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Staff Navigation Systems Engineer

Woodland Hills, California, United States
Full Time On-site
RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available

CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: No

CLEARANCE TYPE: 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 Mission Systems is a trusted provider of mission-enabling solutions for global security.  Our Emerging Capabilities Development organization pushes the boundaries of innovation, redefines capabilities, and drives advances in various sciences. Our team is chartered by providing an innovative technological capabilities across the sector while providing a decisive advantage to the warfighter.  Come be a part of our mission!

Northrop Grumman Mission Systems sector is seeking a Staff Navigation Systems Engineer to join our diverse and talented team in the design and implementation of model-based navigation software. This role will be filled at our Woodland Hills, CA site. As a Staff Systems Engineer at Northrop Grumman you will have a challenging and rewarding opportunity to be a part of our Enterprise-wide digital transformation. Through the use of Model-based Engineering and Agile practices we continue to evolve how we deliver critical national defense products and capabilities for the warfighter.  Our success is grounded in our ability to embrace change, move quickly and continuously drive innovation.  The successful candidate will be collaborative, open, transparent, and team-oriented with a focus on team empowerment & shared responsibility, flexibility, continuous learning, and a culture of innovation.

What You’ll get to Do:

  • Architect and guide the implementation of cutting‑edge navigation algorithms, software, and system integrations.

  • Define and execute the technical roadmap for navigation‑performance analysis across lab and flight‑test environments.

  • Own communication channels with program leadership, external customers, and cross‑functional partners.

  • Champion collaborations with internal and external experts to pioneer next‑generation navigation and timing technologies.

  • Lead a multidisciplinary team of navigation and timing specialists in a collaborative, high‑performing culture.

  • Represent Northrop Grumman at premier technical conferences, industry working groups, and customer briefings.

  • Mentor emerging talent and drive best‑practice adoption across the organization.

This position is contingent upon Funding/Contract Award.

Basic Qualifications for a Staff Navigation Systems Engineer:

  • Bachelor’s Degree in STEM discipline with 12 years of Engineering experience; 3 years of Engineering experience with Masters in STEM discipline with 10 years of Engineering experience; PhD in STEM discipline with 8 years of Engineering experience

  • Expertise in Sensor Fusion for Navigation Systems using IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit), GPS, barometers, and other sensors.

  • Expertise in advanced state-estimation algorithms such as Extended Kalman Filtering, Unscented Kalman Filtering, Particle Filtering.

  • Expertise in INS (Inertial Navigation System) mechanizations.

  • Expertise in Embedded INS/GPS (Global Positioning System) navigation systems.

  • Expertise in multi-sensor synchronization and calibration.

  • Expertise in noise modeling and covariance tuning.

  • Expertise in state estimation for position, velocity, and attitude determination.

  • U.S. Citizenship is required

  • Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government Secret clearance is required

  • Ability to work full-time onsite in Woodland Hills, CA

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Familiarity with Assured Position Navigation & Timing (APNT) solutions for GPS Denied Environments.

  • Familiarity of signal selection, acquisition and tracking, Position, Velocity, and Time (PVT) calculation, data demodulation, signal correction.

  • Familiarity with algorithm development for satellite acquisition, tracking, and receiver measurement formation

  • Familiarity with military navigation modernization particularly M-code signal processing and capabilities.

  • Familiarity with design of tracking loops, including characterization of platform dynamics, environmental/interference effects.

  • Familiarity with Timing and Distributed Clock Algorithms.

Primary Level Salary Range: $177,000.00 - $265,600.00

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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