Staff Systems Test Engineer

Company: Northrop Grumman
Location: San Diego
Posted on: April 1, 2026

Job Description:

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes CLEARANCE TYPE: Top Secret TRAVEL: Yes, 25% of the Time 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 Staff Systems Test Engineer - System Software/Hardware Integration & Test to join our team in San Diego, CA. Note: This is an individual contributor role with no direct reports. Due to the classified nature of the work being performed, this position does not offer any virtual or telecommute working options. In this role you will lead test efforts including capability?test planning, developing comprehensive test plans, and driving the creation and execution of test cases that validate critical subsystems. The ideal candidate is a proactive self?starter with extensive experience in system?level testing, software and laboratory architecture, and agile methodologies , who thrives in an Integrated Product Team (IPT) environment. Key Responsibilities may include, but are not limited to: Develop and maintain the System Test Management Plan. Collaborate with multidisciplinary engineering teams to develop architecture diagrams and products within a Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) environment. Work closely with software, systems, and lab architecture teams to ensure successful integration of new hardware and software in a lab test environment. Translate program requirements into lab-specific configurations and ensure alignment with program objectives. Provide technical expertise throughout the program lifecycle, supporting design, integration, and advanced stages of testing. Interface with external customer technical representatives, internal engineering associates, and program management. Support requirements flow down, management, and verification; generate complex specifications, interface control documents, and engineering reports. Contribute to special engineering investigations and advanced studies as needed. Core competencies for success: Strong communication, collaboration, and leadership skills. Proven analytical thinking, problem ? solving, and ability to work across multiple engineering disciplines. Comfortable in a dynamic aerospace environment. We offer flexible work arrangements, including a 9/80 schedule with every other Friday off, phenomenal learning opportunities, exposure to a wide variety of projects and customers, and a collaborative, team?oriented environment. Travel is expected to be up to 25 % , predominantly domestic. Basic Qualifications Must have a Bachelor’s Degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math) discipline and 12 years of related professional/military experience in systems-engineering and/or integration; OR a Master’s Degree in a STEM discipline and 10 years of related professional/military experience in systems-engineering and/or integration; OR a Ph.D. in a STEM discipline and 8 years of related professional/military experience in systems-engineering and/or integration. Must have an active DoD Top Secret SCI clearance (with a background investigation completed within the last 6 years or currently enrolled into Continuous Evaluation) Must have the ability to obtain and maintain Special Access Program (SAP) clearance, prior to the commencement of employment, within a reasonable amount of time as determined by the company to meet its business needs Demonstrated ability to lead design efforts, design test & evaluation, and/or transition designs into production. Experience supporting flight hardware and/or software lifecycle activities (e.g., system integration, requirements development, verification and validation, etc.) Preferred Qualifications Professional e xperience in software and network development. Experience with ground-based command and control systems. Familiarity with Systems Engineering Management Plans. Ability to allocate requirements among multiple elements of an integrated aerospace system. Current Special Access Program (SAP) clearance. Knowledge of native cloud computing and cloud-based environments. Experience with software architecture development and testing, modern cloud-based/open architectures, and Agile software development. Cyber architecture and Platform One experience. Familiarity with DoDAF, Open Mission Standards, and MBSE tools. Experience with object-oriented programming, design patterns, JMS, Web Services, XML, and related technologies. Experience developing enterprise solutions for SOA environments. Excellent communication, collaboration, and leadership skills. Experience with interface control documents, technical analysis tools (e.g., MATLAB, STK), and mission operations for aerospace systems. Primary Level Salary Range: $177,000.00 - $265,600.00 The above salary range represents a general guideline; however, 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. In addition, Northrop Grumman provides a variety of benefits including health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, savings plan, Company paid holidays and paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business. The application period for the job is estimated to be 20 days from the job posting date. However, this timeline may be shortened or extended depending on business needs and the availability of qualified candidates. Northrop Grumman is an Equal Opportunity 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 and pay transparency statement, please visit http://www.northropgrumman.com/EEO. U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.

Keywords: Northrop Grumman, Carson , Staff Systems Test Engineer, Engineering , San Diego, California