Principal Engineer Software

Northrop Grumman Corp.; Colorado Springs (CO); On-site; USD 104,000 - 155,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Job summary

Northrop Grumman Corp. in Colorado Springs seeks a software engineer with Java and cloud-native experience to design and build scalable services.

You will work with Spring Boot, Docker, Kubernetes, and CI/CD pipelines while ensuring robust security practices for a government-focused environment requiring a Secret clearance.

The role emphasizes collaboration in cross-functional teams, debugging complex distributed systems, and delivering high-assurance software for defense applications.

Qualifications

• Experience developing software in Java.
• Experience building services with Spring Boot.
• Experience with containerization (Docker/Podman) and Kubernetes.
• Experience with Bash or scripting for automation.
• Experience with Git, GitLab CI/CD and automated build/test/deploy.
• Experience in Linux environments and RESTful APIs.
• Experience with unit/integration testing (JUnit/Mockito).
• Familiarity with relational databases (PostgreSQL, MySQL) and SQL.
• Strong debugging skills and ability to analyze logs and metrics.
• Ability to work in a team and follow software processes.
• Active U.S. Government Secret security clearance is required.
• Experience with Agile/Scrum is desired.

Skills

Java

Spring Boot

RESTful APIs

Debugging

Analytical thinking

Team collaboration

Linux

Tools

Docker

Podman

Kubernetes

Git

GitLab CI/CD

PostgreSQL

MySQL

Job description

Relocation assistance may be available

Clearance required for start: Yes

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.

Basic Qualifications:

• Experience developing software in Java
• Experience building services or microservices using Spring Boot
• Experience with containerization technologies such as Docker or Podman
• Experience with Kubernetes for container orchestration and deployment
• Experience with Bash or other scripting languages for automation
• Experience with Git for source control
• Experience with GitLab and CI/CD pipelines for automated build, test, and deployment
• Experience developing software in a Linux environment
• Experience with RESTful APIs and JSON-based interfaces
• Experience with unit testing and integration testing (e.g., JUnit, Mockito)
• Familiarity with relational databases (e.g., PostgreSQL, MySQL) and basic SQL
• Experience using debugging tools and techniques for Java and Linux (e.g., IDE debuggers, jstack, jmap, strace, gdb, log-based debugging)
• Experience troubleshooting containerized applications in Kubernetes (e.g., analyzing pod logs, events, health checks, and resource usage)
• Experience diagnosing performance issues (e.g., thread contention, memory leaks, inefficient queries, CPU/memory bottlenecks)
• Ability to systematically reproduce, isolate, and resolve defects from logs, metrics, and user-reported issues
• Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment and follow established software development processes
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and debugging skills
• Effective written and verbal communication skills
• Must have an active U.S. Government Secret security clearance at time of application, current and within scope

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with cloud-native or on-premise distributed systems
• Experience designing and implementing microservice architectures
• Experience with message-based or streaming systems (e.g., Kafka, RabbitMQ)
• Experience with API gateways and service discovery mechanisms
• Experience with infrastructure-as-code tools (e.g., Ansible, Terraform, Helm)
• Experience with monitoring, logging, and observability for containerized applications (e.g., Prometheus, Grafana, ELK/EFK stack)
• Experience performing root-cause analysis in distributed systems using logs, traces, and metrics
• Experience with profiling and performance tuning of Java applications (e.g., VisualVM, JFR, JMC, async profilers)
• Experience implementing robust logging and error-handling strategies to support production debugging
• Experience with secure coding practices and basic understanding of cybersecurity principles
• Experience with Agile/Scrum software development methodologies
• Experience integrating with C/C++ or other languages in mixed-technology systems
• Experience working on real-time or mission-critical systems, such as radar, command and control, or other defense-related applications
• Familiarity with DevSecOps practices and automated security/scanning in CI/CD (e.g., SAST/DAST tools)

Primary Level Salary Range: $103,600.00 - $155,400.00

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.