Sentinel Staff Software Engineer - 19716

Northrop Grumman; Huntsville (AL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental & Vision

401k

Educational Assistance

Life Insurance

Paid Time Off

Employee Assistance Programs

Health & Wellness Resources

Job summary

Northrop Grumman Defense Systems in Huntsville, AL, seeks a Staff Software Engineer to lead the strategy, design, and implementation of a Python-based automation test framework. You will own the end-to-end software test architecture for certification objectives, partnering with systems engineering and software teams to deliver a certifiable, high-quality solution on schedule.

You will mentor the team, drive risk-based decisions, and coordinate test activities across multiple sites while ensuring

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher with significant relevant experience required.
• Experience leading software test teams and delivering government-facing products.
• Strong Python development and debugging skills; knowledge of MBSE is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead the strategy and execution of the software test architecture.
• Define design approaches for Python framework and SRCT integrations.
• Establish architecture and coding standards for scalability and compliance.
• Coordinate cross-site test activities and manage risk to schedule.
• Mentor team members and drive continuous learning and improvement.
• Plan and coordinate software test releases with program milestones.
• Communicate status, risks and recommendations to management and customers.

Skills

Python

Team leadership

Software testing

Requirements traceability

DoD security clearance

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Master’s degree

PhD

Tools

SRCT

Cameo

Jira

Bitbucket

Python

Job description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available

CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes

CLEARANCE TYPE: 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 Defense Systems is seeking Staff Software Engineer. This position will be located in Huntsville, AL and will support the Sentinel Program.

NGDS is seeking an experienced Software Engineer to lead the strategy, design, and implementation of our software automation test architecture. This role will own the vision and execution for a Python-based automation framework leveraging Northrop Grumman tools, including the Software Requirements Checker Tool (SRCT), to enable robust, certifiable test solutions. The Software Engineer will be responsible for the end-to-end technical architecture and all deliverable products for the Software Test team. This includes driving critical technical decisions, defining and evolving the test framework, and ensuring test scripts and infrastructure fully support program certification objectives. You will be the primary technical authority for software test automation on the program, partnering closely with systems engineering, software development, and program leadership to deliver a high-quality, certifiable test solution on schedule. In this role, you will provide strong technical leadership by:

• Setting the technical direction for the Software Test team and ensuring alignment with program goals and schedules
• Defining and guiding software design approaches for the Python framework and SRCT integrations
• Establishing and enforcing architecture and coding standards to ensure scalability, maintainability, and compliance
• Leading the team to achieve timely certification of requirements, proactively removing technical obstacles and managing risk
• Lead and coordinate software test activities across multiple sites, ensuring consistent processes, quality, and communication.
• Collaborate with product and engineering teams to develop robust test methodologies, perform requirements traceability to test cases, and generate clear, complete test documentation.
• Design, implement, and maintain automated test environments to increase test coverage, efficiency, and repeatability.
• Actively mentor team members, sharing expertise, providing feedback, and fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement.
• Plan and coordinate software test release activities in alignment with broader program schedules, resolving dependencies and risks proactively.
• Exercise sound judgment in selecting and executing courses of action to achieve program objectives; work closely with systems engineering, software development, and management to ensure a high-quality, efficient software lifecycle.
• Oversee and manage the quality and timeliness of delivered products, identifying potential issues early and driving remediation before they impact customers or milestones.
• Serve as the primary technical test representative in reviews with senior management and customer stakeholders, clearly communicating status, risks, and recommendations.

Position Benefits

As a full-time employee of Northrop Grumman, you are eligible for our robust benefits package including

• Medical, Dental & Vision coverage
• 401k
• Educational Assistance
• Life Insurance
• Employee Assistance Programs & Work/Life Solutions
• Paid Time Off
• Health & Wellness Resources
• Employee Discounts

This positions standard work schedule is a 9/80. The 9/80 schedule allows employees who work a nine-hour day Monday through Thursday to take every other Friday off.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree 12+ years of relevant experience; 10+ years of relevant experience with a master’s degree; 8+ years of relevant experience with a Ph.D; or 4 additional years in lieu of a degree
• Must be a U.S. citizen with an active U.S. Government DoD Secret security clearance at time of application, current and within scope (< 6 yrs), with an ability to obtain and maintain SAP approval within a reasonable period, as determined by the company to meet its business need.
• Minimum of 1 year of experience leading projects and/or driving team performance to meet schedule commitments.
• Minimum of 2 years of demonstrated experience in embedded and/or application software test planning and test execution.
• Strong proficiency in Python, including hands‑on experience developing, debugging, and maintaining software and/or test scripts.
• Experience managing a product team and delivering periodic, process-driven releases for a government customer.
• Solid background in software testing and troubleshooting, including participation in or support of a Software Review Board (SRB) or equivalent governance process.
• Experience developing and reviewing requirements, and ensuring vertical traceability across a program‑defined specification/document tree.
• Experience using Cameo (MagicDraw/Cameo Systems Modeler) or equivalent model‑based systems engineering (MBSE) tool.
• Experience supporting informal integration as well as formal qualification test efforts.
• Experience developing Basis of Estimate (BOE) artifacts and supporting Integrated Master Schedule (IMS) and Initial/Interim Financial Commitment (IFC) planning activities.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Demonstrated requirements for leadership experience on medium‑to‑large, complex programs
• Hands‑on software automation scripting development and integration experience
• Proficiency with Python application frameworks (e.g., Django, Flask, or similar)
• Practical experience working in a SAFe Agile environment (PI planning, ART ceremonies, backlog management)
• Working knowledge of the Atlassian tool suite, including Jira and Bitbucket, for requirements, configuration, and workflow management
• Strong understanding of DO-178 airworthiness processes and artifact generation, including HLR and LLR development and mapping to Segment/System/Software traceability
• Familiarity with Real-Time Component Framework (RTCF) concepts and implementation
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with a proven ability to operate effectively in large, multi-disciplinary teams in both leadership and individual contributor roles
• Lead and coordinate software test activities across multiple sites, ensuring consistent processes, quality, and communication.
• Collaborate with product and engineering teams to develop robust test methodologies, perform requirements traceability to test cases, and generate clear, complete test documentation.
• Design, implement, and maintain automated test environments to increase test coverage, efficiency, and repeatability.
• Actively mentor team members, sharing expertise, providing feedback, and fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement.
• Plan and coordinate