Sr. Staff Systems Integration & Test Engineer Lead – APG 81 / Airborne Radar

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.

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’ Baltimore and Partnered Sites (BaPs) division is seeking a Sr. Staff Systems Integration & Test (SI&T) Engineer Lead – APG‑81 / Airborne Radar in Baltimore, MD to support the Airborne Multifunction Sensors Business Unit.

 

This role is focused on leadership of complex airborne radar system hardware integration and test activities, with particular emphasis on APG‑81 radar sensor hardware and associated laboratories, test benches, and flight test campaigns. The successful candidate will be a recognized subject matter expert in radar system hardware integration and test, with deep experience leading multidisciplinary teams, executing lab and flight test programs, and troubleshooting radar hardware in both lab and field environments.

 

Candidates should have very strong knowledge of production and system hardware follow, mode integration, and system acceptance testing and a strong understanding of radar system hardware and test environments.

 

This position will work within a team environment consisting of engineering, program management, technical, production, and supporting staff. The ideal candidate will have strong teamworking skills and exhibit comprehensive verbal and written communication and presentation skills. This individual will be responsible for communication of accomplishments, status, and challenges to internal and external stakeholders. This position is based in Baltimore, MD, requires being onsite, and does not support remote or hybrid work.

 

Typical Responsibilities

• Lead system-level hardware integration and test for advanced airborne radar systems (with emphasis on APG‑81 and similar tactical fighter radar architectures) from integration through sell‑off and delivery.
• Perform production follow of radar systems and line-replaceable units (LRUs) through their life cycle to ensure timely sell‑off and delivery, including responsibility for System Acceptance Testing and resolution of hardware issues discovered during test.
• Own and manage system integration laboratories and system test benches, including APG‑81‑like System Integration Labs (SILs), radar system test benches, and associated range and support equipment.
• Be responsible for lab asset configuration and readiness, working across software, hardware, test, and operations teams to ensure availability of all required configurations and test assets.
• Lead or support mode integration shifts for radar and associated subsystems, providing on‑console technical leadership for integration, troubleshooting system anomalies, and coordinating with software, antenna, receiver/exciter, and EW stakeholders.
• Serve as technical lead and liaison to flight test organizations, including planning and execution of radar flight test activities, participation as flight test director when required, and onsite support during deployments.
• Be responsible for Configuration and Data Management (CM/DM) processes for Systems I&T products, including test procedures, test scripts, test reports, and lab configuration records.
• Develop and perform verification plans and reports that decompose system and program requirements into test requirements, and ensure traceability through execution.
• Lead the development and peer review of test documentation, including test plans, procedures, quick‑look tools, and automated test scripts (e.g., MATLAB‑based automated test environments).
• Develop and support Specialty, Lab, Ground, and Flight Test Programs for airborne radar systems, including definition of test facility requirements and coordination with internal and external test ranges.
• Serve as a liaison between union technicians and supported programs, providing technical direction, priorities, and mentorship to technicians and junior engineers on integration and test tasks.
• Frequently interact with suppliers and customer organizations, including travel to supplier and customer test sites to support lab issues, range operations, and field troubleshooting of radar hardware.
• Support management of program risk databases, contributing to the identification, characterization, and mitigation planning of technical, schedule, and integration risks associated with radar SI&T.
• Lead or support Root Cause and Corrective Action (RCCA) efforts for complex radar hardware and system issues, working across disciplines and organizations to identify root causes and implement robust corrective actions.
• Provide technical mentoring and knowledge sharing for radar hardware and SI&T processes, including development and delivery of internal radar hardware courses and contribution to internal knowledge bases and wikis.

The selected candidate will perform in a fast‑paced work environment with high expectations, significantly diverse assignments, and collaborative/team settings. The selected candidate is expected to be technically savvy, self‑motivated, highly organized, and detail‑oriented and possess effective verbal and written communication skills.

 

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a STEM discipline with 14 years of relevant experience; a Master’s degree in a STEM discipline with 12 years of relevant experience; or a PhD with 10 years of experience in a STEM discipline. An additional 4 years of experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• Significant system integration and test experience on complex airborne radar systems, including hardware system test, lab integration, and test procedure development.
• Demonstrated expertise with radar system hardware, including antennas, transmit/receive modules (TRMs), radar LRUs, and associated test equipment and range assets.
• Experience working in a multi‑disciplinary team environment, collaborating with software, antenna, receiver/exciter, EW, systems engineering, manufacturing, and test disciplines.
• Hands‑on experience with Engineering, Manufacturing, and Development (EMD) programs, including mode integration, system acceptance testing, and hardware sell‑off.
• Proven problem‑solving skills, including experience identifying root cause, innovating test or troubleshooting approaches, and implementing corrective actions on complex radar hardware issues.
• Demonstrated experience tracking milestones and executing tasks in accordance with approved program schedules, including coordination of integration and test activities across multiple stakeholders and sites.
• Experience generating technical documents, including test procedures, test reports, and technical presentations, and working with software/data processing tools such as MS Word, MS Excel, PowerPoint, and MATLAB or similar environments.
• Understanding of common Test Engineering methodologies and practices, including automated test environments, lab and flight test data analysis, and test configuration control.
• Strong collaboration and communication skills, with experience interfacing directly with customers, suppliers, and internal leadership.
• U.S. Citizenship required.
• Active U.S. Government Secret clearance and the ability to obtain and maintain Special Program Access (SAP) within a reasonable amount of time as determined by the company.
• Knowledge of radar systems, including airborne fire‑control radar architectures (e.g., APG‑81 or similar) and related mission systems.
• Understanding of Systems Engineering concepts, including requirements analysis, decomposition into test requirements, and verification planning and execution.
• Solid verbal and written communication skills to effectively communicate internally and externally.
• Ability to work onsite in Baltimore, MD.

 

Preferred Qualifications

• Deep, hands‑on experience with APG‑81 or similar advanced tactical fighter radar systems, including hardware system test, SIL operations, range operations, and flight test support.
• Extensive experience on APG‑81 System Integration Labs and System Test Benches, including test bench architecture, test equipment configuration, and range integration.
• Demonstrated expertise in flight test operations for radar systems, including system installation, on‑aircraft operations, serving as flight test director, and supporting multiple flight test deployments.
• Experience developing and using automated test environments and scripts, such as MATLAB‑based test and control software, for radar hardware/system verification and troubleshooting.
• Strong knowledge of Engineering, Manufacturing, and Development (EMD) and production system hardware follow and integration, including coordination with production lines and external manufacturing partners.
• Demonstrated leadership in troubleshooting complex radar hardware issues, including TRM anomalies, antenna interface issues, and systemic LRU or board‑level problems across suppliers and internal IPTs.
• At least 2 years’ experience supporting the development, integration, testing, or production of sensor systems (radar or related mission systems) within a major airborne platform program (such as the Joint Strike Fighter/F‑35).
• Demonstrated experience leading or coordinating activities across dispersed teams, including collaboration with personnel at multiple sites, supplier locations, or customer test ranges.
• Experience with EMI/EMC and environmental qualification testing of radar or mission system hardware.
• Experience serving as a technical liaison with prime contractors and end‑user customers, including participation in technical fact‑finding meetings and initiatives to reduce ReTest‑OK (RTOK) rates or other systemic failure modes.
• Prior military radar maintenance or operations experience (e.g., U.S. Air Force ground radar maintenance) and a strong radar hardware background.
• Experience developing and delivering technical training and mentoring for radar hardware and system integration concepts, and contributing to internal knowledge sharing systems (e.g., technical wikis, internal courses).

 

This position in contingent upon the ability to successfully transfer Secret Clearance and obtain a SAP clearance prior to start.

Primary Level Salary Range: $184,100.00 - $276,100.00

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.