Principal​/Sr. Principal Controls Engineer

Principal / Sr. Principal Controls Engineer – Systems Signal Architecture & Controller Integration

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 Defense Systems is seeking a Principal / Sr. Principal Controls Engineer – Systems Signal Architecture & Controller Integration. This position is located in Roy, UT supporting the Sentinel program.

What You'll Do:

You will join the Sentinel Launch Systems Infrastructure team as a controls engineer focused on systems signal architecture and controller operations for both COTS controllers and custom hardware. In this role, you will define and integrate control system signal architectures, select and configure controllers, and ensure robust, testable interfaces across facility, launch, and mission equipment subsystems.

The ideal candidate understands how weapon system and facility requirements drive control system behavior, and can translate those needs into controller configurations, I/O mappings, communication networks, and testable requirements. You will work closely with electrical, systems, software, and test engineering to deliver safe, reliable, and maintainable control solutions.

Responsibilities include:

• Controls & Signal Architecture Ownership
• Controller Integration (COTS & Custom)
• Requirements & Interface Definition
• Modeling, Simulation & Analysis
• Test, Verification & Troubleshooting
• Cross Functional Collaboration
• Documentation & Configuration Management
• Continuous Improvement & Support

Basic Qualifications:

• T03-Bachelor's degree in a Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) discipline from an accredited university and 5+ years of relevant experience; or 3+ years with a Master's; or 1+ years with a PhD.
• T04-Bachelor's degree in a STEM discipline and 8+ years of relevant experience; or 6+ years with a Master's; or 4+ years with a PhD.
• U.S. Citizenship with an Active DoD Secret clearance or higher (awarded within the past 6 years), and the ability to obtain and maintain Special Access Program (SAP) certification.
• 5+ years of experience in control system design and integration, including development of signal architectures, I/O lists, and controller configurations for complex systems (industrial, aerospace, defense, or similar).
• Hands on experience configuring and operating COTS controllers (e.g., PLCs, PACs, industrial controllers, DAQ modules) and integrating them with sensors, actuators, and higher level control or monitoring systems.
• Experience designing, implementing, or supporting control systems for ground, facility, launch, or mission equipment systems, with an understanding of how system level requirements drive control logic and interfaces.
• Experience with one or more control/analysis tools (e.g., MATLAB/Simulink, LabVIEW, PLC programming environments) and familiarity with relevant industry or military standards for control and instrumentation.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with demonstrated success collaborating across multi disciplinary engineering teams and engaging with stakeholders to resolve technical and schedule challenges.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Breadth in Control Technologies – Experience with a range of controller platforms (e.g., Allen Bradley, Siemens, NI, Schneider, or equivalent) and familiarity with integrating COTS controllers with custom electronic hardware.
• Networked Control Systems – Knowledge of industrial communication protocols (e.g., Ethernet/IP,…