Northrop Grumman Space Systems is looking for a Senior Principal \ Staff Optical Engineer to support the Launch Vehicles organization in Chandler, Arizona. The Sr. Principal Optical Engineer, as part of the Seeker IPT, will utilize your expertise to coordinate multi-disciplinary team efforts to ensure integration and performance at the seeker level and higher systems. The team is responsible for the development of the design, integration and testing of development and flight hardware, evaluation of performance as it pertains to the algorithms, supporting the development of the seeker test suite, and ensuring representative physics-based models to support algorithm development and 6 DoF. The selected candidate should thrive in a fast-paced work environment with significantly diverse assignments and collaborative/team settings across all levels. This requisition may be filled at a higher grade based on the qualifications listed below. This requisition may be filled at a level 4 or 5 Level IV - requires a Bachelors and 9 years' experience or a Masters and 7 years experience.
Level V - requires a Bachelors and 14 years' experience or a Masters and 12 years experience.
Responsibilities:
Coordinate the efforts between multi-disciplinary teams to ensure an integrated seeker system solution.
* Decompose requirements from performance basis, identify appropriate verification methodology, and evaluate performance of concept and detailed design.
* Interfacing with the customer to provide technical status updates on activities such as design efforts, integration status, maturation plans and procedures, and testing results
* Overseeing error budgets pertaining to the seeker solution and the ability to support modeling that is used to inform either requirements or design sources of error
* Develop seeker hardware, optical system research and development, data analysis, and evaluation of algorithm development as it pertains to the hardware
* Overseeing vendor development activities and ensure deliverable timeframes are met
* Develop and maintain a strong technical understanding of seeker systems to aid in identification and troubleshooting of potential issues and ensuring all requirements flowed from the customer's statement of scope are addressed
Basic Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree in a STEM discipline (Science, Technology, Engineering or Math)
* Ability to obtain a DoD Secret Security Clearance
* Seeker requirement decomposition from top level customer requirements
* Experience with optical imaging systems ranging from the visible to LWIR spectrum
* Understanding of Fourier analysis and numerical analysis
* Experience in root cause and corrective action methodologies
* Experience with optical design tools: ZEMAX, Code V, FRED, NX, and Solid Works
* Experience working on real-time hypersonic missile interceptor systems
* High proficiency in MATLAB and Python toolchains
Preferred Qualifications:
BS/MS/PhD in optical engineering or physics
* Active Secret Security Clearance
* Experience with missile systems and associated standards
* Previous experience with DOD missile defense programs
* Experience with relevant seeker con-ops and performance needs
* Experience with EO systems including optical design, analysis and tolerancing, error budgets, opto-mech, and focal plane technologies
* Experience in seeker algorithms design
* Experience with MBSE, modeling of optical sensors to manipulate target signatures
Salary Range: $130,500 - $195,700
Salary Range 2: $162,500 - $243,700
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.
Employees may be eligible for 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 committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action 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/AA and Pay Transparency statement, please visit. U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.