Software Engineer / Principal Software Engineering

Company: Northrop Grumman
Location: Dulles
Posted on: April 2, 2026

Job Description:

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available CLEARANCE TYPE: Top 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. 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. Do you want to work at an international company with endless opportunities for growth and advancement? Are you eager to join a trust-based, globally-connected team, where your contributions will define what’s possible? We are looking for team members who want to solve interesting, complex problems, which protect our nation. Your talents and passion are most important to us. If you don’t know a language, program, or platform, we will teach you! Become a part of our enthusiastic team where we have fun working together and take pride in our contributions to the nation’s safety. In these role, the focus will be on development, integration, deployment, and sustainment of satellite ground software. These positions are located onsite on our Dulles, VA campus, and requires a Top Secret clearance at the time of application. What you’ll get to do: Full stack development at the OS, platform, and mission unique software layer Developing client and server applications and services using service or object-oriented architectures, message bus-based data exchange that include first-of-a-kind capabilities Applications will span languages and toolsets including Python, C++, Postgres, Ansible, cloud infrastructure provisioning, PKI, and static code analysis execution and finding remediation Developer will be expected to be a self-starter capable of making decisions with overall project budget and schedule in mind Support Operations ground software and associated configurations. This will involve troubleshooting both software errors and hardware affecting the operation of ground software Support Acceptance Test events, including running tests Test Automation Configuration of ground segment software Resolution and remediation of software defects Software Enhancements as directed by customer change requests or mission needs Ground software support during launch and launch rehearsal events Support the installation of new ground segment software in operational, development and test environments As a successful employee, you will: Be an active and integral member of your team Channel your enthusiasm to innovate Be part of a supportive team that develops and deploys technologies that matter to our national security Work with agility, flexibility, and collaboration to explore creative ideas Basic Qualifications: Software Engineer: Bachelor’s degree in a STEM field (ideally Computer Science or Engineering) and 5 years of experience; OR a master’s degree and 3 years: OR a PhD and 0 years. Experience can be considered in lieu of degree Demonstrated software development experience Python application development, C++, Bash Scripting experience U.S. Citizenship with a current or active Top-Secret clearance at the time of application Principal Software Engineer: Bachelor’s degree in a STEM field (ideally Computer Science or Engineering) and 5 years of experience; OR a master’s degree and 3 years: OR a PhD and 1 year (outside of internships, research projects, etc.) Experience can be considered in lieu of degree Demonstrated software development experience Python application development, C++, Bash Scripting experience U.S. Citizenship with a current or active Top-Secret clearance at the time of application Preferred Qualifications: Domain Expertise: In?depth knowledge of one or more of the following areas: Spacecraft Command & Control, Mission Planning, and Space Situational Awareness. Customer?Focused Communication: Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with proven ability to engage stakeholders at all organizational levels and work directly with customers to elicit, clarify, and validate mission requirements. Solution Definition & Trade?Study Leadership: Demonstrated experience conducting trade studies, selecting appropriate software or hardware solutions, and presenting clear, evidence?based arguments that illustrate why our offering best satisfies the customer’s objectives and should be chosen for the project. Primary Level Salary Range: $91,800.00 - $137,600.00 Secondary Level Salary Range: $114,000.00 - $171,000.00 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.

Keywords: Northrop Grumman, Sterling , Software Engineer / Principal Software Engineering, IT / Software / Systems , Dulles, Virginia