The Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems Sector (NGAS), Global Surveillance division is looking for Principal Engineer Software/Senior Principal Engineer Software to join our software team. This position will be in Melbourne, Florida.
The ideal candidate will have the ability to take ownership of hard problems and drive to a solution, while working in a team environment and provide leadership for its implementation. It is critical that you understand the software development life cycle and have an in-depth knowledge of automated testing to facilitate and analyze large data sets. The Software Engineer will participate in the full life cycle of software development, to include requirements development, modeling and design, application development, unit to CSCI testing, integration, formal system testing, release, installation, and maintenance. The Software Engineer will apply technical expertise in solving complex integrations problems. The Software Engineer will interact with Program Management, external suppliers and/or government customers. Therefore, excellent verbal, written and interpersonal skills are required. A solid experience in bash scripting, Java, C++, and other OOP languages, in a Linux environment is required.
Responsibilities include:
Full lifecycle design, implementation, and unit testing of software
Work with various team members to integrate functionality with other software components.
Supporting the gathering and reporting software metrics.
Follow program software best practices.
Develop software products within all phases of the software lifecycle.
This requisition may be filled at either a Principal Level or a Sr. Principal Level.
Basic Qualifications:
(Principal Engineer Software) bachelor’s degree in a Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) discipline and 5 or more years of experience in software engineering OR a Master’s degree in a Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) discipline and 3 or more years of experience in software engineering.
(Sr. Principal Engineer Software) bachelor’s degree in a Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) discipline and 8 or more years of experience in software engineering OR a Master’s degree in a Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) discipline and 6 or more years of experience in software engineering
This position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a DoD Top Secret clearance. Must have the ability to obtain and maintain Special Program Access.
Development experience with debugging software in both the desktop and target environments.
Development experience with software integration of supplier software.
Experience with Agile software development
Development experience with C/C++ and other OOP languages.
Preferred Qualifications:
Software Supplier Management interfacing experience.
Excellent oral and written communication skills and Strong interpersonal skills.
Experience with integrating software and hardware
Experience with Open Mission Systems (OMS) architecture and standards
Experience with linux/unix operating systems
Experience with Agile software development and Atlassian tools (JIRA, Confluence, BitBucket, Bamboo, Fisheye, etc)
Experience with Cameo modeling for software design
Familiarity with the Atlassian tool suite with add-ons like Git and Confluence.
Familiarity with the Agile software development process.
Full software development life cycle experience.
Experience with formal software test and Weapon System evaluations.
US citizen, with a current in scope DoD Top secret or higher clearance.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in STEM and 5+ years software engineering OR Master's degree in STEM and 3+ years (Principal level)
- Bachelor's degree in STEM and 8+ years software engineering OR Master's degree in STEM and 6+ years (Sr. Principal level)
- Ability to obtain and maintain a DoD Top Secret clearance and Special Program Access
- Development experience debugging software in desktop and target environments
- Development experience with software integration of supplier software
- Experience with Agile software development and Agile practices
- Development experience with C/C++ and other object-oriented programming languages
- Solid experience with bash scripting, Java, and Linux/Unix environments
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.






