Senior Principal UX Engineer - Researcher/Designer (T04) at Northrop Grumman

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Principal UX Engineer - Researcher/Designer (T04) Company: Northrop Grumman Location: Redondo Beach, CA; Aurora, CO; or Colorado Springs, CO Job Type: FULL_TIME Category: User Experience (UX) / Human Factors Engineering Date Posted: 2025-08-27 Experience Level: Senior Principal (10+ years) Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

This role is critical for designing and researching human-centered systems within Northrop Grumman's Payload and Ground Systems organization, focusing on enhancing usability and mission effectiveness through applied user experience (UX) methodologies.
The Senior Principal UX Engineer will be responsible for the end-to-end UX lifecycle, from user research and conceptualization to detailed design and prototyping, ensuring intuitive and efficient solutions for complex defense and aerospace systems.
A key aspect of this position involves deep collaboration with cross-functional teams, including product managers, engineers, and customers, to translate intricate requirements and user needs into actionable design deliverables that support agile development processes.
The role requires a strong technical grounding in human factors principles, user-centered design (UCD) methodologies, and a proven ability to independently lead user engagement activities and contribute to the evolution of design systems and style guides.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a Senior Principal, indicating a high level of expertise and responsibility, likely involving mentorship, strategic input on UX processes, and leadership on complex projects. The emphasis on "mission effectiveness" and "defense and aerospace systems" suggests a specialized application of UX principles within a demanding, high-stakes environment. The ability to perform both research and design independently highlights the need for a versatile and self-directed candidate.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

Drive the design and research of human-centered systems, applying user experience methods to enhance usability, consistency, and mission effectiveness for complex software and hardware interfaces.
Plan, execute, and analyze user research activities, including user interviews, usability testing, contextual inquiries, and user feedback sessions, to inform design decisions and validate solutions.
Develop comprehensive UX deliverables such as wireframes, user flows, prototypes, mockups, and detailed design specifications, leveraging industry-standard design and prototyping tools.
Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including product managers, software engineers, systems engineers, and subject matter experts, to ensure seamless integration of UX into agile development cycles.
Contribute to the development, maintenance, and adherence of style guides and design systems to ensure visual and interactive consistency across all product interfaces.
Conduct Human Factors Analyses, including Task Analyses, Predictive Workload Analyses, Usability studies, and Workload/Situational Awareness surveys, to meet stringent DoD and industry standards.
Present design concepts, research findings, and usability recommendations effectively to stakeholders, customers, and internal teams, advocating for user needs and design best practices.
Ensure designs comply with relevant military standards (e.g., MIL-STD-1472) and internal company guidelines, particularly for applications designed for military users.
Proactively identify opportunities for UX process improvement and contribute to the continuous enhancement of the team's design methodologies and tools.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities clearly indicate a hands-on role requiring a blend of strategic UX thinking and tactical execution. The mention of specific Human Factors Analyses and MIL-STD-1472 compliance points to a deep understanding of engineering principles applied within a defense context, suggesting that candidates with experience in regulated or specialized industries will be highly valued. The requirement to "build and maintain a style guide and design system" implies a need for contribution to foundational UX assets.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Bachelor's degree in a STEM field (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) is required, with 8+ years of relevant experience.
Master's degree in a STEM field is preferred, with 6+ years of relevant experience.
PhD in a STEM field is considered, with 4+ years of relevant experience.
Degree programs relevant to UX/Human Factors include Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Cognitive Psychology, Industrial Design, Computer Science with a UX focus, or related fields.

Experience:

A minimum of 8 years of progressive experience in UX research and/or design, with a strong emphasis on user-centered design (UCD) principles and methodologies.
Proven experience in coordinating and leading user engagement activities, including user research, usability testing, and facilitating stakeholder feedback sessions.
Demonstrated ability to translate complex technical requirements and user needs into intuitive, effective, and mission-critical design solutions.
Experience working within an agile software development environment, understanding sprint cycles, and collaborating effectively with development teams.
Experience in conducting and contributing to Human Factors Analyses such as Task Analyses, Predictive Workload Analyses, and Situational Awareness surveys.

Required Skills:

Expertise in User-Centered Design (UCD) principles, methodologies, and best practices.
Proficient in various user research techniques, including user interviews, surveys, contextual inquiry, and usability testing protocols.
Strong ability to create user personas, journey maps, user flows, wireframes, and interactive prototypes.
Demonstrated proficiency with design and prototyping tools such as Axure, Lunacy, Adobe Creative Suite, Lucidchart, or Figma.
Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to articulate design rationale and user insights to diverse audiences.
Proven ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, including product management, engineering, and stakeholders.
Experience in building and maintaining style guides and design systems for consistency and scalability.
Proficiency in visual design principles, including typography, layout, color theory, and iconography.
Experience with UX/UI development methods such as heuristic evaluations and user feedback event facilitation.
Active Secret clearance required at the time of application.

Preferred Skills:

Familiarity with MIL-STD-1472 (Department of Defense Design Criteria Standard for Human Engineering).
Experience designing user interfaces and experiences for military users or defense applications.
Mastery of advanced design and prototyping tools, particularly Figma and Lucidchart.
Understanding of Systems Engineering principles and their integration with UX design.
Familiarity with common software development languages and their implications for UX implementation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The experience requirements are substantial, emphasizing leadership and independent execution. The combination of research and design skills is crucial. The clearance requirement is a significant filter. Preferred skills highlight a desire for specialized knowledge within the defense sector.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

A robust portfolio is mandatory, showcasing a strong foundation in user-centered design solutions, particularly for web applications or complex software systems.
The portfolio should clearly demonstrate your process, from initial research and problem definition through ideation, design, prototyping, and validation.
Include case studies that highlight your ability to translate complex requirements and user needs into intuitive and effective design deliverables for challenging technical products.
Showcase examples of your work in user research, usability testing, and how you incorporated user feedback to iterate and improve designs.
Demonstrate proficiency in utilizing design and prototyping tools (e.g., Axure, Figma, Adobe Suite, Lucid) and present the outcomes of your work effectively.

Process Documentation:

Provide documentation of your UX design process, emphasizing workflow design and optimization phases for complex systems.
Include examples or descriptions of how you approach implementation and automation of UX best practices within development cycles.
Detail your methods for measuring and analyzing the performance of UX designs, including usability metrics and impact on mission effectiveness.
Illustrate your experience with Human Factors Analyses, such as Task Analyses and Predictive Workload Analyses, and how these informed your design decisions.
Show evidence of contributions to or maintenance of style guides and design systems, demonstrating an understanding of consistency and scalability in design.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a portfolio that details the process and impact is paramount. Candidates should prepare to articulate their methodology for research, design, and validation, and how their work directly contributed to improved usability and mission outcomes, especially within a defense context. The inclusion of Human Factors Analyses documentation is a specific differentiator.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

The primary level salary range for this position is $124,900.00 to $206,000.00 USD per year.
📝 Enhancement Note: This range is a guideline. Northrop Grumman states that the final base salary offer will be determined by considering factors such as the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate's experience, education, skills, and current market conditions. For specific locations like Redondo Beach, CA, and Aurora/Colorado Springs, CO, these figures align with senior-level UX Engineer roles in high-cost-of-living areas and the defense industry, reflecting competitive compensation for specialized engineering talent.

Benefits:

Health Insurance Coverage: Comprehensive health insurance plans are provided.
Life and Disability Insurance: Robust life and disability insurance policies are included to offer financial security.
Savings Plan: A company-sponsored savings plan (likely a 401(k) with potential company match) is available for long-term financial planning.
Company Paid Holidays: Employees receive paid holidays, ensuring time off for national observances.
Paid Time Off (PTO): Generous PTO is provided for vacation and personal business needs.
Discretionary Bonus: Employees may be eligible for a discretionary bonus, rewarding individual contributions and company performance.
Overtime and Shift Differential: Depending on the position, eligibility for overtime pay and shift differential may apply.
Long Term Incentives: Vice President or Director level positions may be eligible for Long Term Incentives.

Working Hours:

The standard working hours are likely based on a 40-hour work week.
📝 Enhancement Note: While the base hours are standard, the nature of defense contracting and the "Secret" clearance requirement may necessitate flexibility or occasional extended hours to meet program deadlines or critical mission objectives, though this is not explicitly stated. The travel requirement of ~10% also implies some flexibility in scheduling.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Aerospace & Defense, Government Services Company Size: Northrop Grumman is a large, global corporation, typically employing over 100,000 employees. This signifies a highly structured environment with extensive resources, established processes, and numerous opportunities for specialization and advancement. Founded: Northrop Grumman was founded in 1939. Its long history and deep roots in defense innovation suggest a culture that values stability, technological advancement, and long-term mission commitment.

Team Structure:

The Payload and Ground Systems organization is a significant division within Northrop Grumman's Space Systems sector, indicating a team of considerable size and specialization.
The UX team likely operates within a matrixed structure, reporting to UX leadership but embedded within specific program teams or product lines.
Collaboration is expected to be high, involving close partnerships with program managers, systems engineers, software developers, hardware engineers, and end-users (often military personnel). The UX team's role is to champion the user and ensure human-centered design principles are integrated throughout the development lifecycle.

Methodology:

Northrop Grumman likely employs a combination of traditional engineering methodologies and agile development practices, adapted for the defense sector.
Data analysis and insights are critical for informing design decisions, especially concerning mission effectiveness, system performance, and user efficiency.
Workflow planning and optimization are key responsibilities for UX engineers, ensuring that systems are not only functional but also efficient and intuitive for operators.
Automation and efficiency practices are likely integrated into design and development, particularly in areas of testing and deployment, to streamline complex processes.

Company Website: https://www.northropgrumman.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: As a major defense contractor, Northrop Grumman's culture is likely characterized by a strong focus on mission success, security, technical excellence, and adherence to rigorous standards. The scale of the company suggests a structured approach to career development and project management.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior Principal UX Engineer (T04)

This level signifies a highly experienced individual contributor with significant expertise in UX research and design.
Responsibilities extend beyond individual tasks to include leading UX initiatives, mentoring junior team members, and influencing UX strategy within programs or the broader organization.
The role demands a deep understanding of human factors principles, complex system design, and the ability to operate independently on challenging projects.

Reporting Structure:

The Senior Principal UX Engineer will likely report to a UX Design Manager, Lead UX Designer, or a Program Engineering Lead.
They will work closely with cross-functional teams across various engineering disciplines and program management.
Direct reports are unlikely at this level, but mentorship and guidance of junior UX engineers and designers are expected.

Operations Impact:

UX engineers at Northrop Grumman have a direct impact on the effectiveness and efficiency of critical defense systems, influencing mission outcomes for warfighters.
Their work ensures that complex technologies are usable, reducing errors, minimizing training time, and enhancing operator performance in high-stakes environments.
By advocating for user needs and applying human-centered design, they contribute to the overall success and adoption of new systems and technologies.

Growth Opportunities:

Operations Skill Advancement: Opportunities to deepen expertise in specialized areas of UX/Human Factors, such as AI/ML interfaces, virtual/augmented reality, complex data visualization, or specific defense domain applications.
Leadership Development: Potential to move into lead UX roles, managing teams or critical programs, or to transition into management or strategic UX planning roles.
Technical Specialization: Career paths can lead to becoming a recognized subject matter expert in specific UX methodologies, tools, or defense system interfaces.
Cross-Functional Mobility: Opportunities to apply UX skills to different sectors within Northrop Grumman or to move into related engineering or product management roles.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers significant career growth potential within a large, established organization. The "Senior Principal" title suggests a path toward technical leadership, mentorship, or specialized expert roles within the company's extensive defense and aerospace projects.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Primarily an on-site role, requiring presence in one of the designated office locations. The environment will likely be a corporate office setting with dedicated workspaces. Office Location(s):

Redondo Beach, California
Aurora, Colorado
Colorado Springs, Colorado
📝 Enhancement Note: These locations are hubs for aerospace and defense activities. Candidates should consider the local cost of living and career opportunities within these regions. Relocation assistance may be available.

Workspace Context:

The workspace will likely be collaborative, with opportunities for spontaneous discussions and formal meetings with cross-functional teams.
Access to state-of-the-art UX tools, design software, and potentially specialized hardware or simulation environments may be available depending on the program.
Team interaction is crucial, facilitating knowledge sharing, design critiques, and problem-solving sessions among UX professionals and other engineering disciplines.

Work Schedule:

Standard business hours are expected, typically 40 hours per week.
📝 Enhancement Note: The ~10% travel requirement suggests that work schedules may need to accommodate occasional business trips for user engagement, testing, or stakeholder meetings. Flexibility may be required to meet critical program deadlines, a common characteristic in defense contracting.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

Initial Screening: HR or recruiter will review applications and resumes, focusing on qualifications, experience, and clearance status.
Technical Interview(s): Expect interviews with UX leads, senior UX engineers, and potentially program managers or systems engineers. These will assess your UX methodology, technical skills, and problem-solving abilities.
Portfolio Review: A dedicated session to present and discuss your portfolio is highly probable. Be prepared to walk through specific case studies, detailing your process, challenges, and outcomes.
Behavioral/Situational Questions: Questions will gauge your collaboration skills, ability to handle conflict, leadership potential, and how you approach complex challenges.
Security Clearance Verification: Confirmation of active Secret clearance will be a critical step.

Portfolio Review Tips:

Curate Effectively: Select 3-5 of your strongest, most relevant projects that showcase your skills in both UX research and design, ideally for complex systems.
Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the UX process followed (research, ideation, design, testing), key decisions made, challenges encountered, and the impact/outcomes achieved. Quantify results whenever possible.
Highlight Collaboration: Emphasize how you worked with cross-functional teams and stakeholders, and how you incorporated their feedback.
Showcase Process, Not Just Polish: While polished final designs are good, focus on demonstrating your thought process, iterations, and the rationale behind your design decisions. Include wireframes, user flows, research findings, and usability test results.
Prepare for Questions: Anticipate questions about your design choices, how you handle design disagreements, your experience with specific tools, and how you measure success.
Tailor to Northrop Grumman: Research Northrop Grumman's mission and the types of systems they develop. If possible, tailor your presentation to highlight relevant experience.

Challenge Preparation:

Be prepared for potential design exercises or case studies, either during the interview or as a take-home assignment. These might involve analyzing a given problem, proposing a UX solution, or critiquing an existing interface.
Practice articulating your thought process clearly and concisely. Focus on applying UX principles and human factors considerations to the problem.
If given a take-home challenge, manage your time effectively and ensure your submission is well-organized and professionally presented.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily weigh your portfolio and your ability to articulate your UX process and its impact. Demonstrating a deep understanding of human factors and the ability to work within a structured, mission-oriented environment will be key.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

Design & Prototyping: Axure, Lunacy, Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, XD), Lucidchart, Figma. Familiarity with one or more of these is essential, with Figma and Lucidchart being preferred.
Collaboration & Communication: Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Microsoft Teams, Jira, Confluence.
User Research Tools: SurveyMonkey, Qualtrics, UserTesting.com, Lookback, or similar platforms for conducting user research and usability studies.
Version Control/Design Systems: Experience with Git or similar version control systems for design assets, and familiarity with building/maintaining design systems and style guides.

Analytics & Reporting:

While not explicitly a data analyst role, understanding how to interpret user research data, usability metrics, and potentially system performance data is important.
Tools like Google Analytics or similar might be used for web-based applications, but specialized internal tools for defense systems are more likely.

CRM & Automation:

Not directly applicable to this UX role, but understanding how UX integrates with CRM (Customer Relationship Management) or other business automation systems might be beneficial for context.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in modern UX/UI design and prototyping tools is a baseline requirement. Experience with tools relevant to Human Factors Analyses and the ability to integrate with development workflows (e.g., Jira) are also important. Familiarity with defense-specific tools or standards is a plus.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

Mission Focus: A strong commitment to the company's mission of national security and defense, translating into a dedication to delivering high-quality, reliable, and effective user experiences.
Technical Excellence: Emphasis on rigorous engineering practices, adherence to standards, and continuous improvement in UX methodologies and execution.
Collaboration and Teamwork: Valuing open communication, mutual respect, and collective problem-solving across diverse teams and disciplines.
Integrity and Accountability: Upholding the highest ethical standards and taking ownership of responsibilities and outcomes.
Innovation: Encouraging novel ideas and creative solutions to address complex challenges in user interface design and human-system interaction.

Collaboration Style:

Cross-Functional Integration: UX engineers are expected to be integrated members of product and engineering teams, working closely with developers, product managers, and subject matter experts.
Process Review and Feedback: A culture of constructive feedback and peer review is likely encouraged to refine designs and ensure alignment with user needs and technical constraints.
Knowledge Sharing: Practices that promote the sharing of UX best practices, research findings, and tool expertise across the team and organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture at Northrop Grumman, particularly within a defense-focused organization, will likely emphasize precision, reliability, and a strong sense of purpose. UX professionals are expected to be team players who can advocate for the user while respecting technical and programmatic realities.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

Complex System Design: Designing intuitive interfaces for highly complex, multi-functional systems with demanding operational requirements and stringent safety/security protocols.
Conflicting Requirements: Balancing user needs with technical constraints, security mandates, and program deadlines.
User Access and Engagement: Gaining access to target users (often military personnel) for research and testing can be challenging due to operational tempo and security restrictions.
Evolving Technologies: Staying current with rapid advancements in UX technologies, methodologies, and defense system requirements.
Disseminating UX Best Practices: Advocating for and embedding user-centered design principles within a historically engineering-centric culture.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

Operations Skill Advancement: Opportunities to gain expertise in specialized UX domains such as advanced data visualization, AI/ML interfaces, VR/AR applications, or human-robot interaction.
Industry Certifications and Conferences: Support for attending relevant industry conferences (e.g., UXPA, HFES) and pursuing professional certifications in UX or Human Factors.
Mentorship Programs: Access to experienced UX professionals and leaders for guidance, career advice, and skill development.
Internal Training: Northrop Grumman likely offers extensive internal training programs covering technical skills, project management, and leadership development.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role presents opportunities to solve significant UX challenges within the defense sector, offering a unique learning environment. The company's commitment to employee development suggests ample avenues for professional growth and skill enhancement.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

Operations Strategy: "How would you approach designing a user interface for a new satellite ground control system, considering the need for real-time data monitoring and rapid response capabilities?" (Focus on your process: research, task analysis, information architecture, prototyping, validation).
Collaboration & Stakeholder Management: "Describe a time you had to influence a team or stakeholder who disagreed with your UX recommendation. How did you handle it, and what was the outcome?" (Highlight your communication, persuasion, and negotiation skills).
Problem-Solving: "Imagine a critical system is experiencing a high rate of user errors. How would you diagnose the root cause from a UX perspective, and what steps would you take to address it?" (Demonstrate your analytical approach and problem-solving methodology).

Company & Culture Questions:

"What interests you about working for Northrop Grumman and specifically within the defense industry?" (Showcase your understanding of their mission and your alignment with it).
"How do you ensure your UX designs meet the specific needs and operational contexts of military users?" (Reference your experience with military users or understanding of defense requirements).
"Describe your experience working in an agile development environment. How do you integrate UX activities into sprint planning and execution?" (Showcase your adaptability and understanding of agile workflows).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

Tell a Story: For each case study, craft a compelling narrative that guides the interviewer through the problem, your solution, and the results.
Focus on "Why": Clearly explain the rationale behind your design decisions, linking them to user research, human factors principles, or business objectives.
Demonstrate Impact: Quantify the success of your projects with metrics (e.g., reduced error rates, improved task completion times, increased user satisfaction) whenever possible.
Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about any aspect of your portfolio projects, from research methods to specific design choices.
Showcase Tools and Techniques: Be ready to discuss the tools you used and why they were appropriate for the project.

📝 Enhancement Note: Prepare to articulate your UX process rigorously, demonstrating a clear understanding of human factors and how your designs contribute to mission success. Tailoring your responses to the defense context and Northrop Grumman's values will be crucial.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Principal UX Engineer position:

Submit your application through the Northrop Grumman careers portal using the provided URL.
Prepare Your Portfolio: Curate a strong portfolio that highlights your UX research and design process, focusing on complex systems and demonstrating measurable impact. Ensure it includes examples of user research, wireframes, prototypes, and final designs.
Tailor Your Resume: Customize your resume to emphasize your experience with user-centered design, human factors, agile development, and any relevant defense industry or military user experience. Highlight achievements using action verbs and quantifiable results.
Research Northrop Grumman: Familiarize yourself with Northrop Grumman's mission, values, and the types of projects they undertake. Understand the significance of their work in the aerospace and defense sector.
Practice Your Presentation: Rehearse presenting your portfolio case studies, focusing on clarity, conciseness, and your ability to articulate your thought process and the impact of your work. Be ready to discuss your experience with the required tools and methodologies.
Confirm Clearance: Ensure you meet the active Secret clearance requirement and be prepared to discuss its status if asked.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.

Senior Principal UX Engineer - Researcher/Designer (T04)