Sr. Principal Software Engineer

Northrop Grumman; Rolling Meadows (IL); On-site; USD 131,100 - 196,700; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Life insurance

Disability insurance

Savings plan

Paid holidays

Paid time off

Overtime

Shift differential

Discretionary bonus

Long-term incentives

Job summary

Northrop Grumman in Charlottesville, VA is seeking a Sr. Principal Embedded Software Engineer to design, develop, operate, and maintain software and firmware for embedded systems across the full SDLC, interfacing with customers, suppliers and users.

You will lead architecture decisions, implement solutions on Linux or VxWorks, and apply Agile and Waterfall methodologies while contributing to automation and version-control best practices across the organization.

Qualifications

• BS/BA in CS/CE or related field with 8+ years experience, or 6+ years with MS.
• Proficiency in C++ and OO design patterns.
• Experience in embedded software on Linux or VxWorks.
• Knowledge of Scrum/Agile and Waterfall lifecycles.
• Strong scripting in Python, Bash, or Batch.
• Experience with Git-based version control and Agile tools.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, operate, and maintain embedded software for systems.
• Lead architecture decisions and interface with customers and suppliers.
• Contribute to automation, version-control practices, and process evolution.

Skills

C++

OO design

Python

Bash

Git

GitHub

GitLab

Jira

Waterfall

Agile

System architecture

Linux

VxWorks

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or Computer Engineering

Master's degree

Tools

Git

GitLab

GitHub

Bitbucket

ClearCase

Rally

Jira

Job description

Relocation Assistance

Relocation assistance may be available.

Security Clearance

Clearance required at start: Yes. Clearance type: SAP.

Travel Commitment

Travel: Yes, 10% of the time.

Responsibilities

As a Sr. Principal Embedded Software Engineer at Northrop Grumman, you will design, develop, operate, and maintain software and firmware components for embedded systems. Your work will span the full software development life cycle—requirements, design, coding, testing, integration—while interfacing with customers, suppliers, users, and technical support. You will lead architecture decisions, implement solutions on Linux or VxWorks operating systems, and apply Agile and Waterfall methodologies. You will also contribute to automation, version‑control best practices, and evolve processes across the organization.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related discipline with a minimum of 8+ years of experience, or 6+ years with a Master’s degree (or 4 additional years of experience in lieu of a degree).
• Proficiency in Object‑Oriented Programming with C++.
• Strong understanding of software architecture, design patterns, and object‑oriented design.
• Experience with scripting languages such as Python, Bash, or Batch.
• Hands‑on experience developing embedded software on Linux or VxWorks.
• Knowledge of software development methodologies such as Waterfall and Agile.
• Familiarity with version‑control systems (Git, GitLab, GitHub, Bitbucket, ClearCase) and Agile planning tools (Rally, Jira).
• U.S. citizenship and the ability to obtain and maintain a Secret clearance plus additional customer‑specified clearance before starting.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with C++11 and modern C++ features.
• Advanced scripting proficiency in Python, Bash, or Batch.
• Demonstrated experience testing, debugging, and integrating embedded software on target hardware.
• Familiarity with complex system architectures, including parallel processing, multi‑threading, distributed processing, multi‑core, system‑on‑chip, and secure processing.
• Active Secret clearance.
• Leadership and teamwork capabilities, with strong interpersonal communication skills.

Additional Information

This position is full‑time and on‑site in Charlottesville, VA. It is contingent upon funding/contract award, special access program eligibility, and acquisition of the required U.S. Government security clearance prior to start. Salary range: $131,100 – $196,700. Benefits include health insurance, life and disability insurance, savings plan, paid holidays, paid time off, overtime, shift differential, discretionary bonus, and potential long‑term incentives for higher levels.

EEO Statement

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. U.S. citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance. For our complete EEO and pay transparency statement, please visit http://www.northropgrumman.com/EEO.