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Field Engineer

Northrop Grumman

San Diego, CAJob$76–114K/yrSeen 6 days agoSeen in employer's feed 6 days ago

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At a glance

Compensation
$76–114K/yr
Location
San Diego, CA
Work Authorization
US work authorization required

Olive lists jobs from US employers, including remote roles you can work from the United States.

Requirements

Credentials this posting asks for.

Secret clearance

Job overview

Northrop Grumman seeks a Field Engineer based in San Diego, with deployment to overseas locations and extended travel of up to 75%. The role supports the depot team in the lab and customer-requested exercises, operating and maintaining tactical communication systems. The engineer provides system, network, and COMSEC support and works with government customers and internal engineering teams.

Skills & qualifications

RequiredNice to have

Skills

Military Radio OperationCommunications SystemsLink-16VMFSADLSAT-JJREAPARC-210MIDS JTRSDoD 8570 IAT Level IICCNA SecuritySecurity+ CEGICSPGSECSSCPLinux+Network CertificationCCNACCNPMilitary Aircraft OperationsJSIG Security ControlsMilitary Communications SystemsNetwork ConfigurationRadio ConfigurationRF KnowledgeRS-232RS-485MIL-STD-1553Analytical SkillsTroubleshootingElectrical SchematicsRF Test EquipmentElectrical SolderingMilitary Tactical Data LinksIP SubnettingVLANsTCP/IPUDPSwitchingRouting

Qualifications

Associate's in Science or Bachelor's in Science With ExperienceAdditional Experience in Lieu of Bachelor's Degree4 Years Radio ExperienceU.S. CitizenshipActive Secret Clearance75% Travel and Overseas Deployments

Benefits

Medical Insurance
401(k) Match
Paid Time Off

Full job description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: No relocation assistance available

CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes

CLEARANCE TYPE: Secret

TRAVEL: Yes, 75% 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 Mission Systems is a trusted provider of mission-enabling solutions for global security. We have a wide portfolio of secure, affordable, integrated, and multi-domain systems and technologies. Our differentiated battle management and cyber solutions deliver timely, mission-enabling information and provide superior situational awareness and understanding to protect the U.S. and its global allies.

Northrop Grumman Mission Systems is looking for you to join our team as a Field Engineer based out of San Diego, CA with deployment to overseas locations. Extended travel up to 75% to overseas duty locations.

This role supports the depot team in San Diego, CA both in the lab and supporting ad-hoc exercises requested by the customer .

What You’ll get to Do:

Be part of our field engineering team that operates and maintains complex tactical communication systems worldwide. This is an opportunity to travel to sustained operational locations overseas and develop your technical expertise across the engineering spectrum. You'll also get to:

  • Support preflight system tests and configuration

  • Perform preventative and corrective maintenance B-kits and C-kits

  • Troubleshoot Hardware/Software issues

  • Analyze Data Extraction and Reduction Guide data, MISREP reports, and ATOs

  • Analyze DX files for NGIS – Send Northrop Grumman updates and metrics

  • Be responsible for System Administration and Account Management

  • Perform network troubleshooting

  • Perform COMSEC Key Management

  • Develop procedures and generate reports

  • Work closely with the Active Duty/Government customer and collaborate with internal Northrop Grumman engineering teams

  • Maintain a maintenance database to track defects, corrective actions, and status

  • Provide 24 / 7 Helpdesk Support for Airborne/Ground Crew

Basic Qualifications:

  • Associate’s in Science Degree with 4 years’ experience or Bachelor’s in Science Degree with 2 year’s experience ; an additional 4 year’s experience may be considered in lieu of a Bachelor's Degree

  • Experience with operating Military radios or communications systems and general radio knowledge

  • Must be willing and able to travel up to 75% and multi-month overseas deployments

  • U.S. Citizenship and current/active U.S. Government Secret clearance required

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Knowledge of Link-16, VMF, SADL, SAT-J and/or JREAP

  • Experience with operating; ARC-210, SADL, MIDS JTRS

  • DoD 8570 IAT Level II or greater (CCNA Security, Security+ CE, GICSP, GSEC, SSCP, Linux +)

  • Network Certification (CCNA/CCNP)

  • Experience with military aircraft operations

  • Familiar with JSIG security controls

  • Broad experience with the operation, integration, configuration, and maintenance of military communications systems, networks, radios, and general RF knowledge

  • Experience with commercial and military interfaces to include RS-232, RS-485, and MIL- STD-1553

  • Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills and the ability to read electrical drawings and schematics

  • Experience with RF/electronic test equipment, electrical soldering, and mil-standard connectors

  • Strong technical and operational knowledge of military tactical data links (Link 16, JREAP-A, JREAP-C), network fundamentals (IP subnetting, VLANs, TCP/IP, UDP, basic switching and routing, tunneling, encryption), radios operations (load, program, and troubleshoot), RF theory, and aircraft navigation (GPS, INS) and power distribution systems

  • Experience handling COMSEC materials, following security guidance/procedures, and operating the Simple Key Loader (SKL)

Primary Level Salary Range: $75,800.00 - $113,800.00

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.

Job Category: Engineering

How this job compares

Set against the 2,148 open Field Engineer jobs on Olive Jobs, counted October 28, 2026.

Pay
  • This posting$76–114K/yr
  • California median$95–130K/yr137 salary ranges
  • US median$85–112K/yr1,000 salary ranges

This range's midpoint, $95K, is 16% below the California median midpoint ($113K) — in the middle half of Field Engineer salary ranges in California.

Openings
Olive Jobs lists 184 open Field Engineer jobs in California and 2,148 across the US. 3% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
Hiring the most in California
Experience
This posting asks for at least 2 years of experience; Field Engineer postings that state a minimum ask for 3 years at the median (1,366 postings).
Education
980 of the 2,148 open Field Engineer jobs (46%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.

Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on October 28, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.

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