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Principal or Sr. Principal Field Engineer - (NAS Lemoore CA)

Northrop Grumman Systems

Listing collected from Northrop Grumman Systems's career site. NextChapter is independent of Northrop Grumman Systems.

Lemoore, CA · Posted November 3, 2026

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About the job

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: No relocation assistance 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 Aeronautics Systems , F-35 Sustainment Operating Unit, has an opening for a Principal or Sr. Principal Field Engineer to join our team of qualified, diverse individuals. The selected candidate will be assigned as an F-35 Air Vehicle Field Support Engineer (FSE) at Naval Air Station Lemoore NAS Lemoore, CA. The successful candidate will act as the Northrop Grumman technical interface and on-site company representative to the customer in resolving issues arising from operations, maintenance, modifications and other logistics and engineering support activities involving the F-35 aircraft.

The candidate will serve as an integrated team member and will act as a Mission Systems and Vehicle Systems Subject Matter Expert (SME) or an emerging authority who has the skill-set to accomplish troubleshooting and analysis of F-35 Vehicle and Mission Systems anomalies.

Conducts technical analysis of product implementations, modifications and enhancements to product in accordance with specific customer specifications and implementations. Troubleshoots technical problems and issues, determines technical solution in accordance with product and customer specifications, and recommends actions to company or customer representatives for coordinative product solution. Assesses product needs in accordance with customer specifications. Conducts technical training and product briefing with customers, vendors, and company representatives. Acts as local on-site representative to customers organization

In this role, selected candidate will be expected to:

Be a self-starter, work without direct supervision

Integrate into a high tempo military operational environment

Provide recommended engineering and aircraft maintenance guidance to military and civilian maintainers and depot technicians and engineers with confidence and authority

Read and interpret engineering drawings, fault isolation and technical data and other available engineering data as well as analyze aircraft subsystem maintenance issues

Operate and maintain test equipment to gather and provide advanced aircraft health reporting codes to engineering IPTs for advanced troubleshooting

Conduct technical analysis of product implementations and modifications in accordance with customer specifications, technical data and other requirements

Document maintenance activities, collate data to identify emerging failure trends and provide recommendations to reduce equipment down time, improve maintenance practices and advise on maintenance tasks

Identify technical issues and recommend solutions to support the F-35 engineering disposition process and technical data updates

Manage, track multiple engineering and logistic support activities, and provide periodic status to customers and program management team

Provide authorized engineering products to supplement published engineering technical data

Combine engineering knowledge with real world aircraft maintenance experience

Conduct training and provide product briefings to customers, vendors, and company representatives

Author recommended technical data updates and/or assist customer with recommendations

Support program technical interchange meetings and program plans development relating to problem analysis, engineering dispositions and in-house technical support

Have good interpersonal and communication skills and engage with military aircrew and aircraft maintainers on a regular basis to resolve maintenance issues that would otherwise lead to equipment downtime

Work any shift, weekends, overtime, and holidays, if necessary, as well as travel on Temporary Duty or Deployment Assignments in support of F-35 program requirements.

Complete customer required training, examinations, and immunizations prerequisites in support of such deployments.

This position may be filled as a Principal or Senior Principal Engineer Field depending on your qualifications.

Principal - Basic Qualifications:

Bachelor's Degree in STEM and minimum of 5 years related military aircraft maintenance; A Master's Degree with 3 years of related military aircraft maintenance, OR a PHD.

Must be willing to accompany our customer on CONUS and OCONUS Deployment Assignments of varying duration up to 50% travel possible

Active Government Secret security clearance and be able to obtain Special Access Program clearance.

F-35 or F-22 aircraft experience including cockpit operations.

Fighter aircraft troubleshooting, maintenance, and operations experience

Sr. Principal - Basic Qualifications:

Bachelor's Degree in STEM and minimum of 9 years related military aircraft maintenance; A Master's Degree with 5 years of related military aircraft maintenance, OR a PHD and 3 years of related military aircraft maintenance

Must be willing to accompany our customer on CONUS and OCONUS Deployment Assignments of varying duration up to 50% travel possible

Active Government Secret security clearance and be able to obtain Special Access Program clearance.

F-35 or F-22 aircraft experience including cockpit operations.

Fighter aircraft troubleshooting, maintenance, and operations experience

Preferred Qualifications

5 years of F-35 aircraft experience.

Prior Field Support or military experience.

Experience with operation and troubleshooting of fifth generation aircraft Vehicle Systems (FCS, PTMS, EPS, and Utilities and Subsystems).

Working knowledge of engineering tools such as CATIA, VAS, VA, PDM and JEDI.

Experience with operation and troubleshooting of fifth generation aircraft avionics (DAS, EW, GPS, INS, and CNI).

Fighter aircraft troubleshooting, maintenance, and operations experience.

Primary Level Salary Range: $89,900.00 - $134,900.00

Secondary Level Salary Range: $112,200.00 - $168,200.00

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.