Software Engineer 3 (26-146)

Company: Northrop Grumman
Location: Colorado Springs
Posted on: April 1, 2026

Job Description:

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: No relocation assistance available CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes CLEARANCE TYPE: Secret TRAVEL: No 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 Space Systems—Missile Defense Integration offers an excellent opportunity for a Principal Engineer Software III (26-146) to join our team of talented and diverse professionals. Located in Colorado Springs, CO, this role is essential to supporting the U.S. President, the Secretary of Defense, and combatant commanders at the strategic, regional, and operational levels. This position does not provide relocation assistance and requires on-site work with no remote options. Position Overview: The Command and Control, Battle Management, and Communications (C2BMC) program is the integrating element of the Missile Defense System. It is a vital operational system that enables the U.S. president, secretary of defense, and combatant commanders at strategic, regional, and operational levels to systematically plan ballistic missile defense operations, to collectively see the battle develop, and to dynamically manage designated networked sensors and weapons systems to achieve global and regional mission objectives. C2BMC supports a layered missile defense capability that enables an optimized response to threats across all ranges and phases of flight. C2BMC is the force multiplier that globally and regionally networks, integrates, and synchronizes autonomous sensor and weapon systems and operations to optimize performance. C2BMC is an integral part of all system ground and flight tests that verify and exercise current and future missile defense system capabilities. In this role, the candidate will be responsible for developing and maintaining scalable DevOps solutions and CI/CD pipelines that support efficient software delivery. This role focuses on implementing practical solutions to complex technical problems while working in a general direction. The engineer collaborates with cross-functional teams to enhance automation, reliability, and system performance. Essential Functions: Design, build, implement, and maintain a CI/CD pipeline using tools such as GitLab and Jenkins Develop and maintain complex software applications in languages such as Python, Java, Bash, and PowerShell Implement solutions for an enterprise-scale network, including building Infrastructure as Code (IaC) and Software-defined Networking (SDN) solutions to optimize network management Develop and maintain documentation for all software, including CI/CD pipelines, architecture, configuration, and tooling guides Develop and enhance automation scripts and services using Python or Java to improve DevOps workflows Troubleshoot and resolve issues across building systems, pipelines, and cloud-based environments Collaborate with engineering teams to improve deployment processes, system reliability, and operational efficiency Candidate will be responsible for creating, maintaining, and presenting KPIs and other metrics related to Network Enterprise The candidate may be required to support critical activities outside of standard business hours, including evenings and weekends, as needed Must be an effective communicator with excellent writing and presentation skills using Microsoft PowerPoint and Visio drawing tools Must be able to work collaboratively in a team environment with other highly motivated engineers, as well as independently at times on large field projects Any other required tasks by the program Basic Qualifications: Please list your current security clearance and IAT or relevant certifications on your resume, if applicable. A Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Software Engineering, Systems Engineering, Network Security, Mathematics, Physics, or a related field from an accredited university, along with 5 years of experience; or a Master’s degree in a related field with 3 years of relevant work experience; or 9 years of relevant work experience may be considered as an alternative to a degree Applicants must have a current, active DoD 8140 certification at IAT Level II or higher (such as Security CE, GSEC, SCNP, SSCP, CISSP, CISA, GSE, SCNA, CCNA-Security, CySA, CND, etc.) at the time of application, which is required to start. The candidate is responsible for maintaining their DoD 8140 certification throughout the entire contract period Applicants must have a current, active in-scope DoD-issued Secret security clearance at the time of application, which is required to start with the ability to obtain Top Secret security clearance Must be able to travel to alternate work locations to execute job duties such as deployments Experience coding in various programming languages, including Python and Java , as well as scripting languages such as Bash and PowerShell Understand object-oriented programming principles, integrating APIs (such as connecting applications using REST API for data exchange), and Git version control Strong ability in scripting and test automation of software tools Experience with Git-based version control systems (e.g., GitLab ) Experience supporting CI/CD pipelines with DevOps practices (e.g., GitLab CI, Jenkins ) Understanding of software development lifecycle ( SDLC ) and Agile methodologies Experience in troubleshooting and resolving moderately complex system or pipeline issues Experience collaborating across teams to deliver features and improvements Preferred Qualifications: Applicants with a current, active in-scope DoD-issued Top Secret security clearance at the time of application is highly preferred Prior C2BMC experience Developing KPIs, tracking other metrics, and creating reports Designing front-end interfaces, particularly with languages such as JavaScript (ideally the React framework), TypeScript, HTML , and CSS Demonstrate experience in cybersecurity, with a focus on vulnerability management, monitoring, and remediation Utilizing commercial tools such as Ansible, Terraform , and/or VMware Aria Working with basic networking principles and configuring networking equipment Demonstrated proficiency in containerization technologies (e.g., Docker ) and a solid understanding of basic orchestration concepts Experience with cloud platforms ( AWS, Azure , or GCP ) Utilizing Infrastructure as Code ( IaC) tools (e.g., Terraform, CloudFormation ) Exposure to Kubernetes or container orchestration platforms What We Can Offer You: Northrop Grumman offers a comprehensive benefits package and a work environment that fosters your growth, supporting both employees and the company's success. The benefits at Northrop Grumman are flexible and customizable, allowing you to select options that best meet your needs and your family's. Your benefits will include the following: Health Plan Savings Plan Paid Time Off Education Assistance Training and Development Flexible Work Arrangements https://benefits.northropgrumman.com/us/en2/BenefitsOverview/Pages/default.aspx NGSpace COSpace NGFeaturedJobs C2BMC Primary Level Salary Range: $103,600.00 - $155,400.00 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, Westminster , Software Engineer 3 (26-146), IT / Software / Systems , Colorado Springs, Colorado