Systems Engineer - Level 4 at Northrop Grumman
Huntsville, AL
$135,800–$203,600from the description
Jul 2, 2026
Huntsville, AL
Jul 21, 2026
What this job asks for AI summary
A senior systems engineering role supporting an RF data terminal product within a missile defense program. Day-to-day work centers on troubleshooting hardware, software, and RF communications systems; analyzing system logs to resolve field-reported issues; supporting RF path alignment and testing with lab equipment; and working from hardware assembly and cabling drawings. Suits an experienced engineer with a strong RF communications hardware background, including hardware-to-software interfaces and fault analysis.
Senior level · 8+ years · Remote · Bachelor's required · Secret clearance · Full-time
Advertised as Principal, but the requirements read as Senior.
We read this from the posting text with AI. Skim the description below before ruling yourself out.
Why we read it this way (10)
The job description explicitly states 'This is not a telework / remote position.' The caller has overridden this and directed that remote=true be set and no metro be inferred; this extraction follows that instruction, but note the conflict with the posting itself.
This role is titled 'Sr Principal Systems Engineer' — a defense/RF hardware systems engineering position. No SOC code maps cleanly: 15-1299 (Computer Occupations, All Other) is used as the closest available code; 15-1211 (Computer Systems Analysts) is the runner-up. The role's primary work is RF/hardware systems engineering, which sits outside the standard software/IT SOC taxonomy.
The degree requirement is a Bachelor's in Science with 8 years of experience, or a Master's with 6 years, or a PhD with 4 years. The minimum hard gate is a Bachelor's degree.
The clearance requirement is explicitly stated: candidates must be able to obtain and maintain a DoD Secret clearance, and an interim Secret clearance is required to start.
Several required skills (e.g., 'system log file analysis', 'hardware assembly drawings', 'rack interconnect cabling drawings') describe domain knowledge and practices rather than named commercial tools; they are included because the JD explicitly gates on them in the Basic Qualifications section.
All preferred qualifications (MIL-STD-810, AESA, MIL-STD-461/464, MIL-STD-188-125-1/2, MIL-HDBK-344) are listed under the 'Preferred Qualifications' heading and are treated accordingly.
The advertised title is 'Sr Principal Systems Engineer,' which maps to Principal on the seniority ladder. However, the actual scope and experience requirements (8 years with a BS) are consistent with a Senior-level role; the 'Principal' label appears to be Northrop Grumman's internal grade rather than an org-wide technical authority designation.
Ignored 5 non-technology phrase(s) as skills (responsibilities/concepts, not named tools): hardware fault analysis, system log file analysis, rack interconnect cabling drawings, MIL-STD-188-125-1, MIL-STD-188-125-2.
Requires a Secret clearance — the cleared population is a small fraction of this occupation, so the real candidate pool is materially smaller than the estimate below, which does not model clearance.
Caller marked this a fully-remote role — scored against the national candidate pool.
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