Please note that this opportunity is contingent on program funding. Start dates are determined after funding confirmation.
Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems is looking to add a Senior Principal Engineer Software - Cyber Security to join our team on site in San Diego, CA. The candidate should be a self-starter with familiarity working in an Integrated Product Team construct.
Roles and Responsibilities will include:
Ensure system designs and implementations are consistent with policies, requirements, and directives, including compliance with Security Technical Implementation Guides (STIG), Security Requirements Guides (SRGs), Center for Internet Security (CIS) Benchmark, Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE), Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) and Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP). Identify Cyber vulnerabilities and compliance issues.
Administer strict program control processes to ensure mitigation of risks and supports obtaining Assessment and Authorization (A&A) of systems.
Support security process, analysis, coordination, assessment, documentation, software research.
Provide security impacts and risk assessments of new system components and emerging technologies.
Contribute to the implementation of the Risk Management Framework (RMF), through the required government policy (i.e., NIST SP 800-53, NIST SP 800-37, CNSSI, etc.), make recommendations on process tailoring, participate in and document process activities.
Perform active evaluations such as compliance and vulnerability tests and adjudicate deviations from acceptable configurations, and policies
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.
One of the following: DoD 8140 Cyber Workforce Qualification Program (CWQP), DoD 8570 IAM Level II Certifications (CompTIA SecurityX (CASP), CISSP, CSSLP)
Experience in the field of cybersecurity including common terms, fundamental technical elements, operating system security, network security, and software security.
Experience with Development, review and approval methods to monitor and measure risk, compliance, and assurance efforts.
Experience with system vulnerability management and security implementation as well as direct experience with DoD Assessment and Authorization (A&A) activities, security processes, and documentation/reporting using RMF, NIST, or CNSSI guidance as required.
Experience using and working with fundamental information technology principles, concepts and techniques including software languages, design concepts, test methods, and integration practices.
Must possess familiarity/knowledge of both Windows and UNIX based platforms (e.g. RedHat), hypervisor, and containerized environments as well as basic systems engineering principles and concepts.
Experience with compliance and vulnerability reporting tools (Nessus, Nexpose, SCAP, ACAS, Nmap, SAST, DAST).
Strong organizational and communication skills and experience working with stakeholders at a variety of levels between organizations.
Active U.S. Government Top Secret SCI Clearance (with a background investigation within the past 5 years or enrolled into Continuous Evaluation).
Ability to obtain and maintain 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.
Preferred Qualifications:
Current applicable Special Access Program (SAP) clearance.
Systems security experience and one of the following higher-level certifications (CISSP- ISSEP, CISSP-ISSAP, CSSLP).
Experience with the implementation of National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) special publications, federal regulations, and DoD policies.
Experience in documenting the security posture of an information system and reporting on security controls assigned to the system.
Experience submitting authorization content and artifacts to support authorizing authority’s ongoing assessment and risk acceptance decisions.
Experience performing complex security information technology tasks independently and validating security assessments and reviews.
Experience applying security hardening to information systems and networks under the guidance of the RMF.
Designs, develops, tests, and evaluates information systems throughout the systems development lifecycle.
We offer phenomenal learning opportunities, exposure to a wide variety of projects and customers, and a very friendly collaborative workplace. We are looking for self-motivated, proactive, and goal-oriented people to help us grow our services and become even better at what we do.
At Northrop Grumman, we are innovating-- building the next generation of sophisticated aircraft to protect our country. Our diverse portfolio of programs means there are endless paths to cultivate your career. We are well-known for our inclusive, family environment, as well as our excellent work/life balance. We also offer exceptional benefits/healthcare, a 9/80 schedule, and a great 401K matching program.
Primary Level Salary Range: $142,200.00 - $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.Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in STEM with 8 years related engineering experience (or Master's +6 years, PhD +4 years)
- Active U.S. Government Top Secret SCI Clearance (background investigation within past 5 years or enrolled in Continuous Evaluation)
- Ability to obtain and maintain Special Program Access (SAP/PAR) prior to employment
- DoD 8140 CWQP or DoD 8570 IAM Level II certification (e.g., CompTIA SecurityX/CASP, CISSP, CSSLP)
- Experience in cybersecurity fundamentals: operating system, network, and software security
- Experience with vulnerability management, security implementation, and DoD Assessment and Authorization (A&A) activities using RMF/NIST/CNSSI guidance
- Familiarity with Windows and UNIX (e.g., RedHat) platforms, hypervisors, and containerized environments
- Experience with compliance and vulnerability reporting tools (Nessus, Nexpose, SCAP, ACAS, Nmap, SAST, DAST)
- Experience with development, review and approval methods to monitor and measure risk, compliance, and assurance efforts
- Strong organizational and communication skills; experience working with stakeholders across organizations
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.








