Principal or Sr. Principal PCB Layout Design Engineer
Ngc· Defense· Oct 12, 2026 · 15d ago
Annapolis, MD
In office
Full-time
Principal
$123K–$185K
5+ years exp
Job description
RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available
CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: No
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.
Northrop Grumman Mission Systems is a trusted provider of mission-enabling solutions for global security. Our Engineering and Sciences (E&S) organization pushes the boundaries of innovation, redefines engineering capabilities, and drives advances in various sciences. Our team is chartered by providing the skills, innovative technologies to develop, design, produce and sustain optimized product lines across the sector while providing a decisive advantage to the warfighter. Come be a part of our mission!
Northrop Grumman Undersea Systems in Annapolis, MD is currently seeking an experienced Principal or Sr. Principal PCB Layout Design Engineer to join the Hardware Engineering Team.
In this role, the Principal or Sr. Principal PCB Layout Design Engineer will generate printed circuit board (PCB) stack-ups and layouts, draw and revise components, create bare printed wiring board (PWB) drawings, circuit card assembly (CCA) drawings, and establish references and standard data for PCB design artifacts. Utilizing computer-aided design (CAD) graphic tools such as Mentor Graphics Xpedition to complete details of critical layout data in accordance with standard engineering drafting practices, military specifications, as well as industry standards.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
Layout components and route electrical conductors for complex PCB’s and flex circuits
Interface with electrical and mechanical engineers to work through component placement, routing, mechanical fitment for rigid, flex, and rigid-flex assemblies
Design to electrical requirements, mechanical outlines, for producibility and manufacturability
Calculate layer stack-up based on industry standards, supplier capabilities, and engineering requirements
Generate drawings for the bare PWB and assembled CCA levels, as well as their corresponding part lists
Assist in component selection for PCB designs to reduce supply chain procurement risks.
Create and document the required electronic data file outputs for fabrication and manufacturing
Understand technical theories of electrical and mechanical behavior of PCBs to influence layout decisions (i.e. impedance matching, differential pairs, strains and stresses, orientation of components, etc.)
Maintain and update CAD central libraries for PCB mounted components
Address Technical Queries (TQs) with suppliers
Perform reviews of PCB related documentation in Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) Workflows
Generate and incorporate PCB engineering change notices.
Collaborate with others to refine the PCB engineering workflow.
This position can be filled at a Principal or Senior Principal level.
Basic Qualifications for Principal Layout Design Engineer:
Bachelor s degree in STEM field with 5 years of directly related professional working experience or Master s degree in STEM field with 3 years of directly related professional working experience. An additional 4 years of relevant experience could be considered in lieu of a degree.
Drafting and design experience of PCB layout and layer stack-up (analog, digital, RF, mixed signal topologies).
Knowledge of industry specifications and design for manufacturing (DFM) rules for PCB design, fabrication and manufacturing.
Knowledge of PCB design rules and techniques for PCBs with anywhere from 2-20 layers from initial prototype to production.
Excellent interpersonal skills. Be able to coordinate and lead PCB design reviews with engineering, chief engineers, and program management.
Ability to interface with various departments across a variety of programs.
US Citizen with ability to obtain a US government secret security clearance.
Basic Qualifications for Senior Principal Layout Design Engineer:
Bachelor s degree in STEM field with 8 years of directly related professional working experience or Master s degree in STEM field with 6 years of directly related professional working experience or PhD in STEM field with 4 years of directly related professional working experience. An additional 4 years of relevant experience could be considered in lieu of a degree.
Drafting and design experience of PCB layout and layer stack-up (analog, digital, RF, mixed signal topologies).
Knowledge of industry specifications and design for manufacturing (DFM) rules for PCB design, fabrication and manufacturing.
Knowledge of PCB design rules and techniques for PCBs with anywhere from 2-20 layers from initial prototype to production.
Excellent interpersonal skills. Be able to coordinate and lead PCB design reviews with engineering, chief engineers, and program management.
Ability to interface with various departments across a variety of programs.
US Citizen with ability to obtain a US government secret security clearance.
Preferred Qualifications:
Advanced degree in STEM field
Active US Government Secret security clearance
Knowledge of Mentor Graphics Xpedition CAD tool for PCB design.
Experience with MIL-STD compliant designs that meet reliability and maintainability requirements.
Experience with electronic packaging / mechanical design for naval & oceanic applications
NGFeaturedJobs
#NOSBlitz
Primary Level Salary Range: $98,900.00 - $148,300.00
Secondary Level Salary Range: $123,400.00 - $185,000.00
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.
Application prep
Use the role’s language and application details while tailoring your materials.
- Platform
- workday
- Effort
- long
Benefits
Benefits detected in the listing.
Health Insurance
Pto
Paid Time Off