Principal / Sr. Principal Flight Software Engineer

Company: Northrop Grumman
Location: Dulles
Posted on: April 1, 2026

Job Description:

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available 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. 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. 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. We have an opening for an Embedded Software Engineer to join our team of qualified, diverse individuals in the Space Systems organization developing space flight software platforms for NSS space programs. The individual we seek will be self-motivated, proactive, and goal-oriented. This position will be in Dulles, VA. This work does require a TS clearance, with the ability to obtain and maintain SAP and will primarily be performed in a SCIF environment. In this role you will: Develop embedded software modules and software card interfaces, including digital, analog, serial, and SpaceWire Interface with hardware engineers in the design, build, and test of the simulation platforms Work with program engineers to integrate components and flight software with the simulation platform Be involved in the hardware definition and software design, development, debug and integration on simulation platforms Prepare design documentation, analysis, test results and presentation materials for internal and external customers Work with software developers and other engineers, as needed, to help diagnose and identify the root cause of problems found during software installation, integration, acceptance test, and operational events Work in an innovative environment across diverse assignments and in collaborative team settings across all levels This position can be filled as a Principal (level 3) or Sr. Principal Flight Software (level 4) depending on experience and qualifications Basic Qualifications: (Level 3 education) Bachelor’s degree in Electrical/Computer/Software Engineering or related STEM field with of 5 years of experience or 3 years with a Master’s degree of relevant experience (Level 4 education) Bachelor’s degree in Electrical/Computer/Software Engineering or related STEM field with 8 years of experience or 6 years with a Master’s, or 3 years with a Ph.D. of relevant experience Top Secret clearance at the time of application Ability to obtain and maintain initial Special Program Access (SAP/PAR) within prescribed business needs U.S. Citizenship Diverse programming experience: C/C++, Python, Windows/Linux scripting Excellent communication skills and ability to work in small teams Ability to debug hardware and software. Ability to use software revision control tools such as Subversion and Git Ability to clearly document technical and programmatic status to management Preferred Qualifications: Active TS w/SAP System knowledge in one or more of the following domains: Spacecraft Command & Control, Mission Planning, Space Situational Awareness and Visualization Familiarity with static code analysis tools such as: Coverity, SonarQube, and Fortify. Hardware interfacing, integration and test and controls experience Understanding of common embedded system tools, real-time operating systems and avionics integration and test practices Excellent communication, interpersonal skills, and the ability to interface with all levels of employees and management Experience developing software in a Linux OS environment Experience with National Instruments data acquisition cards. Experience with Digital, Analog, RS-422 synchronous serial and UART, SpaceWire electrical interfaces Experience with time triggered Ethernet. Experience with networking. 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, Olney , Principal / Sr. Principal Flight Software Engineer, Engineering , Dulles, Maryland