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a Principal Software Engineer or a Sr. Principal Software Engineer

San Diego, California, United States
Full Time On-site

Summary

Job Description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available

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 has an opening for a Principal Software Engineer or a Sr. Principal Software Engineer to join our team of qualified, diverse individuals within our Software organization. The location for this opportunity is in Redondo  Beach, CA, El Segundo, CA or Rancho  Bernardo, CA and will be primarily based within our office spaces to support the program and business needs. Operating on our 9/80 schedule means you will get every other Friday off. The position has NO Remote or  Hybrid work available .

This role is in support for the Seven Deuces contract. The job entails defining the mission autonomy architecture for manned-unmanned teaming operating in contested environments; identifying enabling functions with requirements based on OA analysis of missions; and developing solution concepts and interfaces aligned with the government reference architecture. This also includes surveying existing NG capabilities, as well as 3rd parties to develop a mission autonomy solution to perform the identified mission. The scope also entails developing a roadmap and cost to develop and field the proposed solution.

*This requisition may be filled at a Principal Software Engineer (Level 3) OR a Sr. Principal Software Engineer (Level 4) level based on the qualifications below**

Basic Qualifications:

  • Principal Software Engineer: Bachelor’s Degree in a Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) discipline from an accredited university with 5 Years experience; OR a master’s degree in a Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) discipline from an accredited university with 3 Years experience; OR a PhD in a Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) discipline from an accredited university with 1 Years experience

  • Sr. Principal Software Engineer: Bachelor’s Degree in a Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) discipline from an accredited university with 8 Years experience; OR a master’s degree in a Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) discipline from an accredited university with 6 Years experience; OR a PhD in a Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) discipline from an accredited university with 4 Years experience​

  • Experience with various autonomy algorithms for single and multi-vehicle operations

  • Familiar with Agile development practices

  • Experience with OMS/UCI and ability to understand XML schema

  • Familiar with Air Dominance missions

  • Strong systems engineering background including requirements development, mission engineering threads, and functional decomposition

  • Your ability to obtain and/or transfer and maintain the final adjudicated government Secret clearance, and any program access(es) required for the position within a reasonable period of time, as determined by the company

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Communication skills to collaborate with 3rd parties to leverage their capabilities to bridge any gaps with NG's capabilities

  • Existing Department of Defense Secret level security clearance

  • Proven experience in Mission Autonomy

  • Proficient in Control Theory and Optimization

  • Experience with Cameo, SysML

  • Understanding of contested environment operations, EW/EMCON constraints

Primary Level Salary Range: $11,400.00 - $171,000.00

Secondary Level Salary Range: $142,200.00 - $213,400.00

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.

About Northrop Grumman

Northrop Grumman

Northrop Grumman is one of the largest aerospace and defense companies in the United States, building advanced systems across space, air, land, sea, and cyber domains. The company is known for some of the most complex defense programs in the world, including stealth aircraft, autonomous systems, missile defense technologies, satellites, and space-based intelligence platforms that support U.S. national security operations.

For job seekers, Northrop Grumman offers careers across a wide range of high-impact fields including aerospace engineering, software development, cybersecurity, systems engineering, manufacturing, program management, and intelligence support. The company is especially attractive to veterans, cleared professionals, and engineers who want to work on mission-critical systems that directly support the Department of Defense and intelligence community. Many roles involve long-term programs with significant technical depth and real-world operational impact.

Unlike smaller defense startups focused on narrow capabilities, Northrop Grumman operates across multiple major mission areas, giving employees exposure to highly advanced programs such as stealth platforms, space systems, autonomous vehicles, and next-generation command-and-control systems. The company is also a major leader in classified space and intelligence systems, where cutting-edge engineering and secure infrastructure play a critical role in national defense.

As global competition in space, cyber, and advanced military systems continues to intensify, Northrop Grumman remains one of the most strategically important employers in the defense industry. For professionals seeking stable, highly technical careers with long-term impact on national security, Northrop Grumman continues to stand out as a leading destination in aerospace and defense.

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