Network Engineer (Engineer Level 2 or Principal Engineer Level 3)

Northrop Grumman; Melbourne (KY); On-site; USD 72,000 - 134,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Health insurance

Life and disability insurance

Savings plan

Company paid holidays and PTO

Job summary

Northrop Grumman in Melbourne, FL, is seeking a Network Engineer or Principal Network Engineer to design, plan and implement secure IP-based network communications for mission-critical aircraft.

The role requires strong expertise in IP subnetting, routing protocols such as BGP, OSPF and EIGRP, hands-on Cisco IOS-XE configuration, and advanced technologies like GRE/IPSEC tunnels, VRF, and VRRP, together with thorough testing and validation of network designs.

Qualifications

• Must have a STEM degree and relevant military/professional experience; for Principal level, more years of experience or a PhD may apply.
• Active US Government Secret or higher clearance with a recent background investigation or Continuous Evaluation.
• Experience developing technical requirements for hardware/software subsystems and supporting procurement activities.

Responsibilities

• Design, plan and implement secure IP-based network communications for mission-critical aircraft.
• Create detailed architecture schematics, hardware/software specs and capacity forecasts; provide verification matrices and lead tests.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with suppliers and internal teams; document network designs and maintenance procedures.
• Configure and troubleshoot network devices including Cisco IOS-XE; manage GRE/IPSEC, VRF and VRRP concepts.

Skills

IP subnetting

Routing protocols (BGP/OSPF/EIGRP)

Cisco IOS-XE configuration

GRE/IPSEC tunnels

VRF

VRRP

SNMP

SSH

Education

Bachelor's degree in STEM field

Master’s Degree in STEM field

PhD in STEM field

Tools

Cisco IOS-XE

Test & verification

Job description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available

CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes

CLEARANCE TYPE: Interim Top Secret

TRAVEL: Yes, 25% 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's Aeronautics Systems sector has an opening for a Network Engineer or Principal Network Engineer to join our team of qualified, diverse individuals in our Avionics organization. This position is located in Melbourne, FL.

In this role, you will design, plan, and implement secure IP-based network communications systems for mission-critical aircraft, delivering detailed architecture schematics, hardware/software specifications, and capacity forecasts. The role demands solid expertise in IP subnetting, routing protocols such as BDP, OSPF, and EIGRP, hands-on Cisco IOS-XE configuration, and advanced technologies like GRE/IPSEC tunnels, VRF, and VRRP, together with thorough testing and validation of network designs. You will maintain technical proficiency across routers, multiplexers, firewalls, hubs, bridges, and gateways, evaluate emerging communications technologies to enhance performance and cost-effectiveness, and produce comprehensive documentation for short- and long-range network planning.

Responsibilities and Expectations:

• Practical knowledge of functional and physical architecture definition, interface control, and creation of design drawings.
• Hands‑on involvement in test and verification processes, including creating verification matrices, overseeing hardware/software test, and managing test documentation.
• Strong communication skills for cross-functional collaboration and supplier interaction.
• Solid Understanding of IP4 network design, including IP subnetting and routing protocols including BGP, OSPF and EIGRP.
• Ability to configure and troubleshoot common network devices; Required: Cisco IOS-XE.
• Solid Understanding of advanced network topics, such as GRE/IPSEC tunnels, VRF, VRRP.
• Solid understanding with network management protocols, like SNMP, SSH, syslog, RADIUS/TACACS.

This position may be filled by either at the Network Engineer OR Principal Network Engineer level based on the qualifications below.

Basic Qualifications:

At a Network Engineer Level:

• Must have a Bachelors degree in a STEM field and at least 2 years of relevant military / professional experience, OR a Master’s Degree in a STEM field and at least some of relevant military / professional / academic experience

At a Principal Network Engineer Level:

• Must have a Bachelors degree in a STEM field and at least 5 years of relevant military / professional experience, OR a Master’s Degree in a STEM field and at least 3 years of relevant military / professional experience, OR a PhD and at least 1 year of relevant military / professional / academic experience

And At Both Levels:

• Must have an active US Government Secret or higher clearance (with a background investigation completed within the last 6 years or currently enrolled into Continuous Evaluation).
• Must have the ability to obtain and maintain Special Access Program (SAP) clearance within a reasonable amount of time as determined by business needs.
• Must have experience performing requirements analysis and developing technical requirement documentation for hardware/software subsystems.
• Must have experience supporting acquisition activities such as RFP development, supplier coordination, and reviewing supplier deliverables.
• Must have experience with data acquisition from aerospace interfaces, specifically MIL-STD-1553 or equivalent bus protocols.

Preferred Qualifications:

• DODD 8570 certifications, such as CompTIA Security+, CISSP, or similar network/security certifications.
• Familiarity with AGILE processes and SCRUM tools (JIRA, Confluence).
• Familiar with Windows and Linux configuration and troubleshooting.
• A professional certification specific to the networking industry like a CCNA/CCNP/CCIE or equivalent.
• Experience with authentication and data encryption methods, to include securing communications at either the datalink or network layer.
• Experience with embedded systems, Unix and Linux operating systems, single board computers, servers and Network Attached Storage (NAS) solutions.
• Experience with non-Cisco networking environments such as Juniper or Palo Alto.
• Experience with virtualization environments.
• Working knowledge of cyber security and Risk Managed Framework (RMF), STIGs and associated elements.
• Familiar with network management applications, like Splunk, Firepower Management Center (FMC), and/or Cisco ISE.
• Experience with HAIPE/TACLANE and other military COMSEC/CRYPTO equipment and procedures.
• Experience with tactical/military radio networks, like Common Data Link (CDL) and ANW2.
• Experience performing troubleshooting with traffic capture tools, such as Wireshark and tcpdump, nmap and netcat.

Primary Level Salary Range: $72,100.00 - $108,100.00

Secondary Level Salary Range: $89,400.00 - $134,200.00

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.
• 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.