Senior Principal Systems Engineering Integration & Test Lead – Airborne Navigation Systems

About the Role

Northrop Grumman Mission Systems in Woodland Hills, CA has been providing navigation and inertial measurement technology for over 60 years. Solutions are deployed from undersea to deep space, including on James Webb Space Telescope and missions on Mars.

This role leads the systems engineering and verification effort for airborne navigation systems with a strong emphasis on requirements development, control, integration, and verification. You will partner closely with Program Managers, Chief Engineers, product owners, and functional engineering leadership.

Full time, on-site in Woodland Hills, CA. Travel: 10%. Relocation assistance may be available. Secret clearance eligibility required (not needed at start).

What You'll Do

The SEIT Lead is accountable for the overall technical integrity and rigor of the systems engineering effort, including requirements development and management, integration and test strategy, and V&V planning and execution.

Key responsibilities:

• Lead SE, integration, and test activities across the full program lifecycle for airborne navigation systems
• Own and maintain the system requirements baseline — development, decomposition, allocation, traceability, and change control
• Use IBM Rational DOORS (or equivalent) to manage requirements, maintain traceability, and ensure configuration control
• Ensure requirements are clear, verifiable, and consistent; implemented and verified through test, analysis, inspection, and/or demonstration
• Develop, maintain, and execute the SEMP, integration and test strategy, and VCMs/RVMs
• Lead planning and execution of integration and test activities at subsystem and system levels (lab, hardware-in-the-loop, flight/field test)
• Ensure engineering rigor aligns with MIL STD 810, DO 178, MIL STD 882, and DO 229
• Lead major system technical reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR) with senior leadership and customer stakeholders
• Serve as primary SE interface to the Program Manager, Chief Engineer, and functional organizations
• Provide recommendations on technical trades, system architecture, and design decisions
• Identify and manage technical risks related to requirements, interfaces, integration, and verification
• Support cost and schedule performance for systems engineering and test activities

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's in STEM with 8+ years; or Master's with 6+ years; or PhD with 4+ years
• U.S. Citizenship required
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government Secret security clearance
• Experience leading multidisciplinary systems engineering activities on complex development programs
• Experience in systems requirements development, decomposition, allocation, and traceability
• Hands-on experience with requirements management tools (preferably IBM Rational DOORS)
• Experience in system integration and test, including planning and execution of verification activities
• Experience working on projects that include hardware, software, and firmware
• Strong written and verbal communication skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in a STEM field
• PMP certification or INCOSE CSEP certification
• Active U.S. Government Secret or Top Secret clearance
• Experience with airborne navigation systems, avionics, or safety critical aerospace systems (DO-178, MIL-STD-882, DO-229)
• Experience with serial interfaces (RS-422/RS-485) and digital bus/network interfaces (ARINC 429, MIL-STD-1553, Ethernet-based avionics)
• Experience with system architectures, ICDs, and MBSE artifacts
• Domain expertise in defense electronic systems (RF, EW, communications, sensors, or avionics)
• Working knowledge of DoD systems engineering standards and lifecycle processes
• Prior experience as a SEIT Lead, Systems IPT Lead, or similar systems engineering leadership role
• Familiarity with earned value management (EVM)

Pay & Benefits

• Salary: $142,200 – $213,400/yr (Senior Principal level)
• Eligible for overtime, shift differential, and discretionary bonus
• Annual bonuses reward individual and company results
• Health insurance, life and disability insurance, savings plan, Company paid holidays, and PTO