Principal Digital Engineer or Sr. Principal Digital Engineer

Job Title

Principal Digital Engineer or Sr. Principal Digital Engineer

Role Summary

Join the Software and Digital Technologies (SWDT) organization to design, verify, and test FPGA and firmware-based digital systems used in defense applications. The role supports enterprise digital transformation using modern tooling and Agile practices and participates in system integration and on-site testing.

Experience Level

Senior - position may be filled at Principal (typically requires ~5 years relevant experience) or Sr. Principal (typically requires ~8 years relevant experience).

Responsibilities

Primary technical responsibilities include digital design, verification, and test activities; lead or participate in integration and lab testing.

• Design, verify, simulate and test FPGA-based digital designs.
• Develop and run test plans; validate functionality, performance and security requirements.
• Use modeling and simulation tools to accelerate development and firmware updates.
• Perform static timing analysis and manage design constraints (timing, power, I/O).
• Debug using oscilloscopes, signal generators/analyzers and FPGA debug tools; analyze test data.
• Create engineering change orders and perform basic analyses (power utilization, signal integrity).
• Support systems integration and lead on-site testing of digital designs.
• Follow coding standards, revision control and peer review practices.
• Collaborate with system engineers to understand system-level interdependencies affecting circuit requirements.

Requirements

Must-have qualifications and security/eligibility requirements; preferred items listed separately.

• U.S. citizenship required.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret clearance; Secret clearance required to start.
• Minimum 5 years experience with VHDL.
• Minimum 5 years experience with schematic and programmable-logic tooling (AMD/Xilinx, Vivado, Altera/Quartus, or equivalent).
• Minimum 5 years firmware development experience (specification, design, implementation, integration, debug, maintenance).
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and contribute to team objectives.
• Willingness to travel (~10% of the time) and perform on-site testing.
• Nice-to-have: timing-closure experience, real-time embedded firmware, domain experience in Radar/Electronic Warfare/Space, experience in DoD environments, and lab/testing experience.

Education Requirements

Required: Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related STEM field (Principal: Bachelor's + ~5 years experience; Sr. Principal: Bachelor's + ~8 years experience). Preferred: Master's degree in Computer or Electrical Engineering or related STEM. No certifications specified. No explicit "equivalent experience" language was given.

About the Company

Company: Northrop Grumman

Headquarters: Falls Church, Virginia, United States

Northrop Grumman is a leading global aerospace and defense technology company that provides innovative solutions in mission systems, electronics, and software. With a legacy of significant advancements in technology, we empower employees to tackle complex challenges and create revolutionary systems that enhance global security. Our diverse teams focus on engineering innovation and product development, delivering solutions that support military and civilian customers worldwide.