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System Test Engineer /Principal System Test Engineer

San Diego, California, United States
Full Time On-site
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.

Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems has an opening for a Systems Integration/Principal Systems Integration​ Engineer to join the team of qualified individuals. Position is located in Rancho Bernardo, CA.

The qualified candidate will become part of Northrop Grumman’s Test & Evaluation organization. The selected candidate will synthesize customer contractual needs and requirements into system test solutions which acknowledge technical, schedule and cost constraints. They will perform a variety of duties in the electronic, mechanical, electromechanical, or software areas. The ideal candidate is detail oriented, organized, and able to learn challenging concepts quickly in a fast-paced environment.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Assist in development, execution, peer review, and release of test procedures
  • Participate in both Formal and Non-Formal Test execution events
  • Participate in test planning, discrepancy report, validation testing, and post test data analysis
  • Provide support of required laboratory test artifacts
  • Effectively communicate test results and project updates
  • Willing to support multiple shifts and odd hours to accommodate testing efforts and lab schedules

The selected candidate will be required to work full-time, on-site at our facility. There is no remote / hybrid / telework available for this position. Travel up to 10% may be required.

We offer flexible work arrangements, 4/10 work schedule with every Friday off, phenomenal learning opportunities, exposure to a wide variety of projects and customers, and a very friendly team environment. We are looking for self-motivated, proactive, and goal-oriented people to help us grow our services and become even better at what we do.

Basic Qualifications for a Level 2:

  • Must have a Bachelor of Science degree in a STEM discipline AND 2 years of related professional/military experience, OR a Master's degree AND 0 years of related professional/military experience.

Basic Qualifications for a Level 3:

  • Must have a Bachelor of Science degree in a STEM discipline AND 5 years of related professional/military experience, OR a Master's degree AND 3 years of related professional/military experience, OR a Ph.D. AND 1 year of related professional/military experience.

Basic Qualifications for Both Levels:

  • Must have an active US Government Top Secret clearance (with a background investigation within the past 6 years or enrolled into Continuous Evaluation).
  • Must have the ability to obtain and maintain Special Access Program (SAP) clearance, within a reasonable amount of time as determined by business needs.
  • Capability to work with supervision and develop effective approaches to problem-solving.
  • Self-motivated with a strong attention to detail and thoroughness.
  • Experience writing Python scripts
  • Experience working System Test, SW Development and/or Systems Engineering
  • Experience with Windows/Linux operating systems & Virtual Machines (VMs)
  • Understanding of the software development lifecycle and agile development methodology

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Current applicable Special Access Program (SAP) clearance.
  • Knowledge of system test and integration.
  • Experience calibrating and inspecting special test equipment
  • Experience creating, updating and executing test procedures
  • Security+ certification
  • Experience with IBM Rational tool suite (DOORS and ClearQuest)
  • Experience with Atlassian tool suite (JIRA, Git, Confluence)
  • Experience using software test automation tools/frameworks
  • Experience with Java, C++, or Python

Primary Level Salary Range: $91,800.00 - $137,600.00

Secondary Level Salary Range: $114,000.00 - $171,000.00

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 http://www.northropgrumman.com/EEO. U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.

About Northrop Grumman

Northrop Grumman

Northrop Grumman is one of the largest aerospace and defense companies in the United States, building advanced systems across space, air, land, sea, and cyber domains. The company is known for some of the most complex defense programs in the world, including stealth aircraft, autonomous systems, missile defense technologies, satellites, and space-based intelligence platforms that support U.S. national security operations.

For job seekers, Northrop Grumman offers careers across a wide range of high-impact fields including aerospace engineering, software development, cybersecurity, systems engineering, manufacturing, program management, and intelligence support. The company is especially attractive to veterans, cleared professionals, and engineers who want to work on mission-critical systems that directly support the Department of Defense and intelligence community. Many roles involve long-term programs with significant technical depth and real-world operational impact.

Unlike smaller defense startups focused on narrow capabilities, Northrop Grumman operates across multiple major mission areas, giving employees exposure to highly advanced programs such as stealth platforms, space systems, autonomous vehicles, and next-generation command-and-control systems. The company is also a major leader in classified space and intelligence systems, where cutting-edge engineering and secure infrastructure play a critical role in national defense.

As global competition in space, cyber, and advanced military systems continues to intensify, Northrop Grumman remains one of the most strategically important employers in the defense industry. For professionals seeking stable, highly technical careers with long-term impact on national security, Northrop Grumman continues to stand out as a leading destination in aerospace and defense.

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