Sr Staff Engineer Signal Processing

Northrop Grumman Northrop Grumman · Aerospace · McClellan Park, CA +1 · Systems/Architecture/Test

Senior Staff Engineer with a Signal Processing background at Northrop Grumman, focusing on developing transformative signal processing solutions for Signals Intelligence (SIGINT). Responsibilities include architecture trades, design analysis, performance modeling, and implementing detection, characterization, and geolocation algorithms for RF communication signals. Requires expertise in DSP fundamentals, SIGINT/RF, and experience with SDRs and GPUs. Clearance is required for continued employment.

What you'd actually do

  1. Design detection and characterization algorithms for Radio Frequency communication signals
  2. Implement detection and characterization algorithms
  3. Design, test, and produce detection, characterization, and geolocation algorithms.
  4. Perform architecture trades, design analysis, and performance modeling
  5. Provide engineering support for hardware development efforts.

Skills

Required

  • BS degree in a STEM field and at least 14 years relevant experience, or MS degree in a STEM field and at least 12 years of relevant experience, or a PhD and at least 10 years of relevant experience
  • Requirements Translation: Ability to convert complex operational needs into technical system requirements
  • Domain Expertise: Command of tactical SIGINT operations, military capabilities, and geolocation concepts.
  • DSP Fundamentals: Expertise in modulation/demodulation, FFT/spectral analysis, filtering (FIR/IIR), resampling, channelization, and detection/estimation theory.
  • SIGINT/RF Expertise: Experience with Software Defined Radios (SDR), RF front-ends, IQ data, geolocation techniques (DF/beamforming), and signal characterization

Nice to have

  • Experience with CUDA/GPU programming
  • Experience in Agile software development and containerization tools like Docker or Kubernetes
  • Familiarity with specialized tools like X-MIDAS, MATLAB/Simulink, and Linux-based toolchains.
  • Experience with the Atlassian tool suite (Jira, Confluence, Bitbucket)
  • Practical experience or coursework in programming languages such as C++, Rust, or Python.
  • Experience with simulating and processing RF communications in GNU Radio.

What the JD emphasized

  • Ability to convert complex operational needs into technical system requirements
  • Command of tactical SIGINT operations, military capabilities, and geolocation concepts.
  • Expertise in modulation/demodulation, FFT/spectral analysis, filtering (FIR/IIR), resampling, channelization, and detection/estimation theory.
  • Experience with Software Defined Radios (SDR), RF front-ends, IQ data, geolocation techniques (DF/beamforming), and signal characterization
  • Experience with CUDA/GPU programming is increasingly critical for real-time performance optimization in SIGINT signal chains.