Principal / Senior Principal Systems Engineer

About the Role

Travel: Yes, 10% of the Time · Clearance: Secret (required at start) · Relocation assistance may be available 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 Northrop‏Grumman Mission Systems (NGMS) is seeking a Principal or Senior Principal Systems Engineer to join our team based in Woodland ‏Hills, ‏CA . The ideal candidate will have a strong background in systems‑engineering principles and extensive experience delivering technology programs through rigorous design review and verification sell-off campaigns. This role requires the ability to lead cross‑functional teams, manage configuration baselines and ensure successful transition of hardware‑software systems to production.

What You'll Do

• Be responsible for the technical baseline development by capturing, analyzing, and finalizing the functional and performance requirements baseline; maintain full traceability in DOORS and confirm verifiability ahead of the Critical Design Review (CDR).
• Develop functional and physical system architectures, conduct trade‑off studies, and select optimal solutions that advance system maturity toward production readiness.
• Organize and lead internal design‑review meetings; facilitate external CDR sessions with customers, suppliers, certification bodies and other partners, collecting feedback, documenting decisions and driving corrective actions to closure.
• Collaborate with integration and test teams on schedules, maintain Interface Control Documents (ICDs) and create comprehensive test verification matrices that cover hardware‑in‑the‑loop (HIL) and software‑in‑the‑loop (SIL) scenarios.
• Lead verification execution, analyze test and analysis results, resolve discrepancies and close verification loops to satisfy CDR baseline requirements and subsequent system qualification.
• Manage baseline configuration items, enforce version control and conduct impact analyses for changes throughout system verification and validation.
• Author and maintain critical CDR artifacts – System Requirements Document, ICD, Design Description, Test Plans, Risk Register – and produce regular status reports and executive‑level presentations on CDR and verification readiness, risks and mitigation strategies.
• 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.

Requirements

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science in a STEM discipline‏+‏5‏years of related Systems Engineering experience; Master of Science in a STEM discipline‏+‏3‏years of related Systems Engineering experience; Ph.D. in a STEM discipline‏+‏1‏year 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.
• A current/active U.S. Government Secret clearance is required.
• Availability to work onsite full‑time in Woodland‏Hills,‏California.
• Basic Qualifications for Senior Principal Systems Engineer:
• Bachelor of Science in a STEM discipline‏+‏8‏years of related Systems Engineering experience; Master of Science in a STEM discipline‏+‏6‏years of related Systems Engineering experience; Ph.D. in a STEM discipline‏+‏4‏years 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.
• A current/active U.S. Government Secret clearance is required.
• Availability to work onsite full-time in Woodland‏Hills,‏California

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree or PhD in a STEM field or in technical management.
• Solid understanding of inertial navigation and related products.
• Proven track record executing program milestones, including Systems Requirements Review (SRR), System Functional Review (SFR), Preliminary Design Review (PDR) and Critical Design Review (CDR).

Pay & Benefits

$114,000.00 - $171,000.00 Secondary Level Salary Range: $142,200.00 - $213,400.00 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.