
Northrop Grumman
Falls Church, Virginia, United States of America
10K+ Employees
Sr Principal Aeronautics Engineer – Vehicle Management System RE
United States-California-Palmdale, United States of America
Posted on Sep 1, 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 is looking to add a Sr Principal Aeronautics Engineer- Vehicle Management System RE (Level 4) to join our team of qualified, diverse individuals in Palmdale, CA.
Key Responsibilities:
Serve as the Responsible Engineer for Vehicle Management System (VMS).
Provide technical hardware oversight and guidance to the multiple software development efforts. Also provide technical hardware solutions to the team's software needs and mentor other engineers on proper embedded software development techniques
Produce and maintain engineering artifacts: architecture diagrams, interface control documents (ICDs), requirements specifications, design descriptions, verification reports, and certification evidence.
Lead integration and verification activities: produce test plans, execute/oversee simulation, HIL, bench, and flight tests, analyze results, and close verification artifacts to demonstrate compliance with requirements.
Develop and maintain high-fidelity modeling and simulation environments algorithm development, Monte Carlo analysis, hardware-in-the-loop (HIL), and software-in-the-loop (SIL) verification.
Coordinate across systems engineering, test, software, mechanical, and supplier teams; provide technical leadership, mentor engineers, and present technical status and risk to program leadership.
Lead technical point of contact for their system and will be required to develop technical solutions to a wide range of complex problems that come up.
Perform functional analysis, conduct detailed trade studies and interface definition studies in order to translate customer requirements into hardware and software specifications.
The selected candidate will be required to work full-time, on-site at our facility. There is no remote / hybrid / telework available for this position.
Travel up to 25% may be required.
Basic Qualifications:
Bachelor’s Degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics) discipline and 8 years of related engineering experience; OR a Master’s degree in a STEM discipline and 6 years of related engineering experience; OR a PhD in a STEM discipline and 4 years of related engineering experience.
Experience with development, design, or sustainment of vehicle management systems (VMS)
Demonstrated experience designing, implementing, and verifying VMS functions.
Excellent technical communication and stakeholder skills, with experience producing requirements, ICDs, verification artifacts, and supporting test or certification activities
Active USG Secret clearance (with a background investigation within the past 5 years or enrolled into Continuous Evaluation).
Ability to obtain and maintain initial Special Access Program (SAP) access via a Program Access Request (PAR). This SAP/PAR must be obtained prior to commencement of employment and must be obtained within a reasonable amount of time as determined by the company to meet its business needs.
Preferred Qualifications:
Experience as a supplier management team technical lead, or experience in program management or systems engineering
Extensive experience presenting technical content to upper management
Experience with test lab Instrumentation and execution.
Experience with various data busses: 1553 analyzers, RS-232, RS-422, RS-485, 1394, Ethernet, ARINC 429
Proficient in CATIA, Matlab, Microsoft Visio
Experience training junior engineers
Demonstrated experience designing, implementing, and verifying GNC and navigation.
Current applicable Special Access Program (SAP) clearance.
Active U.S. Government Top Secret or higher clearance (with a background investigation within the past 5 years or enrolled into Continuous Evaluation).
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 1, 2026
Financials
Type
public
Annual Revenue
$10B+
Market Cap
$84B+
Membership
Join Refer Me Membership to get referred to this role at Northrop Grumman.