Systems Engineer - Air to Ground

Relocation assistance may be available. A Secret clearance is required to start. Travel is required, approximately 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, and have fun along the way. Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity, and bringing your whole self to work.

Northrop Grumman Mission Systems has an opening for a Systems Engineer (Air-to-Ground) to join our organization in Linthicum, MD. This position is 100% on-site and supports the Systems Engineering Integration and Test (SEIT) team on multiple major development programs.

Responsibilities

• Assist with requirements analysis, allocation, and documentation for radar system and subsystem functions (e.g., SAR, ISAR, GMTI/T, Targeting, Weather, Surface Return, Sea Surface Search, Ship Track, etc.).
• Help develop and maintain system/subsystem specifications and interface control documents (ICDs).
• Support technical reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR) through preparation of analysis, figures, and documentation.
• Use tools such as MATLAB or Python to perform basic radar performance analyses (e.g., range, resolution, SNR).
• Support development and evaluation of radar concepts and algorithms under guidance from senior engineers.
• Assist in planning and executing lab and field tests of radar systems and subsystems.
• Support test data collection, reduction, and basic analysis to verify performance against requirements.
• Work closely with RF, hardware, software, and other systems engineers to ensure consistent implementation of requirements.

This position is contingent upon the successful transfer of an active U.S. Government Secret Clearance and the ability to obtain Special Program Access.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree with 2 years of experience, or Master's degree with 0 years of experience in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, or related technical fields. An additional 4 years of experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• U.S. Citizenship is required.
• A current/active U.S. Government Secret Clearance.
• Ability to obtain Special Program Access (SAP).
• Experience in Radar Air-to-Ground applications, including developing and applying models in MATLAB, Python, and/or C/C++.
• Project experience with radar, RF systems, or advanced sensors (coursework, capstone projects, internships).
• Understanding of radar fundamentals (waveforms, Doppler, range, resolution).
• Experience with MATLAB, Python, or similar tools for analysis and simulation.
• Strong analytical, communication, and teamwork skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in a relevant STEM discipline.
• Exposure to systems engineering tools or model-based systems engineering (MBSE).
• Understanding of RF hardware concepts (antennas, T/R modules, beamforming).

Benefits

Northrop Grumman provides a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Health Plan
• Savings Plan
• Paid Time Off
• Education Assistance
• Training and Development
• 9/80 Work Schedule (where available)

Pay

Primary level salary range: $87,600.00 - $131,400.00. The above salary range represents a general guideline; Northrop Grumman considers a number of factors when determining base salary offers, such as the scope and responsibilities of the position and the candidate's experience, education, skills, and current market conditions. Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay. Annual bonuses are designed to reward individual contributions as well as allow employees to share in company results. Employees in Vice President or Director positions may be eligible for Long Term Incentives.