Job description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: No CLEARANCE TYPE: None 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 Space Systems has an opening for an Engineer Electrical Level 2 or 3 to join our Avionics Hardware Engineering organization in Dulles, VA. This is a hands-on electrical engineering position supporting the development, test, verification, and troubleshooting of spacecraft avionics hardware, including flight hardware, Engineering Development Units (EDUs), Circuit Card Assemblies (CCAs), and electronic assemblies. The selected engineer will be embedded within the Avionics Hardware Engineering organization and will work closely with experienced analog/power and digital hardware design engineers, manufacturing personnel, quality engineering, and Electrical Ground Support Equipment (EGSE) engineers. This position is designed for engineers who want to develop strong electrical hardware fundamentals through hands-on exposure to real spacecraft hardware. Successful engineers in this role will learn the detailed operation of avionics designs, develop strong troubleshooting and failure-isolation skills, and gain increasing technical responsibility as their experience grows. The role provides significant exposure to hardware design and a strong foundation for future opportunities within hardware design engineering based on demonstrated technical capability, performance, interests, and business needs. What You’ll Get to Do The Avionics Hardware Test & Development Engineer will support spacecraft electronic hardware throughout development, manufacturing, integration, and acceptance testing. Responsibilities include: • Develop a working technical understanding of the hardware being tested by reviewing electrical schematics, requirements, interface documentation, component data sheets, design documentation, and test requirements. • Support hands-on testing and troubleshooting of flight and non-flight avionics hardware, including CCAs, electronic boxes, Engineering Development Units, and related hardware. • Serve as a first-line engineering resource for hardware test anomalies on the manufacturing floor and in engineering laboratories. • Troubleshoot test failures using engineering fundamentals and available test data to isolate potential causes associated with the Unit Under Test (UUT), EGSE/ATE/CTE, instrumentation, cabling, test configuration, or test procedure. • Perform initial failure isolation before engaging the cognizant hardware or EGSE design engineer and clearly communicate collected data, observations, suspected failure mechanisms, and recommended next steps. • Use electrical schematics and knowledge of circuit operation to understand expected signals, voltages, currents, timing, interfaces, and circuit behavior during troubleshooting. • Operate standard electrical laboratory equipment such as oscilloscopes, digital multimeters, bench power supplies, electronic loads, waveform/function generators, logic analyzers, and other instrumentation as appropriate. • Develop, review, and maintain hardware verification documentation, including Component Test Plans, Functional Test Procedures, Acceptance Test Procedures, Qualification Test Procedures, and other engineering test documentation. • Translate hardware requirements and design intent into effective test methods, test limits, configurations, and pass/fail criteria. • Work closely with Hardware Design Engineering and EGSE Engineering to ensure test equipment and test approaches adequately verify the intended functionality of the hardware. • Participate in test readiness reviews, hardware troubleshooting activities, Failure Review Boards (FRBs), root-cause investigations, and corrective-action activities. • Analyze test results and test trends to identify abnormal hardware behavior, recurring failures, marginal performance, or opportunities to improve test effectiveness. • Provide feedback to design engineers regarding hardware testability, recurring manufacturing/test issues, and opportunities to improve future hardware designs. • Support manufacturing and program test schedules and communicate hardware status, technical issues, risks, and recommended actions to engineering and program stakeholders. • Develop increasing technical depth in analog/power and/or digital hardware through hands-on troubleshooting, mentorship from experienced design engineers, and exposure to multiple avionics designs. Work Schedule and Test Support Expectations: This position normally operates on Northrop Grumman’s 9/80 work schedule. Spacecraft hardware testing and delivery milestones occasionally require engineering support outside the normal work schedule. Candidates must be willing and able to support occasional evening or off-shift testing, extended hours, weekends, and scheduled off-Fridays when required to support critical test and program milestones. Off-shift and weekend support is based on program and test needs and is not intended to represent a permanent night or weekend shift. This requisition can be filled at either a Level 2 or Level 3. Basic Qualifications - Level 2: • Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering with 2 years of relevant experience; OR a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related STEM discipline with 0 years of relevant experience. • Strong understanding of fundamental electrical engineering principles. • Ability to read, interpret, and understand electrical schematics and determine the intended function of electrical circuits. • Understanding of analog, power, and/or digital electronic circuits and components. • Demonstrated analytical and problem-solving skills. • Hands-on experience using common electrical laboratory equipment such as oscilloscopes, digital multimeters, power supplies, waveform generators, electronic loads, logic analyzers, or similar equipment. • Ability to systematically troubleshoot electrical hardware using schematics, measurements, engineering analysis, and test data. • Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to clearly document technical observations and communicate troubleshooting results. • Ability to work effectively with hardware design engineers, EGSE engineers, manufacturing personnel, technicians, quality engineers, and other cross-functional team members. • Willingness and ability to provide occasional evening, off-shift, weekend, extended-hour, and scheduled off-Friday support based on test and program needs. Basic Qualifications – Level 3: • Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering with 5 years of relevant experience; OR a Master’s degree with 3 years of relevant experience; OR a PhD with applicable experience consistent with company qualification requirements. • Strong understanding of fundamental electrical engineering principles. • Ability to read, interpret, and understand electrical schematics and determine the intended function of electrical circuits. • Understanding of analog, power, and/or digital electronic circuits and components. • Demonstrated analytical and problem-solving skills. • Hands-on experience using common electrical laboratory equipment such as oscilloscopes, digital multimeters, power supplies, waveform generators, electronic loads, logic analyzers, or similar equipment. • Ability to systematically troubleshoot electrical hardware using schematics, measurements, engineering analysis, and test data. • Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to clearly document technical observations and communicate troubleshooting results. • Ability to work effectively with hardware design engineers, EGSE engineers, manufacturing personnel, technicians, quality engineers, and other cross-functional team members. • Willingness and ability to provide occasional evening, off-shift, weekend, extended-hour, and scheduled off-Friday support based on test and program needs. Preferred Qualifications • Experience or demonstrated technical knowledge in one or more of the following areas is preferred • Analog circuit design and troubleshooting. • • Power regulation, DC/DC conversion, power distribution, switching, protection circuitry, and power electronics. • • Analog signal conditioning, operational amplifiers, ADC/DAC circuits, sensors, and measurement circuitry. • • Digital circuit design and troubleshooting, including processors, FPGAs, memory devices, clocks, digital interfaces, and associated support circuitry. • • Electrical communication interfaces such as Ethernet, SpaceWire, LVDS, RS-422/485, UART, CAN, MIL-STD-1553, or similar interfaces. • • Component-level hardware troubleshooting and root-cause analysis. • • Spacecraft, aerospace, defense, or other high-reliability electronic hardware. • • Environmental, acceptance, qualification, or EMI/EMC testing. • • Development or execution of electrical hardware test plans and test procedures. • Experience supporting manufacturing or production-floor hardware troubleshooting. • Familiarity with Automated Test Equipment (ATE), Component Test Equipment (CTE), or Electrical Ground Support Equipment (EGSE). • Familiarity with LabVIEW, TestStand, or other automated test environments is beneficial but software development experience is not required for this position. • Experience participating in Failure Review Boards, root-cause investigations, or corrective-action activities. • Strong technical curiosity and a demonstrated desire to understand how electrical hardware operates rather than simply execute established test steps. • Ability to learn unfamiliar circuit designs quickly and work independently with appropriate technical mentorship. Curious about all the exciting developments with the Northrop Grumman Space Sector? Click the link below: northropgrumman.com Working at Northrop Grumman is more than just a paycheck. We offer a comprehensive Total Rewards and benefits package designed to help you thrive at work and in life. For more information on our Total Rewards package, please visit our Total Rewards site. Northrop Grumman Total Rewards #SpaceEngJobs #NoVASpace Primary Level Salary Range: $91,800.00 - $137,600.00 Secondary Level Salary Range: $114,000.00 - $171,000.00 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.

Requirements

Must-haves

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available
CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: No
CLEARANCE TYPE: None
TRAVEL: Yes, 10% of the Time Description
Northrop Grumman Space Systems has an opening for an Engineer Electrical Level 2 or 3 to join our Avionics Hardware Engineering organization in Dulles, VA.
What You’ll Get to Do
The Avionics Hardware Test & Development Engineer will support spacecraft electronic hardware throughout development, manufacturing, integration, and acceptance testing.
Develop a working technical understanding of the hardware being tested by reviewing electrical schematics, requirements, interface documentation, component data sheets, design documentation, and test requirements.
Support hands-on testing and troubleshooting of flight and non-flight avionics hardware, including CCAs, electronic boxes, Engineering Development Units, and related hardware.
Serve as a first-line engineering resource for hardware test anomalies on the manufacturing floor and in engineering laboratories.
Perform initial failure isolation before engaging the cognizant hardware or EGSE design engineer and clearly communicate collected data, observations, suspected failure mechanisms, and recommended next steps.
Use electrical schematics and knowledge of circuit operation to understand expected signals, voltages, currents, timing, interfaces, and circuit behavior during troubleshooting.

Nice-to-haves

Experience or demonstrated technical knowledge in one or more of the following areas is preferred • Analog circuit design and troubleshooting.
Power regulation, DC/DC conversion, power distribution, switching, protection circuitry, and power electronics.
Analog signal conditioning, operational amplifiers, ADC/DAC circuits, sensors, and measurement circuitry.
Digital circuit design and troubleshooting, including processors, FPGAs, memory devices, clocks, digital interfaces, and associated support circuitry.
Electrical communication interfaces such as Ethernet, SpaceWire, LVDS, RS-422/485, UART, CAN, MIL-STD-1553, or similar interfaces.
Component-level hardware troubleshooting and root-cause analysis.
Spacecraft, aerospace, defense, or other high-reliability electronic hardware.
Environmental, acceptance, qualification, or EMI/EMC testing.
Development or execution of electrical hardware test plans and test procedures.
Experience supporting manufacturing or production-floor hardware troubleshooting.
Familiarity with Automated Test Equipment (ATE), Component Test Equipment (CTE), or Electrical Ground Support Equipment (EGSE).
Experience participating in Failure Review Boards, root-cause investigations, or corrective-action activities.

Application prep

Use the role’s language and application details while tailoring your materials.

Platform: eightfold
Effort: medium

Benefits

Benefits detected in the listing.

Health Insurance

Pto

Paid Time Off