Sr. Principal Engineer RF Microwave Design
Northrop Grumman· Defense· Oct 15, 2026 · 13d ago
United States-Maryland-Baltimore
In office
Full-time
Principal
$133K–$210K est.
8+ years exp
Job description
RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available
CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes
CLEARANCE TYPE: Secret
TRAVEL: Yes, 10% 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.
We are looking for you to join our team as an RF Engineer based out of Linthicum, MD, in a role that will be 100% on-site.
What You’ll Get to Do:
Be an integral part of our AESA Subsystem & Product Leadership department, Installed Performance section! The teams within this section specialize in computational electromagnetics (CEM), RF antenna modeling in an installed environment, subsystem design and analysis, specialized mechanical design and analysis, as well as material evaluation. Our engineering work supports full life-cycle programs including system design, system integration, hardware design, hardware integration and hands-on build and test. As part of the team, you will be involved with:
• A diverse and talented team of engineers developing innovative and cost-effective systems that support a broad range of products and business areas across the lifecycle of a program.
• Installed Performance design, prototyping, testing, and production support of state-of-the-art systems requiring specialty knowledge and skills related to the use of electrical modeling, subsystem analysis, CEM development, materials, antenna range and test equipment measurements, and manufacturing processes.
• Collaboration within a cross-functional Integrated Product Team (IPT); effective and timely communication with peers in adjacent functions, including electromechanical design, systems engineering, thermal analysis, structural analysis, materials engineering, drafting, supply chain management, production engineering, and manufacturing.
• Organizing and prioritizing tasks to accomplish project milestones within schedule and budgetary constraints.
• Supplier engagement and facilitation of supplier development and risk reduction activities.
• Providing technical leadership and mentoring to less experienced personnel.
This position is contingent upon the successful transfer of an active government Secret Clearance and the ability to obtain Special Program Access (SAP) prior to start.
Basic Qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree with 8 years of experience or a master's degree with 0 years of experience in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or related technical fields; or a Master’s degree and 6 years’ experience. An additional 4 years of experience may be considered in lieu of a degree. Other requirements include:
• U.S Citizenship
• A current/active DoD Secret Clearance with the ability to obtain Special Program Access (SAP) prior to start
• Experience in RF subsystems
• Familiarity with HFSS, CST Microwave Studio, GRASP, FEKO, SENTRi, or other computational electromagnetics software tools
• Knowledge of software programing languages (such as MATLAB, Python, FORTRAN, etc.)
Preferred Qualifications:
• Advanced degrees in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or related technical fields.
• Active DoD Top Secret Clearance or higher with Special Program Access
• Experience with platform integration
• Experience with sensor impact on mission modeling for “blue line” flights
• Experience with interactions between sensor and platform
• Experience with integration of platform materials into AESA design
• Experience with active and passive antenna test
• Experience with indoor and outdoor range experience
• Experience with electrical design with a focus on RF performance
• RF lab equipment familiarity such as network analyzers, spectrum analyzers, signal generators, power meters, etc.
• RF subsystem design and analysis
• Complex data reduction and analysis
Primary Level Salary Range: $135,800.00 - $203,600.00
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 northropgrumman.com. U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.
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Benefits
Benefits detected in the listing.
Health Insurance
Pto
Paid Time Off