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

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

About the role

Description

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