Northrop Grumman is hiring: Principal UX Engineer - Researcher/Designer (T03) -

Overview

Principal UX Engineer - Researcher/Designer (T03) at Northrop Grumman. In this role, you will contribute to the design and research of human-centered systems. You will apply user experience methods to features, workflows, and system modules, ensuring usability, consistency, and mission effectiveness. You will plan and execute user research activities, create prototypes and wireframes, and collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver intuitive and efficient solutions. You will work both independently and as part of a UX team, contributing to style guide compliance usability studies, and agile development processes. You will have the ability to perform UX research independently, UX design independently, or a combination of both, depending on program needs. This includes planning and executing user studies, developing wireframes and prototypes, and applying human factors principles to systems design. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams to support agile development, ensuring compliance with style guides, and deliver user-centered solutions that enhance mission outcomes. The ideal candidate has strong grounding in human factors/UX methodologies and thrives on translating user needs into actionable design deliverables.

Location

This position can be located in Redondo Beach, CA, Aurora CO, or Colorado Springs, CO.

Responsibilities

• Plan and execute user research activities and usability studies; develop prototypes and wireframes; collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver intuitive and efficient solutions.
• Work independently or as part of a UX team; contribute to style guide compliance and usability studies within agile development environments.
• Translate user needs into actionable design deliverables and support design systems and style guides.
• Conduct UX research and design activities across programs to enhance mission outcomes.
• Communicate and collaborate effectively with product managers, engineers, researchers, users, customers, and stakeholders.

Basic Qualifications

• 5 years of relevant experience with a Bachelor's degree; 3 years of relevant experience with a Master's degree; 1 year of relevant experience with a PhD
• Active Secret clearance required at the time of application
• Experience with user-centered design (UCD) principles, research methodologies, and usability testing, including user feedback events
• Knowledge of user engagement processes with demonstrated ability to apply them effectively in programs to support user experience products and feedback gathering
• Portfolio showcasing user-centered design solutions for web applications (attached/linked on application and/or resume)
• Demonstrated ability to translate complex requirements and user needs into intuitive and effective design solutions
• Proficiency in design and prototyping tools (e.g., Axure, Lunacy, Adobe Suite, Lucid, Figma)
• Ability to communicate, collaborate, and present effectively with cross-functional teams, including product managers, engineers, researchers, users, customers, and stakeholders
• Demonstrated experience designing in an agile software development environment
• Experience with contributions to Human Factors Analyses (including Task Analyses, Predictive Workload Analyses, Usability studies, Workload and Situational Awareness surveys)
• Experience with following, building and maintaining a style guide and design system
• Experience with visual design (typography, symbology, layout) and UX/UI development methods (personas, heuristic evaluations)
• Ability to travel ~10% of the time for user engagement visits or usability testing

Preferred Qualifications

• STEM degree
• Familiarity with MIL-STD-1472 (DoD Design Criteria Standard for Human Engineering)
• Experience designing applications for military users
• Mastery of design and prototyping tools (e.g., Figma, Lucid)
• Familiarity with Systems Engineering
• Familiarity with software development languages

Salary and Benefits

Primary Level Salary Range: $100,300.00 - $165,500.00

The above salary range represents a general guideline; 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 for vacation and/or personal business.

The application period for the job is estimated to be 20 days from the job posting date. 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.

Employment Type

• Full-time

Seniority level

• Mid-Senior level