Sr. Principal Network Communications

Northrop Grumman•Linthicum Heights, MD

3d•$123,400 - $185,000•Onsite

About The Position

Northrop Grumman’s CIDO Classified Solutions team is seeking a senior principal network engineer to support information system lifecycle activities for classified government contracts. The role is full-time and on-site at the Linthicum, Maryland campus; virtual and telecommute work are not available because of the classified work. The position requires an active U.S. Government Top Secret clearance and the ability to obtain and maintain a Special Access Program (SAP/SAR) clearance. Travel is 10% of the time, and relocation assistance may be available. The selected candidate will lead network engineering and architecture work for classified missions, including planning and implementing large-scale single-domain and multi-domain networks, network migrations, and cyber resilience initiatives. The role also includes setting enterprise network standards and security frameworks, providing advanced technical support, engaging with government customers and internal leadership, and mentoring other team members. The employee may need to work after hours and weekends and lift or move equipment weighing up to 50 pounds.

Requirements

Master’s degree and 6 years of relevant experience, or bachelor’s degree and 8 years, or associate’s degree and 10 years; a high school diploma or equivalent with 12 years of relevant experience may be considered in lieu of a completed degree.
Active U.S. Government Top Secret clearance, including a closed investigation date completed within the last 6 years, or enrollment in the U.S. Government Continuous Evaluation Program (CEP); the clearance must be maintained as a condition of continued employment.
Ability to obtain and maintain a Special Access Program (SAP/SAR) clearance as a condition of continued employment.
Demonstrated experience designing and maintaining complex LAN/WAN networks, including analysis and enhancement of routers, switches, and firewalls.
Experience supporting Video Teleconferencing (VTC) and deploying audio/visual technologies in classified environments.
Meet U.S. Government 8140 requirements for a Network Operations Specialist (441) – Advanced; acceptable certifications include Security X, CASP, CCNP, and CCNA.
Willingness to work full-time on-site at the Linthicum, Maryland campus; no virtual or telecommute option is available.
Willingness to travel 10% of the time.
Ability to lift and move equipment weighing up to 50 pounds.
Availability to work after hours and weekends as needed.

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting Cisco Call Managers or similar technologies.
Experience designing, implementing, and managing large-scale, multi-domain network architectures, with expertise in advanced routing, security, and mission-critical systems.
Experience configuring TACLANES and/or encryption solutions.
Experience with Assessment & Authorization processes.
Experience with network troubleshooting procedures and best practices.
Experience with network challenges associated with systems integration, including COTS integration, capacity analysis, and system architecture design.
Evidence of published technical papers, patents, or internal knowledge-sharing contributions.

Responsibilities

Perform senior network principal engineer activities in support of classified government contracts.
Define and execute long-term network architecture roadmaps, including SDWAN, Zero Trust, and cloud-enabled networking, aligned with enterprise security and compliance requirements.
Lead design, integration, and implementation of large-scale single-domain and multi-domain networks supporting classified missions; oversee network migrations and cyber resilience initiatives.
Serve as a senior technical liaison to government customers and internal leadership, negotiating requirements, delivering status briefings, and participating in external technical forums, proposals, and procurement discussions.
Author, maintain, and enforce enterprise-wide network standards, policies, and security frameworks; audit compliance and champion continuous improvement.
Provide advanced monitoring, analysis, and planning for network systems; coordinate third-party maintenance as needed and support environments through ticketing systems such as ServiceNow and JIRA.
Deliver third-level technical support for complex network, hardware, software, and telecommunications issues.
Develop technical solutions to complex problems, support project designs, clarify requirements, and ensure solutions adhere to established standards.
Raise issues requiring management attention, measure performance against KPIs, and implement corrective actions to exceed operational standards.
Mentor junior and experienced team members, fostering professional growth and enhancing team capabilities.
Lift and move equipment weighing up to 50 pounds.
Work after hours and weekends as needed.

Benefits

Relocation assistance may be available.
Flexible work arrangements are offered, although this role itself is required to be on-site with no virtual or telecommute options.
Learning opportunities and exposure to a wide variety of projects and customers.
Friendly team environment.
Health insurance coverage.
Life insurance.
Disability insurance.
Savings plan.
Company-paid holidays.
Paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business.
9/80 work schedule.
401(k) matching program.
Employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus, depending on the position.