Principal Engineer – Aeronautical

Northrop Grumman

. Apply engineering principles to investigate, analyze, plan, design, test, and evaluate systems .

Posted 9/30/2026full-timeSan Diego • California • United StatesLead💰 $91,800 - $171,000 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in systems engineering, including requirements development, integration, and testing of complex systems. Proficient in Agile methodologies and capable of collaborating with cross-functional teams to deliver effective engineering solutions.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Systems EngineeringAgile DevelopmentRequirements DevelopmentIntegration and TestingMBSE Tools

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

JavaC++PythonSoftware Test AutomationArchitecture DevelopmentSystem DesignMetrics DevelopmentTechnical DocumentationRequirements TraceabilityTrade Studies

Soft Skills

CommunicationTeam CollaborationProblem SolvingPresentation Skills

Tools & Technologies

Ansible EngineIBM Rational Tool SuiteDOORSClearQuestAtlassian Tool SuiteJIRAGitConfluenceVMwareKubernetes

Certifications & Qualifications

Security+ CertificationActive DoD Top Secret Clearance

Industry Keywords

STEM DisciplineAgile MethodologiesContinuous EvaluationSpecial Program AccessEngineering Reviews

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

AnsibleJavaKubernetesOpenShiftPythonVMwareC++

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Apply engineering principles to investigate, analyze, plan, design, test, and evaluate systems
Perform trade studies, engineering and technical analyses, reports, change proposals, and technical documentation
Participate in Agile development activities, including release planning, sprint planning, scrum, and retrospectives
Work in an integrated team with systems, software, and specialty engineers to develop solutions
Prepare technical presentations for management and stakeholders
Review test plans and procedures for requirements verification
Support system integration and testing of complex systems
Evaluate integration and test anomalies and assist with issue disposition and correction
Address interface and functionality problems between software components and hardware
Work with software and infrastructure teams to correct or improve capabilities
Develop subsystem and SRS/HRS requirements using MBSE tools and DOORS
Develop architectures and designs for complex hardware and software systems
Maintain requirements traceability and assess implementation
Analyze high-level needs and define structured approaches to refine capabilities into integrated requirements leading to fielded products
Support development and review of interface documents, requirements, VCRM, architectural documentation, and system engineering estimates
Author and perform formal and informal engineering reviews
Travel up to 25% may be required

Requirements

What you’ll need

Bachelor’s Degree in a STEM discipline and 2 years of related engineering experience, or a Master’s degree in a STEM discipline for level 2
Bachelor’s Degree in a STEM discipline and 5 years of related engineering experience, or a Master’s degree in a STEM discipline and 3 years of related engineering experience, or a PhD in a STEM discipline and 1 year of related engineering experience for level 3
Active DoD Top Secret clearance with a background investigation within the past 5 years or enrollment in Continuous Evaluation
Ability to obtain and maintain initial Special Program Access (SAP/PAR) before commencement of employment
Ability to obtain and maintain upgraded SAP/PAR
U.S. Citizenship required for positions with a government clearance and certain restricted positions
Security+ certification preferred
Experience with Ansible Engine preferred
Experience with IBM Rational tool suite, including DOORS and ClearQuest, preferred
Experience with Atlassian tool suite, including JIRA, Git, and Confluence, preferred
Experience using software test automation tools/frameworks preferred
Experience with Java, C++, or Python preferred
Experience working within an Agile development environment preferred
Experience with MBSE, architecture development, system design and analysis, and development of metrics preferred
Experience as a Product Owner preferred
Experience with software products running in virtual environments such as VMware, OpenShift, or Kubernetes preferred

Benefits

Comp & perks

Relocation assistance may be available
Overtime eligibility may be available depending on the position
Shift differential may be available depending on the position
Discretionary bonus eligibility may be available
Long Term Incentives may be available for Vice President or Director positions
Health insurance coverage
Life and disability insurance
Savings plan
Company paid holidays
Paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business