Principal Board Designer/Senior Principal Board Designer

Company: Northrop Grumman
Location: Baltimore
Posted on: June 10, 2026

Job Description:

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: No relocation assistance available

CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: YesCLEARANCE TYPE: SecretTRAVEL: 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.

At the heart of Defining Possible is our commitment to missions. In rapidly changing global security environments, Northrop Grumman brings informed insights and software-secure technology to enable strategic planning. We're looking for innovators who can help us keep building on our wide portfolio of secure, affordable, integrated, and multi-domain systems and technologies that fuel those missions. By joining in our shared mission, we'll support you by expanding your personal network and developing skills, whether you are new to the field, or an industry thought leader. At Northrop Grumman, you'll have the resources, support, and team to do some of the best work of your career.

We are looking for you to join our team as a Principal/Senior Principal Board Designer based out of Baltimore, MD.

This role may be staffed as Hybrid out of Baltimore/Linthicum, MD.

The Principal/Senior Principal Board Designer is a core member of the eCAD team responsible for creating high quality printed circuit board (PCB) layouts that meet the electrical, mechanical, and manufacturability requirements of our products. You will work closely with schematic designers, hardware engineers, mechanical designers, and the manufacturing team to translate concepts into production ready board designs, supporting a broad portfolio of defense grade products.

What You'll Get to Do

• Develop complete PCB layouts - From component placement to routing, create multi-layer board designs that meet signal integrity, power distribution, and EMC requirements.

• Perform design rule checks (DRC) and sign off - Run automated DRC, signal integrity simulations, and thermal analyses; resolve violations and document compliance.

• Collaborate on cross functional design reviews - Present designs to electrical, mechanical, and reliability teams; incorporate feedback and drive design closure.

• Support DFM/DFA initiatives - Work with PCB fabricators and assemblers to optimize stack up, trace widths, via strategies, and test point placement for cost effective manufacturing.

• Generate production documentation - Produce TGZ, drill files; ensure data integrity in the PLM system.

• Mentor junior designers - Provide guidance on best practices, standards, and tool usage; lead short technical workshops within the eCAD group.

• Stay current with industry trends - Evaluate emerging PCB technologies (high speed, flex rigid, HDI) and recommend tooling or workflow improvements.

This role may be filled as a Principal Board Designer or a Senior Principal Board Designer.

This position is contingent on the ability to obtain/maintain an active U.S Government Secret clearance or the successful transfer of one, prior to start.

Basic Qualifications for Principal Board Designer

Bachelor's Degree with 5 years of experience, master's degree with 3 years of experience, Ph.D. with 1 year of experience in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics or related technical fields; an additional 4 years of experience may be considered in lieu of a degree

• U.S Citizenship is required.

• Minimum of 5 years of hands on PCB layout experience in a high volume or high complexity environment (digital, mixed signal, or RF).

• Minimum of 3 years of experience with Mentor Graphics (including advanced routing and stack up configuration). Alternate routing software experience will be considered.

• Minimum of 3 years of working knowledge of IPC 2221, IPC 6012 & 13, IPC 7351, and GD&T for PCB design.

Basic Qualifications for Senior Principal Board Designer

Bachelor's Degree with 8 years of experience, master's degree with 6 years of experience, Ph.D. with 4 years of experience in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics or related technical fields; an additional 4 years of experience may be considered in lieu of a degree

• U.S Citizenship is required.

• Minimum of 5 years of hands on PCB layout experience in a high volume or high complexity environment (digital, mixed signal, or RF).

• Minimum of 3 years of experience with Mentor Graphics (including advanced routing and stack up configuration). Alternate routing software experience will be considered.

• Minimum of 3 years of working knowledge of IPC 2221, IPC 6012 & 13, IPC 7351, and GD&T for PCB design.

Preferred Qualifications for Principal/Senior Principal Board Designer

• Expert working knowledge of the Mentor Xpedition software suite.

• Experience with high speed digital design ( 5 Gbps) or RF/microwave PCB design.

• Experience with High Density Interconnect (HDI) and/or Array designs.

• Experience with power PCB designs

• Familiarity with 3 D mechanical integration tools (SolidWorks, NX, Enovia).

• Working knowledge of industry compliance standards, to include, but not limited to, ASME-Y14.5.

• Demonstrated success working in collaborative, fast paced development teams.

• Expert written and verbal communication; comfortable presenting technical concepts to cross functional teams.

Northrop Grumman provides a comprehensive benefits package and a work environment which encourages your growth and supports the mutual success of our people and our company. Northrop Grumman benefits give you the flexibility and control to choose the benefits that make the most sense for you and your family.

Your benefits will include the following: Health Plan, Savings Plan, Paid Time Off and Additional Benefits including Education Assistance, Training and Development, 9/80 Work Schedule (where available), and much more!

Northrop Grumman has approximately 90,000 employees in all 50 states and in more than 27 countries. We strive to attract and retain the best employees by providing an inclusive work environment wherein employees are receptive to diverse ideas, perspectives, and talents to help solve our toughest customer challenges: to develop and maintain some of the most technically sophisticated products, programs, and services in the world.

Our Values . The women and men of Northrop Grumman Corporation are guided by Our Values. They describe our company as we want it to be. We want our decisions and actions to demonstrate these Values. We believe that putting Our Values into practice creates long-term benefits for shareholders, customers, employees, suppliers, and the communities we serve.

Our Responsibility . At Northrop Grumman, we are committed to maintaining the highest ethical standards, embracing diversity and inclusion, protecting the environment, and striving to be an ideal corporate citizen in the community and in the world.

Primary Level Salary Range: $98,900.00 - $148,300.00Secondary Level Salary Range: $123,400.00 - $185,000.00The 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.

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