Principal System Test Engineer

Company: Northrop Grumman
Location: San Diego
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, 25% 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 Aeronautics Systems has an opening for a Principal Systems Test Engineer - System Software/Hardware Integration & Test to join our team in San Diego, CA. In this role you will own the System Test processes, developing comprehensive test plans and drive the creation and execution of test procedures that validate critical subsystems. The ideal candidate is a proactive self?starter with extensive experience in system?level testing, software and laboratory architecture, and agile methodologies, who thrives in an Integrated Product Team (IPT) environment. Key Responsibilities may include, but are not limited to: Lead capability test planning, system test plan development, and requirements decomposition. Develop and execute hardware and software test cases to verify subsystem functional requirements. Design robust nominal and off-nominal software test cases focused on enhancing the user experience. Independently manage multiple projects and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment. Actively identify and implement opportunities for process improvement. We offer flexible work arrangements, including a 9/80 schedule with every other Friday off, phenomenal learning opportunities, exposure to a wide variety of projects and customers, and a collaborative, team?oriented environment. Travel is expected to be up to 25 % , predominantly domestic. Basic Qualifications Must have a Bachelor’s Degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math) discipline and 5 years of related professional/military experience; OR a Master’s Degree in a STEM discipline and 3 years of related professional/military experience; OR a Ph.D. in a STEM discipline and 1 year of related professional/military experience. Must have an active DoD Top Secret SCI clearance (with a background investigation completed within the last 6 years or currently enrolled into Continuous Evaluation). Must have the ability to obtain and maintain Special Access Program (SAP) clearance, prior to the commencement of employment, within a reasonable amount of time as determined by the company to meet its business need Professional experience working within System Test, SW Development and/or Systems Engineering environments Preferred Qualifications Experience supporting the software development lifecycle. Professional experience with Windows OR Linux operating systems & Virtual Machines (VMs) Experience with Agile development methodologies. Current, applicable Special Access Program (SAP) clearance. Security certification. Proficiency with IBM Rational tool suite (DOORS and ClearQuest). Experience with Atlassian tool suite (JIRA, Git, Confluence). Hands-on experience using software test automation tools and frameworks. Proficiency in programming languages such as Java, C++, and Python, with hands?on experience writing Python scripts. Primary Level Salary Range: $114,000.00 - $171,000.00 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, Colton , Principal System Test Engineer, IT / Software / Systems , San Diego, California