Principal System Test Engineer

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available

CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes

CLEARANCE TYPE: Top Secret

TRAVEL: NoDescription

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 are seeking an experienced Principal Test 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.

What You’ll get to Do:

Help architect and build a launch execution network, building and sustaining high‑availability launch and missile test networks that span classified and unclassified enclaves. As a test engineer you will perform functional testing at the system, interoperability, and integration levels across various systems and networks under the direction of a Senior Test Engineer. This role is on‑site full‑time in San Antonio, TX and requires an active TS and SCI eligibility.

• Design and execute end-to-end test scenarios covering performance, failover, segmentation, policy enforcement, logging, and incident response
• Prepare Developmental Test & Evaluation (DT&E) plans, test cases, and reports in accordance with established test methodologies and procedures.
• Participate in all phases of software and hardware development, including requirements development, risk assessments, and acceptance criteria development.
• Coordinate with customers, test engineers, and range engineers to ensure the test infrastructure meets test objectives and data collection requirements.
• Compile and analyze test results to determine conformity of the product or capability with the requirements.
• Document change requests and deficiencies for the product or capability based on test data analysis.
• Communicate and collaborate actively throughout the development of a testable capability or product.
• Serve as a technology subject matter expert and provide advice to customers.
• Actively participate in Agile team planning and test execution.

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in STEM from an accredited institution and 5 years of related professional/military experience in engineering; or a Master’s degree in a STEM discipline and 3 years of related experience; or a Ph.D. in a STEM discipline and 1 year of related experience.
• US Citizenship is required
• An active US Government Top Secret security clearance and SCI eligibility
• Ability to design and execute end-to-end test scenarios covering performance, failover, segmentation, policy enforcement, logging, and incident response 
• Knowledge of RFM implementation, security controls, and producing Security Assessment Reports (SAR) and POA&M inputs

Preferred Qualifications:

• Hands-on experience with Linux, Windows, VMware, OSI Model, Network traffic collection and analysis, enterprise network architecture, communication equipment and technologies, routers, mail and web servers, Intrusion Detection & Prevention Systems, firewalls, anti-virus tools, and network traffic generation.
• Extensive experience with safety-critical real-time testing, hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulation, and high-reliability network protocols.
• Hands‑on experience with at least one major routing/switching vendor (Cisco, Juniper, Arista, etc.) and one security vendor (Palo Alto, Fortinet, Check Point, etc.).
• Demonstrated experience implementing testing procedures and troubleshooting routed and switched IP networks (e.g., IPv4, OSPF, VLANs, VPNs, firewalls) in mission‑critical or real‑time environments, including testing of Microsoft and Linux networked systems and verifying foundational cybersecurity practices (e.g., hardening, secure configuration, access control).
• Extensive experience with Software Test automation, programming or scripting skill set, configuration management validation, Infrastructure‑as‑Code for network automation (e.g., Ansible, Python, Bash, PowerShell, or similar tools), and drift detection.
• Experience leading end‑to‑end network testing and validation, including performance, resiliency, and failover testing in complex, distributed environments including voice and real‑time services over IP (e.g., VoIP, SIP trunking, QoS, etc.) in converged voice/data networks.
• Familiarity with FIPS 140‑2/3 concepts and cryptographic validation approaches.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; demonstrated ability to work with cross‑functional cyber, systems, and test teams to capture requirements, document designs, and brief options and trade‑offs to stakeholders.
• DoD 8570 IAT Level III certification (e.g., CISSP) or equivalent.

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.

Primary Level Salary Range: $94,200.00 - $141,200.00

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.