Northrop Grumman Australia · 1 day ago
Sr Principal Engineer Digital
United States-Minnesota-Plymouth
Full-time
Onsite
Senior Level, Lead/Staff
$149K/yr - $224K/yr
6+ years expNorthrop Grumman is a leading aerospace and defense technology company, seeking a Senior Principal Engineer Digital to own the end-to-end firmware strategy for multiple defense programs. This role involves leading the Firmware IPT, driving architecture, development, verification, and integration while mentoring a cross-functional team of engineers.
Defense & Space
No H1B
Security Clearance RequiredU.S. Citizen Only
Responsibilities
Define and maintain the FPGA firmware architecture for assigned programs, ensuring scalability, reliability, and compliance with system level requirements
Lead the Firmware IPT, coordinating with hardware, software, systems, test, and program management to deliver projects on schedule and within budget
Develop complex firmware blocks in VHDL (preferred) or Verilog targeting various FPGA families such as Intel Agilex, Arria 10, Max 10, and Xilinx
Create and execute verification plans using simulation, hardware in the loop, and on board debugging tools (e.g., ModelSim, Vivado, Quartus)
Manage design constraints (timing, power, I/O) and perform static timing analysis to meet critical performance targets
Integrate firmware with hardware/software, including bus protocols (I²C, SPI, UART, RS 232/422/485, JESD204B, CSI/MIPI, Ethernet) and custom IP blocks
Lead technical documentation efforts (architecture documents, interface control documents, test plans, release notes) and ensure configuration management compliance
Mentor junior engineers, conduct design reviews, and drive continuous improvement initiatives (Six Sigma, DFA/DFM)
Provide risk management and mitigation strategies for firmware related technical risks
Interface with customers and senior leadership to translate stakeholder requirements into effective firmware solutions
Qualification
Required
Education: B.S. in Electrical or Computer Engineering with 8+ years relevant experience OR M.S. with 6+ years
Proven experience in designing complex FPGA firmware using VHDL or Verilog
Proficiency with simulation tools (ModelSim, Vivado, Quartus) and hardware debugging tools (logic analyzers, oscilloscopes)
Expertise in managing design constraints to meet stringent timing and performance targets
Experience with hardware/software integration for embedded systems and soft processor interfacing
Demonstrated ability to produce comprehensive technical documentation
Excellent interpersonal skills for effective cross functional teamwork
U.S. citizenship; ability to obtain and maintain a DoD Secret clearance (active preferred)
Preferred
Experience with protocols such as I²C, SPI, RS232, JESD204B, and CSI/MIPI
Strong preference for VHDL, with Verilog experience considered beneficial
Demonstrated experience with digital signal processing functions (lowpass, bandpass, highpass filters, comb filters, Hilbert transforms, PLLs, etc.)
Familiarity with Intel Agilex, Arria 10, Max 10, as well as Xilinx UltraScale+ devices
Experience with tools such as Vivado, Model Composer, Synplicity, MATLAB/Simulink, Altera DSP Builder, and HDL Code generators
Proven ability to develop reusable IP blocks and integrate thirdparty IP
Involvement from concept through production test and field support
Knowledge of testing requirements specific to military electronics (extreme temperature, vibration, EMC)
Familiarity with SixSigma methodologies and design for assembly/manufacturability (DFA/DFM) principles
Prior success leading an IPT or firmware development team in a highstakes defense environment
An active DoD Secret clearance is a plus
Benefits
Health insurance coverage
Life and disability insurance
Savings plan
Company paid holidays
Paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business
Company
Northrop Grumman Australia
Northrop Grumman Australia is the Australia-based arm of Northrop Grumman Corporation and committed to generating long-term prosperity, investing in advanced Research & Development, sovereign and exportable Intellectual Property, high-quality jobs and long-term technology leadership across the Commonwealth.
501-1000 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageCompany data provided by crunchbase