Sr. Principal/ Principal Product Security Engineer

Northrop Grumman • Dulles, VA

1d • $125,300 - $234,600 • Onsite

About The Position

Northrop Grumman is seeking a Product Security Engineer to support the secure development and authorization of mission-critical spacecraft and flight software. The role covers space vehicles, flight software, guidance, navigation and control software, simulation platforms, embedded systems, and engineering platforms used to develop and deliver products to customers. The engineer will partner with software, systems, DevOps, and cybersecurity teams to incorporate security throughout the product lifecycle, from architecture and design through implementation, testing, release, and integration with ground systems.

The position combines hands-on product security engineering with support for Risk Management Framework (RMF) authorization. Activities include threat modeling, attack-surface analysis, secure design and code reviews, vulnerability triage, software supply-chain risk management, and improving automated security capabilities in CI/CD pipelines. The engineer will develop and maintain RMF artifacts, help technical teams implement and document controls, and support efforts to obtain an Authorization to Operate (ATO).

The role is 100% on-site in Dulles, Virginia and requires an active TS/SCI clearance. Relocation assistance may be available, and travel is listed at 10% of the time.

Requirements

• Active Top Secret/SCI security clearance at the time of application.
• For Level 3: 5 years of experience with a bachelor's degree, 3 years with a master's degree, or 1 year with a PhD.
• For Level 4: at least 8 years of experience with a bachelor's degree, 6 years with a master's degree, or 4 years with a PhD.
• Proficiency in C or C++ and experience reviewing, developing, or securing embedded software.
• Experience using Python, Go, or a similar language to develop automations, integrations, or custom tools.
• Experience with RTOS, embedded Linux, or comparable embedded-system platforms.
• Experience developing or performing security testing for embedded systems and/or C/C++ applications.
• Knowledge of secure software development lifecycle practices, including requirements, architecture, implementation, testing, release, and vulnerability management.
• Experience analyzing security vulnerabilities and working directly with software engineers to prioritize and remediate findings.
• Problem-solving, troubleshooting, written communication, and technical collaboration skills.
• Familiarity with system authorization for achieving an ATO for PIT systems and experience conducting system security assessments.

Nice To Haves

• Active Top Secret/SCI clearance with polygraph.
• Bachelor's or master's degree in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Software Engineering, Physics, or a similar technical field.
• Active CISSP, CISSP-ISSEP, CSSLP, Security+, or comparable security certification.
• Experience using Git and Subversion for version control.
• Experience using static code analysis/SAST tools, triaging findings, and coordinating remediation with software engineering teams.
• Experience using SCA tools to generate SBOMs and scan software dependencies for vulnerabilities.
• Experience with GitLab CI, Jenkins, or a similar pipeline orchestration platform, including integrating security tooling into CI/CD pipelines.
• Experience with threat-modeling methodologies and producing architecture diagrams, data-flow diagrams, attack-surface analyses, and risk-based security recommendations.
• Familiarity with CWE, CVE, CVSS, GHSA, CISA KEV, and other vulnerability-management concepts.
• Familiarity with NIST RMF, NIST SP 800-53, NIST SP 800-160, NIST SP 800-218, or equivalent frameworks.
• Experience securing flight software, GNC software, spacecraft subsystems, aerospace systems, or other resource-constrained embedded platforms.
• Experience with containerized development/build environments, artifact repositories, build-system security and tool integration, code signing, provenance and attestations, or software supply-chain security practices.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with engineering, program, systems, and cybersecurity stakeholders to review and improve product-security processes across development, testing, governance, and authorization.
• Partner hands-on with embedded software, DevOps, and ground/supporting software teams throughout the software development lifecycle.
• Advise development teams on secure coding, architecture, embedded-system design, software supply-chain security, and CI/CD pipeline security.
• Conduct security assessments of embedded and mission software, including architecture and code reviews, vulnerability assessments, attack-surface analyses, and security testing.
• Develop and maintain threat models, data-flow diagrams, trust-boundary analyses, misuse and abuse cases, and risk assessments.
• Integrate, operate, and improve security tools in GitLab CI, Jenkins, or equivalent platforms, including SAST, SCA, secret scanning, SBOM generation, infrastructure/configuration scanning, and custom checks.
• Develop security tools, automations, and integrations in Python, Go, or similar languages to improve engineering velocity, security visibility, and evidence collection.
• Triage and validate security findings, assess risk with engineering teams and technical leadership, establish remediation priorities, and drive findings to closure.
• Support secure management of third-party, open-source, and internally developed software components, including dependency risk assessments, SBOM review, vulnerability management, and supply-chain security.
• Develop and maintain RMF artifacts, including SSPs, RARs, SCTMs, POA&Ms, control implementation narratives, and supporting security policies and procedures.
• Support authorization of Platform IT systems and work with system owners, ISSMs/ISSOs, and security control assessors to obtain an ATO.
• Communicate security risks and technical findings as clear, actionable guidance for engineers, program leadership, and nontechnical stakeholders.
• Mentor software and security engineers and help establish scalable product-security standards.

Benefits

• Health insurance coverage.
• Life and disability insurance.
• Savings plan.
• Company-paid holidays.
• Paid time off for vacation and/or personal business.
• Employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus, depending on the position.
• Vice President or Director employees may be eligible for Long Term Incentives.
• Relocation assistance may be available.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed