Sr. Principal Computer Systems Analyst - Linux

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. 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.

At the heart of Defining Possible is our commitment to missions. In rapidly changing global security environments, Northrop Grumman brings informed insights and secure technological solutions to enable strategic objectives. We’re looking for innovators who can help us keep building on our wide portfolio of secure, affordable, integrated, and multi-domain systems and technologies that fuel those missions. By joining in our shared mission, we will support yours by expanding your personal network and developing skills, whether you are new to the field or an industry thought-leader.

About the role

The Northrop Grumman Classified Solutions team is seeking a Sr. Principal Computer Systems Analyst - Linux to support information system lifecycle activities. The selected candidate will be required to work on-site, full-time at our Baltimore, MD location. Due to the classified nature of the work being performed, this position does not offer any virtual or telecommute working options.

Relocation assistance: may be available
Clearance required for start: Yes (Secret)
Clearance type: Must be able to obtain and maintain a Special Access Program (SAP/SAR) clearance
Travel: Yes, 10% of the time

Responsibilities

• Perform as a lead Sr. Principal Computer Systems Analyst - Linux in support of classified government contracts.
• Communicate effectively with all organizational levels, internal/external customers, vendors, and senior leadership, both verbally and in writing.
• Oversee operations and administration of multi-user computer systems and multiple networks, coordinating with IT teams, project managers, and end users.
• Analyze requirements, recommend, and implement hardware/software solutions, and interact with vendors to evaluate and troubleshoot products and services.
• Define, implement, and maintain enterprise-wide system enhancements, including installation, upgrades/patches, monitoring, configuration management, and problem resolution.
• Design and develop backup strategies to include backup and disaster recovery frameworks for critical systems.
• Establish and enforce procedures for account management, file permissions, and security access.
• Lead testing, validation, and change management for major product releases across platforms.
• Develop, publish, and continuously improve technical standards and SOPs.
• Ensure compliance with Information Systems security guidelines; prepare and maintain security documentation, audit logs, and Assessment & Authorization (A&A) submissions; serve as senior liaison to the ISSM.
• Report on strategic initiatives and project status to executive stakeholders and act as a key technical advisor impacting enterprise-wide, mission-critical systems.
• Provide senior-level technical expertise by mentoring junior and experienced team members, fostering their professional growth, and enhancing team capabilities.
• Lift and move equipment up to 50 pounds.
• Work after hours and on weekends, as needed.

Requirements

• Master's degree with 6 years of IT experience, or a Bachelor's degree with 8 years of IT experience, or an Associate's degree with 10 years of IT experience; a High School Diploma/GED with 12 years of IT experience may be considered in lieu of a completed degree.
• Current U.S. Government Secret security clearance.
• Linux Operating Systems workstation and server management support experience in a classified environment.
• Operating System Cross-platform awareness (i.e. two or more: Windows, Linux, Solaris, OSX, UNIX, etc.).
• Must meet the U.S. Government 8140 requirements for a System Administrator IAT Level II (Security+ or equivalent) — or must be able to obtain required IAT Level II certification within 6 months of hire date; must also be able to obtain and maintain an IAT Level III certification as a condition of continued employment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, and 10 years of Linux Server Administration experience in a classified environment.
• Experience operating under and managing systems within NISPOM Chapter 8, DCID 6/3-ICD 503, RMF, STIG, JAFAN, or JSIG information system environments.
• Experience administering modern Linux distributions (RHEL 8/9, Rocky Linux, etc.).
• Proficiency in virtualization platforms (VMware vSphere/ESXi, Citrix XenServer, KVM/QEMU, etc.).
• Advanced containerization skills (Docker, Docker Compose, etc.) and experience with container security tools.
• Kubernetes orchestration experience (CNCF Kubernetes, Rancher, Kubernetes Dashboard, etc.).
• Cloud platform integration experience (Azure CycleCloud, VMware Cloud Foundation, etc.).
• Strong networking background (subnets, routing, VLANs, VTCs, cloud networking).
• Experience with monitoring and security tools support, such as Splunk and SolarWinds.
• Scripting and automation experience (Bash, Python, Ansible).
• Cross-platform operations experience (Linux, Windows, UNIX, etc.).
• Experience with the creation and deployment of system images in an enterprise environment.
• Experience with Assessment & Authorization process.

Benefits

• Flexible work arrangements
• Phenomenal learning opportunities
• Exposure to a wide variety of projects and customers
• Friendly team environment
• Health insurance coverage
• Life and disability insurance
• Savings plan (401k with company match)
• Company-paid holidays
• Paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business
• 9/80 work schedule

Pay

Primary salary range: $123,400.00 - $185,000.00. The above range represents a general guideline; base salary offers consider factors such as scope and responsibilities of the position, 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.