Principal / Sr. Principal Software Engineer (C++ and TS Clearance)

Company: Northrop Grumman
Location: Woodland Hills
Posted on: April 1, 2026

Job Description:

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes CLEARANCE TYPE: Top 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. Northrop Grumman Mission Systems is a trusted provider of mission-enabling solutions for global security. Our Engineering and Sciences (E&S) organization pushes the boundaries of innovation, redefines engineering capabilities, and drives advances in various sciences. Our team is chartered with providing the skills, innovative technologies to develop, design, produce and sustain optimized product lines across the sector while providing a decisive advantage to the warfighter. Come be a part of our mission! We are looking for you to join our team as a Principal / Sr. Principal Software Engineer based out of Woodland Hills, CA. As a Principal / Sr. Principal Software Engineer at Northrop Grumman, you will have a challenging and rewarding opportunity to be a part of our Enterprise-wide digital transformation. Through the use of Model-based Engineering, DevSecOps and Agile practices we continue to evolve how we deliver critical national defense products and capabilities for the warfighter. Our success is grounded in our ability to embrace change, move quickly and continuously drive innovation. The successful candidate will be collaborative, open, transparent, and team-oriented with a focus on team empowerment & shared responsibility, flexibility, continuous learning, and a culture of innovation. For this role, responsibilities include but are not limited to: Provide technical leadership for junior software engineers Develop software utilizing C/C++ to modernize and productionize a research codebase with modern C++ features Develop software infrastructure to support CI/CD, software metrics collection, and MLOps Implement software-systems, applications, and architectures that leverage techniques to support achieving increased modularity, scalability, and reliability, while also maintaining precision, accuracy, and speed to meet performance requirements Ensure industry software engineering best practices and standards are applied and maintained Work closely with Software Leads and Architects to understand program intent, system capabilities, and output requirements This requisition may be filled at a higher grade based on qualifications listed below This requisition may be filled at either a Principal Level or a Sr. Principal Level. Basic Qualifications for a Principal Software Engineer (T03) Bachelor's degree in a STEM discipline with 5 years of relative experience; Master's degree in a STEM discipline with 3 years of relative experience; PhD 1 year of relative experience Active Top Secret security clearance and enrolled in Continuous Evaluation Ability to meet customer-specific security screening requirements within a timeframe set forth by management Willingness and ability to work onsite full-time Experience working in C/C++ Familiarity with modern C++ standards and features (e.g., C++ 17 onwards) Demonstrated ability to analyze system requirements to derive software design and performance requirements Proven ability to design and code new software, as well as modify existing software to add new features Ability to debug existing software and correct defects Experience with open software/system architecture solutions Effective communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders Experience with developing and maintaining CI/CD pipelines Experience with Git-based or other software configuration management tools Basic Qualifications for a Sr. Principal Software Engineer (T04) Bachelor's degree in a STEM discipline with 8 years of relative experience; Master's degree in a STEM discipline with 6 years of relative experience; PhD 4 years of relative experience Active Top Secret security clearance and enrolled in Continuous Evaluation Ability to meet customer-specific security screening requirements within a timeframe set forth by management Willingness and ability to work onsite full-time Experience working in C/C++ Familiarity with modern C++ standards and features (e.g., C++ 17 onwards) Demonstrated ability to analyze system requirements to derive software design and performance requirements Proven ability to design and code new software or modify existing software to add new features Ability to debug existing software and correct defects Experience with open software/system architecture solutions Effective communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders Experience with developing and maintaining CI/CD pipelines Experience with Git-based or other software configuration management tools Preferred Qualifications Experience leading the performance of tasks on schedule, at cost and achieving specified requirements Experience with modern C++ standards and features (e.g., C++ 20 onwards) Experience with containers (Docker, Kubernetes) Experience with Linux operating systems Experience with CUDA and GPUs Experience with high performance numerical/scientific computing, parallel computing Experience with developing for SWaP-constrained environments Experience with developing and maintaining CI/CD pipelines Familiarity with signal-processing algorithms Familiarity with Agile lifecycle process including Scrum and DevSecOps This position is contingent upon the successful transfer of an active DoD Top Secret Clearance and the ability to meet customer-specific security screening requirements within a timeframe set forth by management. Primary Level Salary Range: $114,000.00 - $171,000.00 Secondary Level Salary Range: $142,200.00 - $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.

Keywords: Northrop Grumman, Long Beach , Principal / Sr. Principal Software Engineer (C++ and TS Clearance), IT / Software / Systems , Woodland Hills, California