Senior Principal Network Systems Engineer

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available

CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes

CLEARANCE TYPE: SCI

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 the heart of Defining Possible is our commitment to missions. In rapidly changing global security environments, Northrop Grumman brings informed insights and software-secure technology to enable strategic planning. We’re looking for innovators, who can help us keep building on our wide portfolio of secure, affordable, integrated, and multi-domain systems and technologies that fuel those missions. By joining in our shared mission, we will support yours of expanding your personal network and developing skills, whether you are new to the field or an industry thought-leader. At Northrop Grumman, you will have the resources, support, and team to do some of the best work of your career.

We are seeking an experienced Lead Network Systems Engineer (Senior Principal Network Systems Engineer) to join our dynamic team of technical professionals. The qualified applicant will become part of Northrop Grumman’s Mission Systems support team in San Antonio, TX.

Please Note: Due to the classified nature of the work being performed, this position does not offer any virtual or telecommute working options. Applicants are encouraged to apply, only if they are willing to work on-site.

What You’ll Get to Do:

The selected candidate will be required to work on-site, full-time at our San Antonio, TX site. The individual will perform the following duties on a day-to-day basis in support of the program:

• Working as part of a team to design, build and maintain a hybrid-cloud system

• Serve as Lead for the Network team, responsible for development and deployment of a prototype WAN

• Design, plan, configure, and maintain enterprise‑scale network communications systems, delivering detailed schematics and specifications for routers, firewalls, multiplexers, bridges, gateways, and related hardware/software

• Conduct rigorous cost‑benefit analyses and produce selection guidelines for network hardware and software, ensuring solutions meet current and projected capacity requirements while optimizing total cost of ownership

• Lead end‑to‑end testing of network designs, validate configurations, and monitor hardware performance to guarantee proper settings, reliability, and compliance with security policies

• Develop and execute implementation plans for network enhancements, upgrades, and migrations, coordinating with stakeholders to minimize service disruption and document all changes

• Advise network users and cross‑functional teams on hardware requirements, configuration standards, and limitations; stay current with emerging communication technologies and provide actionable recommendations to improve network capabilities

• Support the architecture and design of baked-in cybersecurity requirements and protections

• Perform physical‑layer installation tasks (fiber, patch panels, encryption devices)

• Produce periodic status reports, configuration baselines, and engineering‑change documentation for the COR

• Provide cybersecurity system engineering implementation guidance and oversight to technical teams/implementers

• Perform other duties and directed

This position is contingent upon Funding/Contract Award and customer approval.

Basic Qualifications for a Senior Principal Network Systems Engineer:

• Bachelor’s degree with 8 years of experience, Master’s degree with 6 years of experience or a PhD with 4 years of experience in Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, Physics, Mathematics or related technical fields; an additional 4 years of experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.

• Experience designing, deploying and troubleshooting IPv4 Networking, including Subnetting, OSPF Routing, VLANs and VPNs;

• Ability to plan, design, implement, and maintain a physical and virtual network environment. Technical expertise with Cisco and/or VMware devices and technologies.

• Experience with designing, deploying and administering cloud-based solutions

• Experience with automating tasks using Ansible, Bash, PowerShell, Puppet or Python

• Knowledge of cloud-native architecture and microservices

• Knowledge of cybersecurity in the context of the cloud 

• U.S. Citizenship is required

• A current U.S. Government Top Secret w/ SCI clearance that was active in the last 24 months.

• A current/valid CISSP certification

• A current/valid CCNP certification

Preferred Qualifications:

• Proven record designing, planning, configuring, and maintaining enterprise‑scale networks with detailed schematics for routers, firewalls, multiplexers, bridges, and gateways.

• Demonstrated ability to conduct rigorous cost‑benefit analyses and develop selection guidelines that balance performance, scalability, and total cost of ownership.

• Experience leading end‑to‑end network testing, validating configurations, and monitoring performance to ensure reliability and policy compliance.

• History of creating and executing implementation plans for network upgrades, migrations, and enhancements while minimizing service impact.

• Strong communication skills; able to advise cross‑functional teams on hardware requirements, standards, and emerging technologies.

• Experience with IT systems design, deployment, and administration in complex, multi‑domain environments.

• Cloud service certifications (AWS‑Certified Solutions Architect, Azure Administrator, Google Cloud Professional, etc.).

• Advanced automation expertise, including CI/CD pipeline development, version‑control (Git/Bitbucket/GitLab), and infrastructure‑as‑code practices.

• Hands‑on experience supporting ATO‑related security assessments and preparing System Security Engineering (SSE) documentation (e.g., Cybersecurity Strategies, Information Support Plans, Program Protection Plans).

• Demonstrated ability to solve unusually complex technical problems with innovative, practical solutions.

• Experience designing and maintaining Linux server environments and associated security architectures.

• Familiarity with Agile development methodologies and related tooling.

We understand that candidates may not possess every preferred skill. If you meet all of the basic qualifications, have a solid background in many of the preferred qualifications, and are enthusiastic about our mission, we encourage you to apply.

What We Can Offer You:

Northrop Grumman provides a comprehensive benefits package and a work environment which encourages your growth and supports the mutual success of our people and our company. Northrop Grumman benefits give you the flexibility and control to choose the benefits that make the most sense for you and your family. 

Your benefits will include the following: Health Plan, Savings Plan, Paid Time Off and Additional Benefits including Education Assistance, Training and Development, 9/80 Work Schedule (where available), and much more!

Primary Level Salary Range: $117,500.00 - $176,300.00

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.