Principal/Sr. Principal Controls Engineer - 19677

About this role

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available

CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes

CLEARANCE TYPE: Secret

TRAVEL: Yes, 10% 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 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. • Controls & Signal Architecture Ownership

• Develop and maintain the end to end signal architecture for assigned systems, including I/O lists, signal types, addressing, and routing. Ensure clean segregation of safety critical, mission critical, and non critical signals.

• Controller Integration (COTS & Custom) Specify, configure, and integrate COTS controllers (e.g., PLCs, PACs, motion controllers, data acquisition hardware) and custom control hardware. Implement control logic, I/O mapping, and fault handling to meet system performance and safety requirements.

• Requirements & Interface Definition

• Translate system level requirements into control system and signal level requirements. Develop interface control documents (ICDs), control narratives, and sequence of operations to align hardware, software, and facility teams.

• Modeling, Simulation & Analysis

• Use analytical tools and models (e.g., MATLAB/Simulink, similar platforms) to evaluate control strategies, timing, and performance. Support trade studies to select architectures, networks, and controller technologies.

• Test, Verification & Troubleshooting

• Develop and execute test plans, procedures, and automated test sequences for controller hardware and software. Support integration labs, hardware in the loop (HIL) setups, and field test activities, including root cause analysis (RCA) for control system anomalies.

• Cross Functional Collaboration Work closely with electrical power, facility, mechanical, software, and systems engineering to ensure controls solutions align with power distribution, instrumentation, and mechanical actuation. Coordinate changes and maintain configuration control of control system artifacts.

• Documentation & Configuration Management

• Create and maintain engineering documentation including control schematics, signal lists, controller configuration baselines, test procedures, and as built updates. Ensure all artifacts meet program, customer, and configuration management requirements.

• Continuous Improvement & Support

• Identify opportunities to improve reliability, maintainability, and testability of control systems. Support proposals, design reviews, and technical interchanges by providing controls engineering expertise.

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.,

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