Sr Staff Engineer Signal Processing

Relocation assistance may be available. This role requires no clearance to start; however, the ability and willingness to obtain Top Secret with SCI clearance is required for continued long-term employment. Travel is expected, up to 10% of the time.

About the role

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. We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage, and a pioneering spirit to join forces to invent the future while having fun along the way. Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity, and bringing your whole self to work.

Join a team in Sacramento, California, that develops transformative signal processing solutions to solve complex challenges in Signals Intelligence (SIGINT). Your work will contribute to real-world national security initiatives. We offer professional development opportunities, mentorship by senior engineers, and access to cutting-edge tools and technologies like Ultra-Wideband (UWB) Software-Defined Radios (SDRs) and Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) for deployment of advanced signal processing algorithms.

Responsibilities

• Perform architecture trades, design analysis, and performance modeling
• Provide engineering support for hardware development efforts
• Design detection and characterization algorithms for Radio Frequency communication signals
• Implement detection and characterization algorithms
• Test signal processing algorithms and receivers in a lab environment
• Design, test, and produce detection, characterization, and geolocation algorithms
• Support the deployment of core products on new platforms (e.g., manned aircraft, drones, ships, etc.)

Requirements

• BS degree in a STEM field and at least 14 years of relevant experience, or MS degree in a STEM field and at least 12 years of relevant experience, or a PhD and at least 10 years of relevant experience
• Requirements Translation: Ability to convert complex operational needs into technical system requirements
• Domain Expertise: Command of tactical SIGINT operations, military capabilities, and geolocation concepts
• DSP Fundamentals: Expertise in modulation/demodulation, FFT/spectral analysis, filtering (FIR/IIR), resampling, channelization, and detection/estimation theory
• SIGINT/RF Expertise: Experience with Software Defined Radios (SDR), RF front-ends, IQ data, geolocation techniques (DF/beamforming), and signal characterization

Preferred Qualifications

• Hardware Acceleration: Experience with CUDA/GPU programming for real-time performance optimization in SIGINT signal chains
• Agile/DevOps: Experience in Agile software development and containerization tools like Docker or Kubernetes for deploying SIGINT applications
• Analysis Tools: Familiarity with specialized tools like X-MIDAS, MATLAB/Simulink, and Linux-based toolchains
• Experience with the Atlassian tool suite (Jira, Confluence, Bitbucket)
• Practical experience or coursework in programming languages such as C++, Rust, or Python
• Experience with simulating and processing RF communications in GNU Radio
• Active TS with SCI clearance

Benefits

• Comprehensive health plan
• Savings plan (401k)
• Paid time off (PTO) and holidays
• Education assistance and training/development opportunities
• 9/80 work schedule (where available)

Pay

Primary level salary range: $212,100.00 - $318,100.00. The above salary range represents a general guideline; actual offers consider the scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's experience, education, skills, and current market conditions. Employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay. Annual bonuses reward individual contributions and allow employees to share in company results. Employees in Vice President or Director positions may be eligible for Long Term Incentives.