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Principal/Sr. Principal Software Engineer – Test Set (Secret and/or Top Secret and/or SCI Required)

Requisition ID: R10111924

  • CategoryCategory: Engineering
  • LocationLocation: Manhattan Beach, CA, USA
  • Citizenship RequirementsCitizenship Required: United States Citizenship
  • Security Clearance TypeClearance Type: Secret
  • TelecommuteTelecommute: No- Teleworking not available for this position
  • ShiftShift: 1st Shift (United States of America)
  • Travel RequirementsTravel Required: Yes, 10% of the Time
  • Relocation AssistanceRelocation Assistance: Relocation assistance may be available

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 Strategic Space Systems is looking for you to join our team as a Principal / Sr. Principal Software Engineer - Test Set with the Software Engineering organization based out of Manhattan Beach, CA.

The Software Engineer will develop and maintain software to automate testing of RF, Power, Digital, or Mixed Signal devices that range from chips to subsystems. Candidate will develop and maintain tools for data trending and post processing. Candidate must understand the domain of the devices under test, including the test methodologies and the respective instrumentation. Candidate will provide innovative solutions that decrease test time, decrease data review time, or improve quality of data and provide timely support on the factory floor to ensure minimal delays in test.

Designs, develops, documents, tests and debugs applications software and systems that contain logical and mathematical solutions. Conducts multidisciplinary research and collaborates with equipment designers and/or hardware engineers in the planning, design, development, and utilization of electronic data processing systems for product software. Determines overall system and user needs; analyzes system capabilities to resolve problems on program intent, output requirements, input data acquisition, programming techniques and controls; prepares operating instructions; designs and develops utility programs. Ensures software standards are met.

Candidates should have the following:

  • Academic and work experience in software engineering and development across the full life cycle for automated test sets/test systems on aerospace programs

  • Experience working in a process-oriented environment utilizing waterfall, spiral, or agile processes

  • Strong verbal and written communication skills and be comfortable working on large teams with talented engineering from other engineering disciplines

This requisition may be filled at either a Principal Engineer level or Sr. Principal Engineer level based on the qualifications listed below.

Basic Qualifications – Principal Software Engineer 

  • Bachelor’s Degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics) discipline and 5+ years software development experience, or Master’s Degree in a STEM discipline and 3+ years of software development experience

  • Experience with Object-Oriented software design and multiple programming languages including C, C++, C#, and/or LabVIEW

  • Candidate must currently have, and be able to maintain, at least ONE of the following active U.S. Government security clearances: Department of Defense Secret level and/or Department of Defense Top Secret and/or SCI Access

Basic Qualifications – Sr. Principal Software Engineer 

  • Bachelor’s Degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics) discipline and 9+ years software development experience, or Master’s Degree in a STEM discipline and 7+ years of software development experience

  • Experience with Object-Oriented software design and multiple programming languages including C, C++, C#, and/or LabVIEW

  • Candidate must currently have, and be able to maintain, at least ONE of the following active U.S. Government security clearances: Department of Defense Secret level and/or Department of Defense Top Secret and/or SCI Access

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or Electrical Engineering from an ABET accredited university

  • Experience across the various life cycle phases including software systems architecture development, requirements definition and analysis, OO development, code and unit test, system integration and test

  • Experience with lab instruments such as noise and signal generators; logic, spectrum, and network analyzers; and power sources and switches

  • Experience with hardware validation and verification of RF, digital or mixed signal devices


Salary Range: $104,600 USD - $157,000 USD
Salary Range 2: $129,700 USD - $194,500 USD

Employees may be eligible for 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 health and safety of our employees and their families is a top priority. The company encourages employees to remain up-to-date on their COVID-19 vaccinations. U.S. Northrop Grumman employees may be required, in the future, to be vaccinated or have an approved disability/medical or religious accommodation, pursuant to future court decisions and/or government action on the currently stayed federal contractor vaccine mandate under Executive Order 14042 https://www.saferfederalworkforce.gov/contractors/.

Northrop Grumman is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action 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/AA and Pay Transparency statement, please visit http://www.northropgrumman.com/EEO. U.S. Citizenship is required for most positions.



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What's great about
Northrop Grumman

  1. Be part of a culture that thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity and bringing your whole self to work.
  2. Use your skills to build and deliver innovative tech solutions that protect the world and shape a better future.
  3. Enjoy benefits like work-life balance, education assistance and paid time off.


Did you know?

Northrop Grumman leads the industry team for NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, the largest, most complex and powerful space telescope ever built. Launched in December 2021, the telescope incorporates innovative design, advanced technology, and groundbreaking engineering, and will fundamentally alter our understanding of the universe.