Sr. Principal DevOps Engineer

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available

CLEARANCE TYPE: Polygraph

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.

Northrop Grumman Space Systems is seeking a highly skilled Sr Principal DevOps Engineer to join our dynamic Intelligence Systems Division within the Surveillance & Targeting Business Unit.

This role is responsible for driving the design, implementation, and optimization of enterprise-scale DevOps solutions supporting mission-critical programs. The ideal candidate will have extensive hands-on experience across a variety of DevOps tools, infrastructure-as-code (IaC) practices, and system automation methods, with a focus on enabling robust, secure, and scalable software delivery pipelines. 

This position requires a candidate with a strong foundation in DevOps architecture and expertise spanning both infrastructure and application-level technologies. The successful candidate will play a key role in ensuring system reliability, performance, and compliance with cybersecurity best practices. 

Key Responsibilities

• Architect, implement, and maintain scalable DevOps pipelines and infrastructure, ensuring alignment with enterprise policies and mission requirements. 
• Develop and manage Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) solutions using Terraform to enable automated infrastructure provisioning. 
• Administer and optimize Kubernetes-based container orchestration and deployment platforms. 
• Configure and operate AWS cloud infrastructure, ensuring availability, reliability, and security of services. 
• Implement and optimize GitOps workflows using tools such as Flux and Helm to enable efficient deployment and management processes. 
• Manage and configure mission-critical databases, including DynamoDB, to meet program needs. 
• Administer NATS messaging systems to support distributed application communications. 
• Leverage the Big Bang platform, including tools like Grafana, Prometheus, and Loki, for monitoring, observability, and troubleshooting. 
• Lead the configuration, operation, and integration of CI/CD tools (Jenkins, GitLab, Bamboo) to streamline the software delivery lifecycle. 
• Perform foundational Linux system administration tasks to ensure DevOps reliability and compatibility at the operating system level. 
• Champion Agile development methodologies, facilitating cross-functional collaboration and iterative improvement. 
• Ensure robust security practices within DevOps pipelines, including achieving Security+ certification within 60 days of hire if not already held. 

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or a related field with a minimum of 8 years of relevant experience; OR a Master’s degree with a minimum of 6 years of relevant experience; OR a PhD with a minimum of 4 years of relevant experience. Additional 4 years of experience may be considered in lieu of a degree. 
• Active TS/SCI clearance required at the time of application with CI Poly (or higher)
• Demonstrated experience in DevOps architecture design and implementation. 
• Proficiency in Terraform, Kubernetes, AWS, and other infrastructure experience mentioned in the resource list. 
• Working knowledge of one or more CI/CD platforms (Jenkins, GitLab, Bamboo). 
• Strong understanding of security frameworks with the ability to obtain Security+ certification within 60 days of starting. 

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Big Bang observability tools (Grafana, Prometheus, Loki) and GitOps workflows (Flux, Helm). 
• Expertise with distributed systems, including configuring NATS messaging queues. 
• Broad exposure to and depth of knowledge in Agile development methodologies and practices. 
• Hands-on experience in automation and optimization of hybrid cloud environments. 
• Ability to communicate technical solutions effectively to technical and non-technical stakeholders. 

Primary 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.