Come join Northrop Grumman – Xetron, part of the Mission Systems sector, where we develop new capabilities for our military and intelligence customers around the globe. At Xetron we design systems that only science fiction writers could imagine, because they’re that cool!
Xetron is an operating unit of the Northrop Grumman Corporation, located in Cincinnati, Ohio where employees have the chance to know everyone on site while working on cutting‑edge technologies and high‑impact products. You’ll tackle the next generation of challenging problems, share expertise, and learn from world‑class teammates. Remember when you were excited about the challenge of the problem, the importance of the solution, and the fun you had with your team? You’ll experience that at Xetron! See why we receive comments on our YouTube Videos like “This company is insanely advanced” and “Wow. This is mind blowing.”
We are seeking cleared mid-level Software Engineers who are self‑motivated and energetic, with a background in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or related technical disciplines.
Responsibilities:
This position involves developing solutions to national security threats with products that may involve kernel development, reverse engineering, or vulnerability research of network and communication systems. The position requires solid software development skills, including familiarity with scripting languages. Knowledge of computer networking, modern software development environments, embedded programming, and software configuration management tools is a plus.
Essential Functions:
Kernel Mode (Windows, Linux) programming (C/C++, Assembly)
Reverse Engineering (x86, x64, MIPS, PPC, or ARM)
Vulnerability Analysis
Communications Engineer:
Network Programming (C/C++)
Network protocols TCP/IP, UDP, HTTP, SSL, etc...
Infrastructure Engineer
Basic Qualifications for Cyber Software Engineer Level:
B.S. degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or related field and 2 years of programming experience, or M.S. degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering and 0 experience.
US Citizenship is required
An active Secret clearance is required
Ability to obtain and maintain and Top Secret clearance.
Demonstrated software programming experience in C/C++
Experience with debugging and/or system analysis tools (e.g., Wireshark, IDAPro, OllyDebug, WinDBG, JTAG debuggers)
Preferred Qualifications:
Active TS/SCI security clearance
Experience as Technical Lead leading teams of 2-8 engineers
Advanced degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or related field
Experience in software development to include any of the following: kernel mode, embedded, command and control, web applications, network applications
Experience with SDLC (software development life cycle)
Familiarity with Assembly Languages (e.g., x86, x64, MIPS, PPC, or ARM)
Experience with vulnerability research on one or more operating systems (Android, IOS, Windows, Linux, etc.).
Experience with emulation (Renode, QEMU, etc.)
Experience with reverse engineering compiled binaries using industry-standard tools such as Ghidra or IDA Pro.
Experience developing software for multiple operating system environments
Experience with virtual machine technology
OS Internals experience
Development of lower-level networking protocols such as TCP/IP and UDP
Understanding of return-oriented programming (ROP) concepts and execution
Ability to develop and implement shell code.
Ability to understand secure / insecure programming concepts (format string vulnerabilities, heap overflows, etc.)
Familiarity with modern source control platforms (e.g., Git, GitHub, GitLab) and CI/CD workflows using tools such as Jenkins, GitHub Actions, and GitLab CI.
Experience with the Agile methodology
This position offers the option of a 9/80 work schedule. The 9/80 schedule allows employees who work a nine-hour day Monday through Thursday to take every other Friday off.
Primary Level Salary Range: $91,800.00 - $137,600.00The 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.Skills Required
- Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related field and 2 years of programming experience, or a Master of Science degree in Computer Science or Computer Engineering with 0 years of experience
- U.S. citizenship
- Active Secret security clearance
- Ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance
- Demonstrated software programming experience in C or C++
- Experience with debugging or system analysis tools such as Wireshark, IDA Pro, OllyDbg, WinDbg, or JTAG debuggers
- Active TS/SCI security clearance
- Technical leadership experience leading teams of 2 to 8 engineers
- Advanced degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related field
- Experience with kernel-mode, embedded, command-and-control, web application, or network application development
- Software development life cycle experience
- Assembly language experience, including x86, x64, MIPS, PPC, or ARM
- Vulnerability research experience on Android, iOS, Windows, Linux, or other operating systems
- Emulation experience with Renode, QEMU, or similar tools
- Reverse engineering compiled binaries using Ghidra, IDA Pro, or similar tools
- Software development experience across multiple operating system environments
- Virtual machine technology experience
- Operating system internals experience
- Experience developing lower-level TCP/IP and UDP networking protocols
- Understanding of return-oriented programming concepts and execution
- Ability to develop and implement shellcode
- Understanding of secure and insecure programming concepts, including format string vulnerabilities and heap overflows
- Familiarity with Git, GitHub, GitLab, Jenkins, GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, and CI/CD workflows
- Agile methodology experience
Northrop Grumman Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Northrop Grumman and has not been reviewed or approved by Northrop Grumman.
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Retirement Support — 401(k) matching is considered strong, with additional defined-benefit coverage for certain cohorts and options like catch-up contributions. Retirement programs are repeatedly highlighted as a core strength of the total rewards.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — PTO, company-paid holidays, and compressed work schedules (such as 9/80) provide meaningful time away and flexibility. These scheduling options are cited as a major quality-of-life benefit across many locations.
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Parental & Family Support — Paid parental leave alongside caregiver leave, adoption assistance, and back-up care supports a range of family needs. These programs have been expanded recently, signaling continued investment in family support.
Northrop Grumman Insights
What We Do
We are a close-knit community of big thinkers collaborating to keep the world safe. Our passion, creativity and expertise bring next-level technology solutions to life in autonomous systems, cyber, C4ISR, strike, space, and logistics and modernization for our customers around the globe. On the Northrop Grumman team, you’ll join our pursuit of excellence immersed in a dynamic culture of innovation and respect. Your unique perspective will help achieve our shared vision for the future of global security. Every step of the way, you'll be supported by world-class training, employee resource groups and a comprehensive benefits package that enables greater health and happiness for you and your family. Worldwide and across disciplines, we’re challenging what’s possible for technology to protect people and places from undersea to outer space and into cyberspace. And we see the impact of our performance every day. We are Northrop Grumman, and we work on what matters—now, you too can make a difference. Explore opportunities in engineering, IT, manufacturing, business management, cybersecurity and more with us. Northrop Grumman is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.





