Sr. Principal Software Engineer

Northrop Grumman; Redondo Beach (CA); On-site; USD 123,000 - 213,000; Full time

Job summary

Northrop Grumman's Space Sector is seeking a Sr. Principal Software Engineer to lead development of web applications for Manufacturing and Operations. This role can be based in Redondo Beach, CA, Promontory UT, or Linthicum MD and requires strong hands-on C#, ASP.NET Core, and SQL Server experience.

The ideal candidate will guide technical direction, support modernization efforts, mentor developers, and work in a mission-focused environment with security as a priority.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in STEM plus 8 years of eng/tech exp. or Master's + 6 years.
• Experience with C# and ASP.NET Core web apps.
• Experience with SQL Server development, queries, stored procedures, and performance tuning.
• Experience in Agile software development.
• Experience leading technical efforts or small teams.
• Ability to translate business needs into software solutions.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government TS clearance.

Responsibilities

• Sustain and modernize legacy .NET Framework apps, migrate to .NET Core as needed.
• Collaborate with engineers on architecture, design, testing, deployment, and sustainment.
• Develop and maintain apps using ASP.NET Core and C#.
• Design, optimize, and support SQL Server data solutions.
• Work with partners and product owners to define technical solutions.
• Support full software lifecycle activities and code reviews.
• Promote best practices, coding standards, and secure development.
• Lead Agile ceremonies and technical estimation.
• Mentor junior/mid developers and drive modernization initiatives.
• Work with cybersecurity, infra, and program teams to meet mission requirements.

Skills

C#

ASP.NET Core

SQL Server

Agile

RESTful APIs

Azure DevOps

OpenShift

IIS

Windows Server

Python Django

Education

Bachelor's Degree in STEM

Master's Degree in STEM

Tools

OpenShift

Azure DevOps

IIS

Job description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available

CLEARANCE TYPE: None

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.

Northrop Grumman's Space Sector is seeking a Sr. Principal Software Engineer to support the design, development, enhancement, and sustainment of web applications for the Manufacturing and Operations organization. This role can be based in either Redondo Beach, CA / Promontory, UT OR Linthicum, MD.

This role will lead development activities across the application lifecycle, partnering with functional stakeholders, technical teams, and program leadership to deliver secure, scalable, and maintainable software solutions that support manufacturing and operational objectives. The ideal candidate brings strong hands-on experience in ASP.NET Core, C#, SQL Server, and Agile delivery practices, along with the ability to guide technical direction, support modernization efforts, and mentor other developers in a mission-focused environment.

What the role offers:

• Opportunity to lead development of applications that directly support Space Sector manufacturing and operations.
• Exposure to modernization and sustainment efforts across critical internal platforms.
• Collaborative environment with opportunities to influence technical direction and engineering practices.

Key Responsibilities

• Sustain and enhance legacy .NET Framework applications, including assessing and modernizing codebases (e.g. migrating to .NET Core) as business needs evolve.
• Work with other software engineers on the architecture, design, development, testing, deployment, and sustainment of web-based business applications.
• Develop and maintain applications using ASP.NET Core and C#.
• Design, optimize, and support back-end data solutions using SQL Server.
• Collaborate with business partners, product owners, analysts, and other engineers to define technical solutions aligned to operational needs.
• Support full software lifecycle activities, including requirements analysis, code reviews, troubleshooting, defect resolution, and performance improvement.
• Drive adherence to software engineering best practices, coding standards, and secure development approaches.
• Participate in and help lead Agile ceremonies, sprint planning, backlog refinement, and technical estimation.
• Mentor and support junior and mid-level developers.
• Contribute to system modernization, integration, and continuous improvement initiatives across manufacturing and operations applications.
• Work closely with cybersecurity, infrastructure, and program teams to ensure deployed solutions meet mission and security requirements.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in a STEM discipline plus with 8 years of engineering/technical experience; OR a Master's Degree in a STEM discipline plus 6 years of engineering/technical experience.
• Experience developing and supporting web applications using C# and ASP.NET Core.
• Experience with SQL Server database development, queries, stored procedures, and performance tuning.
• Experience working in an Agile software development environment.
• Experience leading technical efforts, software tasks, or small development teams.
• Ability to translate business or operational needs into software solutions.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government Top Secret clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting manufacturing, operations, or enterprise business applications.
• Experience with RESTful APIs, system integrations, and service-oriented application design.
• Experience with front-end web technologies and modern UI frameworks.
• Experience with Azure DevOps, CI/CD pipelines, automated testing, or application modernization.
• Experience working in a regulated, secure, or mission‑critical environment.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to work across technical and non-technical teams.
• Experience with Windows Server and IIS administration.
• Experience working with Python frameworks including Django and FastAPI.
• Experience working with containers (e.g. OpenShift).

Primary Level Salary Range: $122,800.00 - $213,400.00

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.