Embedded Software Engineer: RTCIL/HWIL (Secret) Level 3 (Chandler)

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available

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’s Space Sector is seeking a Embedded Software Engineer – Level 3 to join our team in Chandler, AZ.

This position is 100% onsite and cannot accommodate telecommute work.

In this role, you will lead the design, development, and integration of Real Time Computer In the Loop (RTCIL) and Hardware In the Loop (HWIL) test laboratories that validate flight software, GPU based scene generation, and sensor injection capabilities for the Glide Phase Interceptor program. This role blends embedded C/C++ development with high‑performance GPU coding and 6‑DoF real‑time simulation to ensure mission‑critical systems meet stringent performance and security requirements.

This position will work a 9/80 schedule, with every other Friday off.

Your Role and Impact:

• Design, develop, and integrate test‑equipment hardware and software architectures for real‑time computer‑in‑the‑loop (RTCIL) and hardware‑in‑the‑loop (HWIL) laboratories.
• Build RTCIL test rigs that inject distorted sensor scenes into flight hardware in real time, enabling “test‑as‑you‑fly” validation.
• Develop GPU‑accelerated software to generate realistic flight‑condition scenarios and feed them into the real‑time simulation loop.
• Ensure all code and system designs comply with Northrop Grumman software standards and DoD security requirements.
• Collaborate with multi‑disciplinary teams—including propulsion, avionics, simulation, and test engineering—in an Agile environment to drive timely delivery and integration.
• Lead the verification and startup of full‑scale HWIL setups, connecting actual flight hardware to the simulated environment for end‑to‑end testing.
• Other duties as assigned

Why This Role Matters

• RTCIL enables the flight computer to run its own software in a deterministic, real‑time loop while receiving simulated sensor data, allowing early verification of algorithms before hardware is available.
• HWIL incorporates actual avionics hardware into the same loop, providing end‑to‑end validation of the complete flight‑control chain, including power, timing, and interface behavior.

Together, RTCIL and HWIL form a closed‑loop test ecosystem that dramatically reduces risk, accelerates development, and ensures the Glide Phase Interceptor meets its stringent performance requirements.

If this job description reads like it was written specifically for you, consider joining our team!

This position is contingent upon the candidate obtaining final clearances and program access(es) within a reasonable period of time as determined by the company.

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree with 5 years of professional experience – OR – Master’s degree with 3 years of professional experience – OR – PhD with 1 year of professional experience outside of internships, research, etc. Will consider an additional 4+ years of experience in lieu of degree.
• Requires an active U.S. Government DoD Secret security clearance at time of application, current and within scope
• Proficient in C, C++, C# and/or Java on Linux and/or Windows platforms.
• Hands‑on experience designing, integrating, and testing real‑time computer‑in‑the‑loop (RTCIL) and hardware‑in‑the‑loop (HWIL) laboratories.
• Familiarity with 6‑DoF simulation and the integration of 6‑DoF models into a real‑time environment for “test‑as‑you‑fly” scenarios.
• GPU development experience for real‑time constrained scene generation (e.g., IR, visual, synthetic sensor data).

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience developing interfaces for weapon‑system integration.
• Direct work with IR scene injection into embedded flight firmware for real‑time processing.
• Proven track record working in Agile teams and delivering incremental, test‑driven value.

Curious about all the exciting developments with the Northrop Grumman Space Sector? Click the link below:

Working at Northrop Grumman is more than just a paycheck. We offer a comprehensive Total Rewards and benefits package designed to help you thrive at work and in life. For more information on our Total Rewards package, please visit our Total Rewards site.

Primary Level Salary Range: $98,400.00 - $147,600.00

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 U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.