Senior Principal Embedded Test Software Engineer - Flight​/Space

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE:
Relocation assistance may be available.
CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START:
Yes.
CLEARANCE TYPE:
Secret.
TRAVEL:
Yes, 10% of the Time.

At Northrop Grumman, our employees work on revolutionary systems that impact people’s lives around the world today and for generations to come. Our pioneering and inventive spirit has helped us stay 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. Our employees are not only part of history; they are making history.

The Western Region Software Engineering directorate in Manhattan Beach, CA, is part of a team of over 800 highly skilled professionals, including software engineers, Dev Ops engineers, database administrators, and network engineers. This group supports a wide array of programs and offers clear pathways for advancement into senior technical or leadership roles.

The Principal / Sr. Principal Software Engineer – Embedded Test will develop and test software that runs on resource‑constrained targets with soft‑ and hard‑real‑time requirements for flight, space, and ground systems. The software typically implements complex data‑analysis, routing, and control‑algorithm functions. Candidates must be familiar with diverse processor, memory, and I/O architectures and be proficient in both procedural and object‑oriented C++ development.

Experience with real‑time operating systems such as VxWorks or Linux, and their associated development environments and tools, is essential.

Please be aware that this position will be contingent upon obtaining and maintaining customer and/or business funding, as well as holding final clearances prior to the start date.

• Design, develop, document, integrate, test, and debug application software and systems that implement logical and mathematical solutions.
• Conduct multidisciplinary research and collaborate with equipment designers and hardware engineers to plan, design, develop, and deploy electronic data‑processing solutions for product software.
• Determine overall system and user requirements; analyze system capabilities to resolve issues related to program intent, output specifications, input data acquisition, programming techniques, and controls; author operating instructions; and create utility programs.
• Ensure adherence to established software standards.

• Bachelor’s degree in a STEM discipline with 5+ years of relevant software development experience, or Master’s degree in STEM with 3+ years of stated experience, or Ph.D. in STEM with 1+ year of stated experience.
• Active U.S. Government Secret clearance required at the time of application.
• Proficiency in C/C++ programming.
• Experience with formal verification processes following TLYF methodology for embedded flight software requirements.

• Bachelor’s degree in a STEM discipline with 8+ years of relevant software development experience, or Master’s degree in STEM with 6+ years of stated experience, or Ph.D. in STEM with 4+ years of stated experience.
• Active U.S. Government Secret clearance required at the time of application.
• Proficiency in C/C++ programming.
• Experience with formal verification processes following TLYF methodology for embedded flight software requirements.

• Familiarity with real‑time operating systems, such as VxWorks or Linux.
• Ability and willingness to obtain U.S. Government Top Secret clearance and/or SCI Access.
• Prior work experience in developing and debugging embedded real‑time systems.

• Medical, Dental & Vision coverage
• 401(k)
• Educational Assistance
• Life Insurance
• Employee Assistance Programs & Work/Life Solutions
• Paid Time Off
• Health & Wellness Resources
• Employee Discounts
• Flexible Schedules (e.g., 9/80 work schedule)

Primary Level Salary Range: $ – $.
Secondary Level Salary Range: $ – $.

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  U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.