Northrop Grumman
Software Engineer
Location
Palmdale, CA, 93551
Job Type
Other
Date Posted
27 November 2025
RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: No relocation assistance available
CLEARANCE TYPE: Secret
TRAVEL: 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 Space Systems - Launch and Missile Defense Systems has an exciting career opportunity for a Sr Principal Engineer Software - System Architecture SW Engineer to join our team of qualified, diverse individuals. This position will be located in Huntsville, AL.
Position Overview:
The Command and Control, Battle Management, and Communications (C2BMC) program integrates the Missile Defense System. It is a vital operational system that enables the U.S. president, secretary of defense, and combatant commanders at strategic, regional, and operational levels to systematically plan ballistic missile defense operations, to see the battle develop collectively, and to dynamically manage designated networked sensors and weapons systems to achieve global and regional mission objectives. C2BMC supports a layered missile defense capability that enables an optimized response to threats of all ranges in all phases of flight. C2BMC is the force multiplier that globally and regionally networks integrate, synchronizing autonomous sensor and weapon systems and operations to optimize performance. C2BMC is integral to all system ground and flight tests, which verify and exercise all current and future missile defense system capabilities. The selected candidate will be a member of the C2BMC software architecture team on the Regional Applications Agile Release Train (ART).
Essential Functions:
- This position will be responsible for developing automated acceptance tests that verify functionality across the C2BMC system. This position's responsibilities include:
- Support architectural definition of the C2BMC system and then implement automated acceptance tests to integrate C2BMC products including tactical software development.
- Implement a pipeline that verified the architectural products.
- Support product teams pipeline development as necessary.
Basic Qualifications:
- Please note your updated security clearance and IAT/relevant certifications on your resume, if applicable.
- Bachelor's Degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics) discipline preferred from an accredited university and 9 years of related work experience or a Master's degree in a related discipline and 7 years of related work experience, or a PhD and 5 years of related work experience, or 13 years of related work experience in lieu of a degree may be considered
- Applicants must have a current active in-scope DoD-issued Secret security clearance at the time of application, which is required to start with the ability to obtain TS/SCI clearance
- Current DoD 8140 certification at IAT Level II or higher (Security+ CE, CCNA-Security, CND, CySA+, CISSP, CISA, etc.) which is required to start
- The candidate must have an understanding of the full life-cycle software engineering practices and procedures applicable to large software systems to include:
- Recent hands on application development experience or coursework in the use of the Java programming language.
- Understanding of the difference between white box and black box testing
- Understanding of software unit testing strategies, automated software builds, continuous integration and continuous deployment.
- Knowledge of Test Driven Development (TDD) and Behavior Driven Development(BDD) required.
- Experience developing software on Linux platforms is required.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Hands on experience with software development and CM tools such as Eclipse, Maven, Gradle, Nexus, JUnit, Confluence, SonarQube, JIRA, Jenkins, XText, Git, GitHub, Cucumber, and Fortify highly desirable.
- Familiarity with automated unit and acceptance testing.
- Awareness of emerging technologies in the automated build, deployment and test areas.
- Understanding of Ballistic Missile Defense concepts, Battle Management and Command and Control (BM/C2) systems, defense communications systems, and the BMDS in general is desired.
What We Can Offer You:
- Health Plan
- Savings Plan
- Paid Time Off
- Education Assistance
- Training and Development
- Flexible Work Arrangements
Primary Level Salary Range: $152,000.00 - $169,700.00
The 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Palmdale's tech sector is growing steadily, but software engineer positions remain competitive due to proximity to larger hubs. Candidates with hands-on experience in software development and strong problem-solving skills tend to have an advantage in securing roles in this region.
Locally, certifications related to cloud computing, Agile methodologies, and specific programming languages like Java or Python can enhance a software engineer’s appeal. Employers such as Northrop Grumman often value certifications reflecting security clearances or defense-related software skills.
Proficiency in C++, Python, and Java is highly valued for software engineering roles in Palmdale, especially within defense contractors. Experience with embedded systems and software lifecycle management tools also significantly improves job prospects in this locale.
Software engineers at Northrop Grumman can expect structured career paths that emphasize technical specialization and leadership roles. The company encourages continuous learning, with opportunities to work on cutting-edge aerospace and defense projects, fostering advancement in software systems engineering.
Yes, Northrop Grumman invests in mentorship programs tailored for software engineers to enhance their technical skills and leadership capabilities. These initiatives help engineers navigate complex projects and align with the company’s innovation-driven culture.
Software engineers in Palmdale generally earn between $85,000 and $115,000 annually, depending on experience and specialization. Positions at Northrop Grumman often include competitive compensation packages reflecting the technical demands and security requirements of defense industry projects.
While a software development engineer focuses primarily on coding, testing, and debugging software solutions, a software project engineer typically balances technical tasks with managing timelines, coordinating teams, and ensuring project deliverables meet specifications.
Graduate software engineers usually engage in foundational coding and learning company systems under supervision, whereas senior engineers lead complex system designs, mentor juniors, and influence strategic decisions affecting software development.
Software engineers in aerospace firms must navigate stringent security protocols, rigorous testing standards, and integration with hardware systems. Adapting to these specialized requirements demands precise coding practices and collaborative problem-solving.
Beyond salary, engineers should assess Palmdale’s commute logistics, cost of living, and local tech community vibrancy. Proximity to aerospace hubs offers networking advantages, but transportation infrastructure and housing availability also impact work-life balance.
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