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Principal OR Sr. Principal Payloads Field Service Engineer (DEPLOYABLE)

Northrop Grumman
VAFA01UNK, United States, United Statesfull_timeVerifiedPosted 28 Oct 2025
💰 $170,300/yr($91,200/yr$170,300/yr)

About the role

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: No relocation assistance available

CLEARANCE TYPE: Secret

TRAVEL: Yes, 25% 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.

Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems is looking to add a Principal OR Sr. Principal Payloads Field Service Engineer to our International Field Service Engineer team. This position will be in our Avionics Integration Organization supporting MQ-4C Triton Program.

This position reports to the Operations team lead within the Mission Systems Integrated Product Team (MS IPT). This position will receive daily tasking and prioritization from their site lead. The selected candidate will be responsible for operations and maintenance support of the MQ-4C Triton sensors and communications systems at a Forward Operating Base (FOB).

Duties and Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Provide real time support to flight operations and maintenance addressing any issues related to communications and/or payloads to include MFAS Radar, EO/IR, airborne recorder, and link16 to include fault isolation, remediation, and resolution.
  • Coordinate work with site leadership and confirm that Maintenance Action Forms (MAFs) are in place for all required work.
  • Adhere to checklists and procedures to ensure repeated success. Provide redlines to procedures when necessary.
  • Communicate complex technical issues to local support, the Degrader Action Cell (DAC), Main Operation Bases (MOBs), and Responsible Engineers (REs).
  • Support and lead air crew engagement for proper techniques in solving complex analysis of technical problems that arise during operations.
  • Assist with trend analysis as needed for Responsible Engineers (REs).
  • Assist Air Vehicle Operator (AVO) with Main Operating Base comms (voice), networks, and other AVO interfaces.
  • Attain and employ expertise across all supported sensor and communications systems.
  • Potentially provide field support at various international sites.
  • Support assignment at location for a minimum of 24 months.

** This position requires 6+ months of training on a Domestic Assignment to San Diego (Rancho Bernardo), CA with some travel to other US locations such as Baltimore, MD and Jacksonville, FL. After training is completed, it is expected that the candidate will be available to deploy to Japan, Italy, United Arab Emirates, or Guam for a minimum of 24 months, based on current business needs. The international location will be selected by Northrop Grumman after training is completed and will be based on timing and available location(s), determined by business needs. Deployment benefits will be communicated once a location is selected. If no immediate international or Guam deployment location is available, the candidate may be relocated to work at one of our core U.S. locations for the immediate future. **

Initially, this position will work a 9/80 shift. As the program matures, the shifts may become 12-hour shifts that could include nights, weekends, and/or holidays.

The selected candidate will be required to work full-time, on-site at the designated facility. There is no remote work available for this role. Outside of traveling for initial training, this position requires the ability to travel up to 25% of the time.

This position can be filled at either the Principal Payloads Field Service Engineer level or the Senior Principal Payloads Field Service Engineer level, depending upon the qualifications below.

Basic Qualifications for Principal Payloads Field Service Engineer:

  • Bachelor’s Degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics) discipline and 5 years of related engineering experience; OR a Master’s degree in a STEM discipline and 3 years of related engineering experience; OR a PhD in a STEM discipline and 1 year of related engineering experience.
  • Competence in Linux, troubleshooting, engineering documents, tools, and equipment
  • Familiarity with payloads operations or

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Company

Northrop Grumman

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