
Northrop Grumman
Falls Church, Virginia, United States of America
10K+ Employees
Principal/Sr Principal Flight Test Engineer - Loads & Dynamics
United States-California-Edwards AFB, United States of America
Posted on Sep 23, 2026
Job Description
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 Principal / Senior Principal Flight Test Engineer to join our team of qualified, diverse individuals within our Test and Evaluation organization.
This position will be 100% on-site at Edwards AFB, CA.
Overview of Responsibilities and Expectations:
- Interface with design and analysis teams to define test configuration and data requirements.
- Review and evaluate test requirements to ensure completeness of test program.
- Support and host test planning working groups across multiple disciplines.
- Perform technical analysis of complete systems and prepares comprehensive system level evaluations.
- Develop detailed test plans, safety plans, test schedules, and test procedures for developmental testing.
- Support test card development and review cycles with other engineering disciplines and test operations.
- Support test readiness reviews, pre/post-test briefings and other reviews for senior leadership.
- Provide control room support and make real-time decisions regarding safety, effectiveness and efficiency.
- Conduct and contributes to pre/post-test data analyses to support anomaly identification and resolution.
- Maintain metrics on status of testing and issues constraining test.
- Demonstrate outstanding written and oral communications skills.
- Serve as subject matter focal point between maintenance, design engineering, contractors and customers.
- Work under only general direction to determine and develop approaches to solutions.
- Be able to work both within a team environment and independently.
- Be self-motivated, thorough, detailed, and willing to learn additional engineering discipline areas.
- Be proficient in Microsoft Office and Integrated Analysis & Data System (IADS).
- Work overtime, odd shifts, and weekend work occasionally.
This requisition may be filled at a higher grade based on qualifications listed below.
Basic Qualifications
This requisition may be filled at either a Principal or a Sr. Principal Flight Test Engineer
Basic Qualifications for Principal:
- 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.
- Must have an active US Government 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.
- Experience in Aircraft Structure
- Experience in Flight/Ground Loads
- Experience in Aerodynamic Flutter
Basic Qualifications for Sr Principal:
- Must have a Bachelor of Science degree in a STEM discipline AND 8 years of related professional/military experience , OR a Master's degree AND 6 years of related professional/military experience.
- Must have an active US Government 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.
- Experience in Aircraft Structure
- Experience in Flight/Ground Loads
- Experience in Aerodynamic Flutter
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience in Vibroacoustics
- Experience in Flight or Ground Test
- Experience in Control Room Monitoring
- Proficiency in MATLAB
- Proficiency in IADS
About Northrop Grumman
Northrop Grumman Corporation operates as an aerospace and defense company worldwide. The company's Aeronautics Systems segment designs, develops, manufactures, integrates, and sustains aircraft systems. This segment also offers unmanned autonomous aircraft systems, including high-altitude long-endurance strategic ISR systems and vertical take-off and landing tactical ISR systems; and strategic long-range strike aircraft, tactical fighter and air dominance aircraft, and airborne battle...
Job overview
Employment type
Full Time
Experience level
Senior
Posted
on Sep 23, 2026
Financials
Type
public
Annual Revenue
$10B+
Market Cap
$84B+
Membership
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