Principal Cyber Systems Engineer

Northrop Grumman • Chantilly, VA

2d • $125,300 - $187,900 • Onsite

About The Position

Northrop Grumman is seeking a cybersecurity professional for its Cybersecurity Integrated Product Team. The role focuses on ground-segment cloud infrastructure and the cybersecurity posture of mission-critical information systems across an Agile development and operational environment, from design through decommissioning. The engineer will work with integrated product teams to develop and decompose software security requirements, technical architectures, and system designs, and provide technical oversight. The role also collaborates with the Platform Deployment team on secure infrastructure, CI/CD pipelines, and accreditation and sustainment of a private cloud infrastructure.

The position is based in Sterling and/or Chantilly, Virginia, requires an active Top Secret clearance at the time of application, SCI eligibility, and U.S. citizenship. Travel is listed as 10% of the time, and relocation assistance may be available. The position offers a base salary range of $125,300 to $187,900. Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a STEM field and 5 years of relevant experience, or a master’s degree in a STEM field and 3 years of relevant experience, or a Ph.D. in a STEM field and 1 year of relevant experience.
• Active Top Secret security clearance at the time of application; SCI eligibility and U.S. citizenship are required.
• Possess a CISSP, CSSLP, CASP, CISM, or equivalent certification.
• Understanding of NIST 800-37, NIST 800-53, and OWASP Top 10 security controls.
• Understanding of Systems Engineering requirements analysis, decomposition, and analysis processes.
• Experience with cloud security and best practices.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the Software Development Lifecycle, Systems Engineering Review Processes, and system/software accreditation milestones.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor’s and/or master’s degree in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, or Information Systems Management.
• 2 or more years of experience in the Defense Space Industry.
• Experience and/or certification in Earned Value Management.
• Experience in application security, software development, DevOps, and/or a related field.
• Experience with embedded C/C++, Python scripting, and object-oriented programming languages such as Java; previous development experience is preferred.
• Familiarity with Zero-Trust security principles and implementation approaches.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and/or implement secure systems in an Agile engineering environment and continuously ensure compliance with program security requirements.
• Communicate ground security requirements to space vehicle vendors and support integration of space vehicle hardware into operational ground accreditation.
• Identify, prioritize, and guide strategic oversight of software security requirements, including triage of Static Code Analysis findings and prioritization of technical debt in the software development lifecycle backlog.
• Advise software development scrum teams on secure coding, cybersecurity for containerized and orchestrated environments and CI/CD pipelines, security-focused engineering trade studies, and security best practices.
• Conduct security assessments of mission software applications, including code reviews, vulnerability assessments, and application security testing, and contribute to system and software architecture security.
• Assist in developing and implementing security tools and automation, including static and dynamic code analysis, software dependency scanning, compliance and vulnerability scanning, auditing, and event monitoring solutions.
• Develop Risk Management Framework artifacts such as System Security Plans, Risk Assessment Reports, Security Controls Traceability Matrices, Plans of Action and Milestones, and application security policies and practices.
• Support system accreditation and Authority to Operate processes and conduct security assessments outlined through the Risk Management Framework.
• Document Standard Operating Procedures and, when needed, perform software patch installation, flaw remediation, antivirus updates, and continuous monitoring activities.
• Ensure systems are operated, maintained, and disposed of in accordance with security policies and procedures in the system security authorization package.

Benefits

• Health insurance coverage
• Life insurance
• Disability insurance
• Savings plan
• Company-paid holidays
• Paid time off for vacation and/or personal business
• Relocation assistance may be available
• Potential eligibility for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus, depending on the position

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Principal