Principal/Sr Principal Software Engineer

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: No relocation assistance availableCLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: YesCLEARANCE TYPE: 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 Defense Systems is seeking multiple Software Engineers and Principal Software Engineers to join the Global C2 Solutions Business Unit in Huntsville, Alabama. You will help design, develop, integrate, test, and sustain mission‑critical command and control (C2) software used by our warfighters and customers around the world.

In this role, you will support the Integrated Battle Command System (IBCS) program on Engagement and Track Management Agile Software Teams, working closely with systems and test engineers to build robust, secure, and scalable software solutions that address complex logical and mathematical challenges in support of Global C2 missions. This position is ideal for engineers who enjoy hands‑on development, solving complex technical problems, and collaborating in a highly integrated, Agile environment.

Responsibilities / Essential Functions

• Design, develop, document, test, and debug applications and software systems that implement logical and mathematical solutions that are aligned with program objectives.
• Participate in Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) Scrum teams to develop and maintain software products across multiple software baselines for the IBCS program.
• Work in a fast-paced environment with high expectations, diverse assignments, and collaborative team settings across all levels of the organization.
• Perform software development and upgrades in multiple programming languages/versions while minimizing changes to the operational behavior of tactical software.
• Support documentation creation and updates using Markdown and other collaboration tools.
• Support testing activities including unit and functional testing, code coverage analysis, and static code analysis; contribute to continuous improvement of test effectiveness and automation.

Basic Qualifications

• Principal level: 5 Years of relevant experience with a Bachelor's degree in STEM field; 3 Years relevant experience with Masters degree; 1 Years of relevant experience with PhD
• Sr Principal level: 8 Years of relevant experience with a Bachelor's degree in STEM field; 6 Years relevant experience with Masters degree; 4 Years of relevant experience with PhD
• Strong object-oriented software development experience with Java and C++
• Proficiency in Linux-based development and runtime environments. Experience with scripting languages and tools including Bash and Python.
• Experience with modern configuration management and source control tools (Git / GitLab).
• Experience with Agile SAFe and Atlassian Agile tools including Jira and Confluence.
• Active Secret Clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Model‑Based Systems Engineering (MBSE), including Cameo or similar tools.
• Experience with DevSecOps and CI/CD pipelines to build, integrate, test and deliver software.
• Experience supporting real-time or distributed systems using RTI/DDS publish/subscribe middleware.
• Engagement: Experience with US Army Systems including PATRIOT, LTAMDS, SENTINEL A3/A4, IFF devices, and M_SHORAD. Experience with Engagement Planning and Execution, PAC2/PAC3, and AIM9x, and Indirect Fires.
• Track Management: Experience with track management including sensors, composite track, IFF devices, and Combat Identification.
• CompTIA Security+

#HSVFall2026

Primary Level Salary Range: $108,800.00 - $163,200.00Secondary Level Salary Range: $135,800.00 - $203,600.00The 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 U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.