Principal Design Engineer
Confirmed on the employer's own hiring board on Oct 24, 2026. First seen by Alion on Oct 21, 2026. Northrop Grumman scores B on the Alion truth index.
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.This position will be located at on-site at our Rocket Center, WV location. No remote work is available for this position.
Rocket Center, WV is located along the North Branch Potomac River in Mineral County, West Virginia and is home to the Allegany Ballistics Laboratory (ABL), a government installation operated by Northrop Grumman. Known for its scenic mountain landscapes, rolling hills and state parks, the region offers a multitude of outdoor recreational opportunities to include hiking, mountain biking, skiing, fishing, hunting and whitewater rafting. Where can you get to from Rocket Center? We are just a couple hours from Washington, D.C., Baltimore, and Pittsburgh and not far from Philadelphia, Virginia and Ohio. If you enjoy a beautiful all-weather climate, low cost of living, zero gridlock traffic, outdoor activities, and easy access to major cities along the east coast - this area has a lot to offer!
Learn more about our site here:
https://www.northropgrumman.com/careers/northrop-grumman-in-rocket-center-west-virginia
The Principal Design Engineer designs components or portions of a functional system to develop or improve products and facilitate manufacturing operations. Develops basic data and makes preliminary layouts, sketches, and notes necessary to present design definition. Investigates pertinent design factors such as ease of manufacture, availability of materials and equipment, interchangeability, strength-weight efficiency, and contractual specification requirements and cost. Coordinates with other organizations affected by design development. Makes layouts of complex assemblies and details parts of devices, mechanisms, and structures. Checks completed layouts and drawings for clarity, completeness, conformity to standards, procedures, specifications, and accuracy of calculations and dimensioning. Identifies design errors, omissions, and other deficiencies, and recommends revisions and/or improvements in design layout to responsible engineers or designers.
Primary Functions:
This position is for a Sr. Principle Design Engineer with broad interests whose expertise can be applied to the development of cutting-edge military programs. Responsibilities include:
- Participate on Integrated Product Teams for complex development programs
- Develop electronic products from a paper design to actual hardware build
- Test and debug circuit cards and assemblies; fuzes and ISDs
- Develop and maintain product technical data package
- Identify and lead resolution of technical challenges
- Strong ability to organize/prioritize job assignments and tasks in a demanding environment
- Strong interpersonal skills to work effectively within a development team
Basic Qualifications for Principal 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 or 9+ years of directly related professional working experience in lieu of degree
- Experience in developing electronic subsystems from initial design through qualification
- Must be able to read drawings and schematic diagrams
- Knowledge of industry and military specifications
- Ability to obtain a DoD Secret Security Clearance
Preferred Qualifications:
- Associate Degree in the field of electronics
- 20+ years of work experience in electronic subsystems
- Good self-organization, and communication skills
- Experience with DoD architectures and Industry/Military Standards (e.g. MIL-STD-810, MIL-STD-331, MIL-STD-1901A, MIL-STD-1316)
- ACTIVE US Security Clearance at Secret level or higher
Primary Level Salary Range: $89,400.00 - $134,200.00The 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.