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Principal / Sr Principal Systems Field Test Engineer

Wallops Island, Virginia, United States
Full Time On-site

Summary

Job Description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: No relocation assistance available

CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes

CLEARANCE TYPE: Secret

TRAVEL: Yes, 100% 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 Mission Systems is a trusted provider of mission-enabling solutions for global security. We have a wide portfolio of secure, affordable, integrated, and multi-domain systems and technologies. Our differentiated battle management and cyber solutions deliver timely, mission-enabling information and provide superior situational awareness and understanding to protect the U.S. and its global allies.

Northrop Grumman Mission Systems is looking for you to join our team as a Principal or Sr Principal Systems Field Test Engineer for a long term position at Wallops Island, VA (up to 90% travel position to this location)—home office based out of the Baltimore, MD area.

What You’ll get to Do:

Join our Field Engineering Integration & Test team supporting the Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP) Block 3—an upgrade to the legacy AN/SLQ‑32 system that provides game‑changing, non‑kinetic electronic‑attack capability for the U.S. fleet. This electronic‑attack system delivers a soft‑kill magazine to defeat inbound threats. The role involves system integration and test, installation and checkout, operational maintenance, test‑equipment expertise, software testing, in‑field modifications, troubleshooting, repair, and field‑logistics support. Team members will staff a long‑term position supporting our customer at Wallops Island, VA so must be flexible for shift work and willing to travel.

Expectations/ Responsibilities:

  • Provide on-site support with varying work hours ranging between 8- to12-hour shifts

  • Deliver support five days per week

  • Willing to travel for extended period (10 months in a year) to Wallops Island, VA

  • Serve as the Northrop Grumman primary technical point of contact (TPOC) on-site

  • Act as the liaison between customer site activities and program

  • Hands-on integration, testing, and system operations

  • Troubleshoot and communicate technical findings and observations

  • Execute test procedures

  • Maintain inventory records

  • Generate daily status, weekly summary, and monthly progress reports

**Compensation is commensurate with travel through appropriate bonuses and allowances.**

This position may be filled as a Principal Systems Field Test Engineer or Sr Principal Systems Field Test Engineer.

Basic Qualifications for a Principal Systems Field Test Engineer:

  • Bachelor of Science in Engineering or a related STEM field and at least 5 years of relevant experience, or a Master of Science in Engineering/related STEM field and at least 3 years of relevant experience.

  • Basic radar and/or electronic warfare (EW) knowledge

  • Experience operating a radar and/or EW system

  • Experience operating RF test equipment

  • Experience working directly with customers and willing to work at customer facilities with frequent customer contact

  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills

  • Willing to travel for extended period (10 months in a year) to Wallops Island, VA

  • Physical RequirementsWilling and able to work outdoors in varied weather conditions, lift up to 50 lbs, and comfortable working at heights or in confined spaces (e.g., climbing ladders/towers, working in a container office)

  • US Citizenship and a current/active DoD Secret clearance are required

Basic Qualifications for a Sr Principal Systems Field Test Engineer:

  • Bachelor of Science in Engineering or a related STEM field and at least 8 years of relevant experience, or a Master of Science in Engineering/related STEM field and at least 6 years of relevant experience

  • Basic radar and/or electronic warfare (EW) knowledge

  • Experience operating a radar and/or EW system

  • Experience operating RF test equipment

  • Experience working directly with customers and willing to work at customer facilities with frequent customer contact

  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills

  • Willing to travel for extended period (10 months in a year) to Wallops Island, VA

  • Physical RequirementsWilling and able to work outdoors in varied weather conditions, lift up to 50 lbs, and comfortable working at heights or in confined spaces (e.g., climbing ladders/towers, working in a container office)

  • US Citizenship and a current/active DoD Secret clearance are required

 

Preferred Qualifications:

  • BS in Electrical Engineering

  • Military training and experience, or experience working at a government test facility

  • Documenting and communicating technical issues observed in field

  • RF and digital signal processing

  • System integration and test

  • Linux and MS Windows operating system administration

  • Ability and interest in learning the newest technologies

Primary Level Salary Range: $94,200.00 - $141,200.00

Secondary Level Salary Range: $117,500.00 - $176,300.00

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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