdog timer?
system designmedium - 5
What is your understanding of polymorphism in SystemVerilog?
technicalmedium
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