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Sr Principal Software Engineer

Northrop Grumman
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Palmdale, CA, USA
Sep 21, 2026
RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be availableCLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: YesCLEARANCE TYPE: Top SecretTRAVEL: 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 is seeking a Senior Principal Software Engineer to join our team on site in San Diego, CA, El Segundo, CA, Palmdale, CA or Oklahoma City, OK. The ideal candidate is a self-starter with experience working in an Integrated Product Team (IPT) environment. In this role, you will be a key member of the Models & Simulation team, leading the planning, integration, and delivery of software releases, as well as diagnosing and resolving complex technical issues.

Roles and Responsibilities will include:

  • Provide technical leadership for the development, implementation, and maintenance of modular simulation and modeling software (e.g., C++, Python), guiding the team in architecture, standards, and best practices.

  • Lead the integration of simulation components with system interfaces, middleware, and test harnesses; establish integration strategies and ensure interoperable data flows and real-time performance across the team.

  • Define and oversee verification and validation strategies, review test plans and results, and direct the resolution of defects to ensure model fidelity, accuracy, and traceability to requirements.

  • Drive performance and scalability optimization efforts; set priorities for profiling and tuning, reduce latency, and champion CI/CD pipelines for automated builds, testing, and deployments.

  • Coordinate with systems engineers, testers, and stakeholders to translate requirements into simulation capabilities and scenarios; review and approve technical documentation; and lead technical presentations and demonstrations.

The selected candidate will be required to work full-time, on-site at our facility.  There is no remote / hybrid / telework available for this position. Travel up to 25% may be required.

Basic Qualifications:

•Bachelor’s Degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics) discipline and 8 years of related engineering experience; OR a Master’s degree in a STEM discipline and 6 years of related engineering experience; OR a PhD in a STEM discipline and 4 years of related engineering experience.

•Experience with the full SW Development Life Cycle (SDLC)

•Experience with the following programming and scripting languages: C/C++, and Python

•Experience with two of the following tools: Jira, Crucible, Bitbucket, Gitlab, Subversion, Bamboo, Jenkins, Sonarqube, Fortify, or Coverity

•Experience with Agile SW development, embedded system programming, SW integration and testing

•Familiarity with at least one of the wire data interfaces: 1553, 1394, Serial, CAN, Ethernet/IP, or Fibre Channel, etc.

•Excellent communication, interpersonal skills, and the ability to interface with all levels of employees and management

•Ability to collaborate with systems engineers, hardware designers and integration/test engineers to develop and maintain complex SW systems

•Active in-Scope, U.S. Government Top Secret clearance.

•Ability to obtain and maintain initial Special Program Access (SAP/PAR). This SAP/PAR must be obtained prior to commencement of employment and must be obtained within a reasonable amount of time as determined by the company to meet its business needs. (Of note: SAP/PAR will be upgraded once selected candidate is in role. Therefore, candidate must also be able to obtain and maintain upgraded SAP/PAR.)

Preferred Qualifications:

•Current applicable Special Access Program (SAP) clearance.

•Active U.S. Government Top Secret SCI clearance (with a background investigation within the past 5 years or enrolled into Continuous Evaluation).

•Experience and proficiency in software architecture, design, implementation, integration, and debugging C++ SW running on Real-Time Operating systems such as: VxWorks, Integrity, AND/OR Real Time Embedded Linux.

•Experience with developing multi-threaded SW

•Differentiating characteristics include demonstrated leadership, teamwork capabilities, excellent oral and written communications skills, and strong interpersonal communication skills.

•Demonstrated professional experience developing software Java

•Can identify moderate execution defects by only reading code

•Understanding of how their embedded SW component will fit into a larger SW system / architecture

•Able to document, capture, and present software architectural components in modeling or diagramming tools

•Experience with Static & Dynamic Code Analysis

Primary Level Salary Range: $116,300.00 - $213,400.00The 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 ID

R10245794|loc9487a5c4

Security Clearance

Top Secret
About Northrop Grumman

Northrop Grumman solves the toughest problems in space, aeronautics, defense and cyberspace to meet the ever-evolving needs of our customers worldwide. Our 90,000 employees are Defining Possible every day to create and deliver advanced systems, products and services. Northrop Grumman careers and internships are as varied as your interests, with a lifetime of potential that will allow you to work together with people from many backgrounds, personal passions and disciplines.

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