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BoehringerPRD

The Senior Principal Engineer, Automation will serve as an Automation Process-specific Subject Matter Expert (SME) for one or more aspects of the aseptic manufacturing process System Integration ...

UiPath

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How much do senior principal engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 1, 2026, the average yearly pay for senior principal engineer in the United States is $155,430.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $125,500.00 and $173,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a Senior Principal Engineer?

A Senior Principal Engineer is a highly experienced technical leader who is responsible for guiding the overall engineering direction and strategy within an organization. They typically possess deep expertise in their field, provide mentorship to other engineers, and influence major architectural and technical decisions. Senior Principal Engineers often collaborate with cross-functional teams, ensure best practices are followed, and play a critical role in driving innovation. Their work has a significant impact on the company's products and technical vision.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Senior Principal Engineer, and why are they important?

To excel as a Senior Principal Engineer, you need deep technical expertise in your engineering discipline, advanced problem-solving abilities, and typically a bachelor's or master's degree in engineering or a related field. Proficiency with industry-standard design and simulation software, project management tools, and relevant certifications (such as PMP or PE) are often required. Exceptional leadership, strategic thinking, and strong communication skills distinguish top performers in this role. These competencies are vital for leading complex projects, driving innovation, and effectively guiding engineering teams to achieve organizational goals.

How does a Senior Principal Engineer typically contribute to cross-functional projects within an organization?

Senior Principal Engineers often serve as technical leaders on cross-functional projects, collaborating closely with product managers, architects, and development teams to define technical direction and ensure architectural consistency. They provide deep expertise to solve complex engineering challenges, mentor other engineers, and help align project goals with the organization's strategic vision. Their role frequently involves facilitating communication between different departments and ensuring technical decisions support both immediate project needs and long-term scalability.

What is the difference between Senior Principal Engineer vs Lead Engineer?

AspectSenior Principal EngineerLead Engineer
CredentialsTypically requires a bachelor's or master's degree in engineering, with extensive industry experienceSimilar educational background, often with additional certifications or specialized training
Work EnvironmentFocuses on high-level technical strategy, innovation, and mentorship across projectsLeads specific projects or teams, overseeing technical execution and coordination
Industry UsageCommon in large corporations and R&D settingsFound in both startups and established companies, often in project-based roles

While both roles require strong technical expertise, the Senior Principal Engineer typically focuses on strategic technical leadership and innovation at an organizational level, whereas the Lead Engineer manages project execution and team coordination. The Senior Principal Engineer often operates at a higher, more strategic level within the engineering hierarchy.

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Senior Principal Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Senior Principal Engineer job openings in the United States as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 86% Full Time, and 14% Part Time. Highlights an 93% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 5% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $155,430 per year, or $74.7 per hour.
Principal / Sr Principal Engineer Aeronautical - Hardware Avionics

Principal / Sr Principal Engineer Aeronautical - Hardware Avionics

Northrop Grumman Corporation

Camp Hill, PA • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Life, PTO

Posted 3 days ago

Northrop Grumman rating

8.1

Company rating: 8.1 out of 10

Based on 346 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

110th of 527 rated manufacturers

Job description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available
CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: No
CLEARANCE TYPE: Secret
TRAVEL: Yes, 10% of the TimeDescription
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 has an opening for a Principal Engineer Aeronautical - Hardware Avionics (Level 3) or Senior Principal Engineer Aeronautical - Hardware Avionics (Level 4) to join our Air Vehicle Hardware Avionics team of qualified, diverse individuals. This role will be located in Rancho Bernardo (San Diego), CA.
Note: This position requires regular presence at our Rancho Bernardo (San Diego) site, with a hybrid work schedule that includes both remote work and on-site lab work as needed to support business needs.
The Hardware Avionics group is responsible for management of the Identification-Friend-Foe (IFF) and Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) subsystems. The selected individual will work independently and collaborate across multiple teams to deliver quality solutions for the IFF and TCAS systems. General duties include lab and flight testing, production and field support, anomaly resolution, and supplier management. The role is dynamic as members of the team handle a broad range of activities across multiple phases of the program to include development, production, and operational support.
Key Responsibilities may include, but are not limited to:
  • Integrate IFF and TCAS hardware, accounting for hardware capabilities / limitations, defining interfaces, and addressing interoperability standards.
  • Conduct investigations, system testing, and flight testing in lab environments.
  • Provide remote and on-site troubleshooting for production and field issues.
  • Support proposal development and evaluation, technical planning, verification & validation, cost & risk analysis, and trade studies.
  • Ensure the logical and systematic conversion of customer or product requirements into total system solutions that balance technical, schedule, and cost constraints.

We offer flexible work arrangements, including a 9/80 schedule, to support work-life balance. Employees benefit from excellent learning opportunities and work on impactful, cutting-edge projects. Our collaborative and friendly team environment encourages professional growth and innovation.
Basic Qualifications:
This requisition may be filled at a Principal Engineer Aeronautical - Hardware Avionics (Level 3) or Senior Principal Engineer Aeronautical - Hardware Avionics (Level 4) level based on the qualifications below.
Principal Engineer Aeronautical - Hardware Avionics (Level 3)
  • Must have a Bachelor's Degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math) discipline and 5 years of related professional/military experience; OR a Master's Degree in a STEM discipline and 3 years of related professional/military experience; OR a Ph.D. in a STEM discipline and 1 year of related professional/military experience.
  • Must have the ability to obtain and maintain a US Government Secret clearance and Special Access Program (SAP) within a reasonable amount of time as determined by business needs.
  • Experience with Matlab and core Microsoft Office applications (such as Word, Excel, Project, and Visio)
  • Hands-on experience utilizing test equipment (such as oscilloscopes, signal generators, signal analyzers, multi-meters, etc.)
  • Experience with Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) and/or Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) transponders, including their operation, maintenance, integration, or design

Senior Principal Engineer Aeronautical - Hardware Avionics (Level 4)
  • Must have a Bachelor's Degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math) discipline and 8 years of related professional/military experience; OR a Master's Degree in a STEM discipline and 6 years of related professional/military experience; OR a Ph.D. in a STEM discipline and 4 years of related professional/military experience.
  • Must have the ability to obtain and maintain a US Government Secret clearance and Special Access Program (SAP) within a reasonable amount of time as determined by business needs.
  • Experience with Matlab and core Microsoft Office applications (such as Word, Excel, Project, and Visio)
  • Hands-on experience utilizing test equipment (such as oscilloscopes, signal generators, signal analyzers, multi-meters, etc.)
  • Experience with Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) and/or Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) transponders, including their operation, maintenance, integration, or design

Preferred Qualifications:
  • Active U.S Government Secret security clearance or higher
  • Comprehensive knowledge of IFF, including military and civilian modes and associated certifications
  • Comprehensive knowledge of TCAS, including Due Regard and airspace integration
  • High-level understanding of radio-frequency communication
  • Familiarity with databuses and related protocols, such as MIL-STD-1553, RS-485, ARINC-429
  • Experience performing system-level design/troubleshooting
  • Flight test, supplier management, requirements development and verification experience
  • Prior experience as a military, civil, or commercial avionics technician

Primary Level Salary Range: $114,000.00 - $171,000.00
Secondary Level Salary Range: $142,200.00 - $213,400.00
The above salary range represents a general guideline; however, Northrop Grumman considers a number of factors when determining base salary offers such as the scope and responsibilities of the position and the candidate's experience, education, skills and current market conditions.
Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay. Annual bonuses are designed to reward individual contributions as well as allow employees to share in company results. Employees in Vice President or Director positions may be eligible for Long Term Incentives. In addition, Northrop Grumman provides a variety of benefits including health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, savings plan, Company paid holidays and paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business.
The application period for the job is estimated to be 20 days from the job posting date. However, this timeline may be shortened or extended depending on business needs and the availability of qualified candidates.
Northrop Grumman is an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class. For our complete EEO and pay transparency statement, please visit http://www.northropgrumman.com/EEO. U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.

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About Northrop Grumman

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

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.

Industry

Space research administration

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Falls Church, VA, US

Year founded

1939

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