Principal Engineer Electrical

Job Title

Principal Engineer Electrical

Role Summary

Principal-level FPGA/ASIC engineer supporting Command and Data Handling (C&DH) products in Northrop Grumman Space Systems. Responsible for architecture, RTL design, verification, synthesis, timing closure and lab-level validation for space applications.

This role works on FPGA/ASIC implementations for space environments, collaborating with systems and test teams to deliver verified, flight-ready hardware designs.

Experience Level

Senior (Principal). See the Education Requirements section for the employer's degree-and-experience guidance.

Responsibilities

Primary engineering tasks and team interactions for FPGA/ASIC development.

• Develop HDL (RTL) designs for FPGA and/or ASIC implementations.
• Create and maintain simulation test benches; perform functional verification via simulation and lab emulation.
• Perform synthesis, static timing analysis, place & route, and power analysis; resolve timing closure issues.
• Design and validate FPGA implementations for space environments and mission requirements.
• Support verification & validation (V&V) activities, including hardware bring-up and lab testing.
• Debug designs down to hardware using signal generators, logic analyzers, oscilloscopes and embedded FPGA debug tools.
• Collaborate with system engineers, test engineers, and manufacturing teams to integrate and qualify designs.
• Travel as required for lab work, testing, or program support (approximately 10% of the time).

Requirements

Must-have technical skills and industry experience; preferred items listed separately.

• Experience in RTL design for aerospace or space applications.
• Proficiency with FPGA design flow: RTL/gate-level simulation, synthesis, place & route, static timing analysis, and power analysis.
• Hands-on experience with FPGA verification via simulation and lab emulation; familiarity with V&V processes.
• Practical experience achieving timing closure on FPGA designs and generating test benches for functional simulation.
• Ability to debug hardware-level issues and interface with lab test equipment.

Preferred:

• Experience with EDA tools such as Xilinx Vivado/ISE, Mentor Graphics ModelSim/QuestaSim, Synplify.
• Implementation of digital signal or image processing algorithms on FPGAs.
• Experience developing test benches using SystemVerilog and Universal Verification Methodology (UVM).
• Top Secret clearance (preferred).

Education Requirements

Degree-and-experience combinations required: Bachelor's degree in a STEM discipline plus 5 years of relevant experience; or Master's degree plus 3 years of relevant experience; or PhD plus 1 year of relevant experience. Preferred: advanced degree in Electrical or Computer Engineering. (Degree and years are employer-stated requirements.)

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.