Sr. Principal Digital Hardware Engineer

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 Strategic Space Systems is seeking a highly qualified, motivated, and mission-oriented Senior Principal Digital Hardware Engineer looking to realize the rewards of maintaining innovative and complex systems located in Harrogate, UK.

The principal duties include working as part of a highly skilled and specialized team who operate, restore, and maintain various types of Digital and RF communications equipment for critical mission systems at an OCONUS customer site. The qualified person must be able to work in a structured configuration control environment providing support and maintenance of a real-time mission system.  

Essential Functions:

• Work as part of a diverse team to perform routine and emergency maintenance actions for all systems assigned to the program

• Provide on-call 24/7 emergency anomaly response to support restoration and repair efforts 

• Prepare and present status reports and briefings to management and the customer

• Operate, maintain, repair/replace, and install various types of equipment and devices associated with multiple generations of ground communication systems

• Provide recommendations for maintenance improvements, future enhancements, and upgrades to systems

• Perform system, sub-system, line replaceable unit, and board level troubleshooting and repair

• Maintain required standards, procedures, ICDs, compliance and configuration control standards

• Develop schedules and identify major milestones for assigned activities

• Support the integration, installation, test and documentation of new and/or modified capabilities into the system

• Provide training to operations and maintenance personnel for new installations, special test events and anomaly recoveries

• Provide mentoring and daily tasking to junior engineers supporting O&M activities

• Provide COMSEC support

• The successful candidate must also be able to satisfy the following physical demands:

  • Ability to work on elevated structures at heights of ~100 feet

  • Ability to climb stairs (~300 stairs/day)

  • Ability to lift and carry ~45lbs

  • Ability to work in narrow and confined spaces

A two year overseas tour commitment is required.

A comprehensive overseas compensation package, including relocation assistance, is offered with this position.

 Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelors of Science degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math) discipline plus 8 years of engineering experience OR Masters of Science degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math) discipline plus 6 years of engineering experience OR PhD in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Math) discipline plus 4 years of engineering experience.

• Candidate must be willing to commit to a minimum 24 month overseas assignment

• Candidate must have, and be able to maintain, at least ONE of the following active U.S. Government security clearances: Dept of Defense Top Secret level with a background investigation date within 6 years OR SCI access with a Single Scope Background Investigation (SSBI) completed within 5 years OR Dept of Energy Q clearance with a Single Scope Background Investigation (SSBI) completed within 5 years

• Willingness to complete a security/polygraph screening prior to beginning the assignment

Preferred Qualifications:

• Electrical Engineering degree preferred

• Active SCI clearance or DoD Top Secret clearance with SSBI and counterintelligence polygraph

• Strong technical communications skills including technical documentation and proven ability to work as a member of a diverse team

• Previous experience supporting digital electronics, RF communication, and/or SATCOM systems

• Previous hands-on experience in circuit repair/testing, and familiarity with using lab repair equipment

• Experience with maintaining/operating Digital and RF communications equipment to include amplifiers, mod/demodulators, up/downconverters, electrical matrix and optical switches, fiber optic transmitters/receivers, timing distribution equipment, oscilloscopes, logic, analyzers, network analyzers, spectrum analyzers, signal generators, and bit error rate testers

• Proficient with LINUX/UNIX operating systems

• Familiar with Perl and Python programming and LabView graphical programming

• Network+ or Security+ certification

• Previous COMSEC experience  

• Experience on Atlantis, Rodeo, RUSHMORE, COAST, or associated development contracts­ is highly desirable

Salary Range: $117,700 USD - $176,500 USD

The health and safety of our employees and their families is a top priority. The company encourages employees to remain up-to-date on their COVID-19 vaccinations. U.S. Northrop Grumman employees may be required, in the future, to be vaccinated or have an approved disability/medical or religious accommodation, pursuant to future court decisions and/or government action on the currently stayed federal contractor vaccine mandate under Executive Order 14042 https://www.saferfederalworkforce.gov/contractors/.

Northrop Grumman is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action 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/AA and Pay Transparency statement, please visit http://www.northropgrumman.com/EEO. U.S. Citizenship is required for most positions.