Principal / Sr. Principal Research & Development Engineer – Advanced Sensors & Precision Instrumentation

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available
CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes
CLEARANCE TYPE: Secret
TRAVEL: Yes, 10% of the Time

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.

That same spirit of innovation continues within Northrop Grumman's Mission Systems sector, where we develop mission-enabling technologies for global security. Our Engineering and Sciences (E&S) organization brings together multidisciplinary technical expertise to research, develop, design, integrate, and sustain advanced systems and technologies. From our Woodland Hills campus in the greater Los Angeles area, our engineering teams support programs across Navigation and Cockpit Systems (NACS) and Emerging Capabilities Development (ECD), spanning established products and next-generation research and development. Together, we advance precision sensing, positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) capabilities that strengthen mission effectiveness and provide a decisive advantage to the warfighter.

We are seeking a Principal / Sr. Principal Research & Development Engineer to join our engineering team. In this role, you will research, design, model, develop, and characterize physical sensing elements, sensor architectures, and precision instrumentation for assured and resilient PNT applications, including navigation in GPS-denied or contested environments. The work spans inertial sensors, including gyroscopes and accelerometers, as well as inertial measurement units (IMUs), inertial navigation systems (INS), and emerging sensing and precision timing capabilities.

Advancing these technologies demands a strong understanding of physical sensing principles, computational modeling, hands-on investigation, and experimental validation. You'll collaborate with multidisciplinary engineering and research teams to investigate sensor behavior, interpret challenging experimental data, validate physical models, and mature innovative concepts into functional instrumentation. The role offers opportunities to own sensor-development problems through verified resolution, contribute to advanced research, and grow into technical leadership or Principal Investigator (PI) responsibilities.

What You’ll Do

• Research, develop, model, and characterize advanced sensing technologies and precision instrumentation, with particular emphasis on inertial sensors, MEMS devices, and electromechanical measurement systems.
• Design and evaluate physical sensing elements and sensor architectures using physics-based models and experimental results to guide device geometry, sensing mechanisms, and performance optimization.
• Apply principles of experimental physics, resonant and nonlinear dynamics, electromechanical transduction, mathematical modeling, and feedback control to understand and optimize sensor behavior.
• Develop physics-based and computational models, establish quantitative predictions, and validate model fidelity through measured performance, laboratory testing, and experimental characterization.
• Translate system-level performance objectives and sensing principles into sensor requirements, predictive models, error budgets, design margins, and sensor-level technical trade studies to guide architecture and integration decisions.
• Plan, perform, or directly support experimental investigations, sensor characterization, prototype demonstrations, and analytical studies; connect physical hardware behavior to predictive models.
• Perform time-domain and frequency-domain sensor noise characterization, including stochastic error analysis, stability measurements, Allan deviation, and power spectral density (PSD) analysis.
• Analyze incomplete, noisy, or inconsistent test data; investigate unexpected sensor behavior; develop and test physical hypotheses; and drive investigations to evidence-based conclusions, implementing and verifying corrective actions when warranted.
• Develop and evaluate sensor calibration methods, error models, compensation techniques, feedback-control approaches, and performance optimization strategies.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary engineering teams on the design, integration, and testing of sensor assemblies, precision electronics, embedded control systems, and integrated measurement instruments.
• Apply MATLAB, Simulink, Python, or equivalent tools for computational modeling, numerical analysis, experimental data reduction, and technical investigations.
• Contribute to technology maturation, technical proposals, research planning, and advanced research and development efforts; communicate findings and recommendations to engineering teams, leadership, and customers.
• Document models, assumptions, experimental methods, lessons learned, and technical decisions; exchange expertise through peer mentoring and knowledge transfer to develop independent sensor capability.
• (Sr. Principal) Lead multidisciplinary sensor research while remaining engaged with experimental evidence and hardware development; set technical approaches, mentor developing investigators, and potentially serve as Technical Lead, Deputy Principal Investigator, or Principal Investigator (PI).

This position requires full-time on-site work at our Woodland Hills, CA facility and follows a 9/80 work schedule, with every other Friday off.

This position may be filled at either the Principal or Sr. Principal level based on the qualifications listed below.

Basic Qualifications for Principal R&D Engineer

• Bachelor's degree in Physics, Applied Physics, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related STEM discipline with 5 or more years of relevant experience; Master's degree with 3 or more years; or PhD with 1 or more years.
• Experience in experimental physics, precision instrumentation, sensor development, electromechanical systems, or related scientific and engineering research disciplines.
• Demonstrated experience applying physical principles, mathematical modeling, computational analysis, or control theory to investigate complex physical systems or engineering problems.
• Experience developing analytical or simulation models, interpreting experimental measurements, and evaluating discrepancies between predicted and observed performance.
• Demonstrated direct hands-on experience with experimental hardware or sensor prototypes through laboratory integration, characterization, testing, or troubleshooting to validate technical conclusions.
• Experience applying statistical analysis, noise characterization, or quantitative data-analysis techniques to evaluate the behavior and performance of physical systems.
• Proficiency with MATLAB, Simulink, Python, or equivalent computational modeling and engineering analysis tools.
• Demonstrated analytical problem-solving skills and ability to communicate technical findings and engineering recommendations.
• U.S. citizenship and ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government Secret security clearance.

Basic Qualifications for Sr. Principal R&D Engineer

• Bachelor's degree in Physics, Applied Physics, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related STEM discipline with 8 or more years of relevant experience; Master's degree with 6 or more years; or PhD with 4 or more years.
• Experience in experimental physics, precision instrumentation, sensor development, electromechanical systems, or related scientific and engineering research disciplines.
• Demonstrated experience applying physical principles, mathematical modeling, computational analysis, or control theory to investigate complex physical systems or engineering problems.
• Experience developing analytical or simulation models, interpreting experimental measurements, and evaluating discrepancies between predicted and observed performance.
• Demonstrated direct hands-on experience with experimental hardware or sensor prototypes through laboratory integration, characterization, testing, or troubleshooting to validate technical conclusions.
• Experience applying statistical analysis, noise characterization, or quantitative data-analysis techniques to evaluate the behavior and performance of physical systems.
• Proficiency with MATLAB, Simulink, Python, or equivalent computational modeling and engineering analysis tools.
• Demonstrated analytical problem-solving skills and ability to communicate technical findings and engineering recommendations.
• U.S. citizenship and ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government Secret security clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced experience modeling, characterizing, integrating, or optimizing precision sensing technologies, including resonant gyroscopes such as hemispherical resonator gyroscopes (HRG/mHRG), silicon MEMS gyroscopes such as quadruple-mass gyroscopes (QMG), silicon MEMS accelerometers, optical instrumentation, and resonant or vibrating-beam accelerometers.
• Expertise in sensor physics, nonlinear and electromechanical dynamics, precision instrumentation, mathematical modeling, feedback control, and performance optimization of complex physical systems.
• Experience with COMSOL Multiphysics or equivalent multiphysics tools, sensor-to-system performance modeling, and integration of sensing devices with control electronics or embedded algorithms.
• Advanced expertise in stochastic sensor error modeling and time-domain/frequency-domain noise characterization, including Allan deviation, PSD analysis, white and flicker noise processes, and translation of noise characteristics into performance models and design improvements.
• Expertise in developing predictive performance models, sensor-level requirements, error budgets, calibration methods, experimental approaches, and technically justified solutions to complex instrument-performance challenges.
• Experience applying data-driven modeling, advanced parameter estimation, or machine-learning techniques to sensor characterization, calibration, compensation, or performance optimization.
• Experience developing experimental test methods and selecting appropriate measurements and test conditions to characterize sensor behavior, investigate performance limitations, and validate physical models.
• Familiarity with LabVIEW or equivalent laboratory automation and data-acquisition tools.
• Demonstrated experience developing innovative sensing concepts, novel scientific approaches, or advanced instrumentation methods to address challenging physical-system performance limitations.
• Experience advancing experimental sensing concepts toward repeatable, validated, and environmentally robust instrumentation through prototype development and performance verification.
• Experience serving as a Principal Investigator, Deputy Principal Investigator, or Technical Lead on research and development programs, including technical planning, multidisciplinary leadership, proposal development, and customer engagement.
• Familiarity with emerging sensing technologies, including advanced MEMS, photonic, quantum, or atomic sensing systems.

Primary Level Salary Range: $114,000.00 - $171,000.00
Secondary Level Salary Range: $142,200.00 - $213,400.00
The 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.