Senior Principal Digital Design Engineer

Job Title

Senior Principal Digital Design Engineer

Role Summary

Design and lead development of FPGA-based digital subsystems for airborne RF/IR systems, test stations, and transportable electronic combat test sets as part of the Special Tactical Electronic Warfare Systems (STEWS) team in Rolling Meadows, IL.

Accountable for translating system requirements into embedded digital designs, driving implementation and verification, and supporting production and field deployment.

Experience Level

Senior - typically 8+ years of digital electronics design experience with a Bachelor’s degree, or 6+ years with a Master’s degree; preferred candidates may have 9+ years with an advanced degree.

Responsibilities

Primary responsibilities include:

• Lead full lifecycle product development from concept and requirements through design, verification, production, and field support.
• Design digital subsystems and circuit cards using modern FPGAs (Xilinx, Intel/Altera) supporting high-speed interfaces, RF DSP, embedded processing, and data links.
• Develop HDL (VHDL/Verilog), perform synthesis, timing-closure, implementation, and image generation.
• Create testbenches, run simulation-based verification, and validate designs.
• Implement real-time DSP algorithms in FPGAs and apply high-speed digital design techniques (pipelining, CDC, synchronization, FSMs, FIFOs).
• Produce design documentation, use revision control, and support system integration and test.
• Mentor and lead engineering team members; communicate with stakeholders at all levels.

Requirements

Must-have qualifications:

• Extensive digital hardware circuit design experience, including simulation and schematic capture through integration and test.
• Proficiency in HDL (VHDL and/or Verilog) and testbench development.
• Strong understanding of synthesis flows, static timing closure, implementation, and image generation.
• Experience with FPGA toolchains such as Xilinx Vivado, Synopsys Synplify Pro, and Mentor Graphics QuestaSim.
• Experience implementing real-time DSP algorithms in FPGAs and applying high-speed digital design techniques.
• Familiarity with documentation practices and revision control systems.
• US Citizen with the ability to obtain and maintain a US government security clearance (Secret level eligibility required).
• Proven leadership, mentoring, and strong written/verbal communication skills.

Nice-to-have:

• Algorithm modeling using MATLAB to generate bit-exact test vectors.
• Experience with electronic warfare systems, aerospace, or defense industries.
• Current Secret security clearance.

Education Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a similar engineering discipline (minimum 8 years' relevant experience), or a Master’s degree in a technical field (minimum 6 years' relevant experience). An advanced degree in Electrical or Computer Engineering is preferred; preferred candidates may have 9+ years of digital electronics design experience. No separate equivalent-experience language was specified.

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.