Sr Principal Cyber Systems Engineer (Networking)

Relocation assistance may be available. This position requires an active Top Secret clearance with SCI eligibility and involves 25% travel.

About the Role

Northrop Grumman Mission Systems is seeking a highly skilled and motivated Principal Cyber Systems Engineer or Senior Principal Cyber Systems Engineer to join our dynamic engineering team in San Antonio, TX. This role involves serving on a team dedicated to the development of a new solution operating in a multi-level security environment, focusing on cyber systems engineering with some networking experience. Due to the classified nature of the work, this position requires 100% on-site presence.

Join a multi-disciplinary team designing and securing a launch execution network—a complex, multi-enclave launch and missile test environment. As a cyber-strong systems engineer with solid networking skills, you will own the security architecture and RMF/ATO posture for networked systems, shaping controls, documentation, and automation that keep mission systems both secure and available.

Responsibilities

• Work with customer ISSMs/ISSOs and other stakeholders to develop, document, and implement changes in environments operating under, or seeking, an ATO/IATT in accordance with DoD RMF.
• Serve as a cyber systems engineer on a multi-disciplinary team, collaborating closely with network, systems, software, and test engineers to design and secure complex, multi-enclave launch and test networks (classified and unclassified).
• Review and influence network architectures and detailed designs (routing, switching, VPN/IPsec, segmentation, boundary defenses) from a cybersecurity perspective, ensuring baked-in protections and RMF-compliant control implementations.
• Support the design, planning, configuration, and sustainment of enterprise-scale network communications and security services, producing and maintaining engineering artifacts such as security and network diagrams, configuration baselines, and implementation plans.
• Provide cybersecurity systems engineering guidance and oversight to implementation teams, including secure configuration of Microsoft and Linux systems, network devices, and enclave services (e.g., logging/monitoring, KMS/PKI, endpoint protection).
• Plan and support end-to-end testing of security and network designs, validate configurations, and monitor performance to ensure reliability, resiliency, and compliance with security policies and RMF control objectives.
• Support vulnerability management activities (scanning, analysis, remediation planning, and compensating controls) in mission-critical environments with constrained maintenance windows.
• Leverage automation and scripting (e.g., Python, PowerShell, Ansible, Terraform) to implement and enforce secure configurations, generate compliance evidence, and streamline recurring cyber engineering tasks.
• Perform or oversee physical layer installation tasks (e.g., fiber, patch panels, encryption devices) as needed to support secure infrastructure builds and changes.
• Produce periodic status reports, risk/issue summaries, and engineering change documentation; clearly communicate technical options, risks, and trade-offs to both technical and non-technical stakeholders, including customer representatives.

Requirements

Principal Cyber Systems Engineer

• Bachelor’s degree in a STEM discipline from an accredited institution and 5 years of related experience in engineering; or a Master’s degree in a STEM discipline and 3 years of related experience; or a Ph.D. in a STEM discipline and 1 year of related experience.
• U.S. Citizenship is required.
• Active, current DoD Top Secret security clearance and SCI eligibility.
• DoD 8570 IAT Level II certification (e.g., Security+ CE) or equivalent prior to start.
• Hands-on experience as a cyber/security engineer or cyber systems engineer for complex networked systems (preferably DoD or similar).
• Experience applying the Risk Management Framework (RMF).
• Experience developing and/or implementing security controls for Microsoft and Linux systems.
• Working knowledge of IP networking (e.g., routing, switching, VLANs, firewalls) sufficient to read, understand, and critique network designs in collaboration with dedicated network engineers.

Senior Principal Cyber Systems Engineer

• Bachelor’s degree in a STEM discipline from an accredited institution and 8 years of related experience in engineering; or a Master’s degree in a STEM discipline and 6 years of related experience; or a Ph.D. in a STEM discipline and 3 years of related experience.
• U.S. Citizenship is required.
• Active, current DoD Top Secret security clearance and SCI eligibility.
• DoD 8570 IAT Level II certification (e.g., Security+ CE) or equivalent prior to start.
• Hands-on experience as a cyber/security engineer or cyber systems engineer for complex networked systems (preferably DoD or similar).
• Experience applying the Risk Management Framework (RMF).
• Experience developing and/or implementing security controls for Microsoft and Linux systems.
• Working knowledge of IP networking (e.g., routing, switching, VLANs, firewalls) sufficient to read, understand, and critique network designs in collaboration with dedicated network engineers.

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong working knowledge of IP networking (e.g., routing, switching, VPN/IPsec, DNS, DHCP, NTP, segmentation) and secure network design principles (defense-in-depth, least privilege), with experience applying host and network hardening standards (e.g., DISA STIGs, CIS benchmarks) across servers, endpoints, and network devices.
• Experience building baseline security control sets and secure configurations for core infrastructure (e.g., routers/switches, firewalls, IDS/IPS, EDR/antivirus, logging) and integrating these into a SIEM-driven NOC/SOC construct for unified monitoring and incident response.
• Hands-on experience with vulnerability scanning and remediation in mission-critical or real-time environments with constrained maintenance windows, including implementing compensating controls when direct remediation is not immediately feasible.
• Strong understanding of Zero Trust concepts, access-control models (RBAC/ABAC), and secure management-plane design for networked mission systems.
• Experience architecting and implementing enterprise Key Management Systems (KMS) and Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), including HSM integration (FIPS 140-2/3), key hierarchies (root, KEK, DEK), certificate lifecycle management, and repeatable deployment patterns for enclave services (KMS, PKI, logging, monitoring).
• Familiarity with NIST cryptographic guidance (e.g., SP 800-57, SP 800-38 series) and experience aligning cryptographic implementations to DoD/IC requirements.
• Demonstrated experience executing the RMF lifecycle (Steps 0–6) for complex systems, including development of SSPs, security assessment/test plans, POA&Ms, and other authorization artifacts, and responding to AO/ISSM/ISSO comments and findings.
• Experience using automation and infrastructure-as-code (e.g., Python, PowerShell, Ansible, Terraform) to manage network and security configurations, enforce standards, and generate repeatable compliance evidence.
• Experience securing cloud or edge-computing environments (e.g., AWS, Azure, GovCloud and/or containerized/microservices architectures such as Kubernetes and Docker), including segmentation, control-plane protection, and integration with enterprise monitoring.
• Experience working in Agile or DevSecOps environments, collaborating with network, systems, and software teams to integrate security into architecture/design and CI/CD pipelines; familiarity with MBSE/digital engineering tools to capture security requirements and behaviors.
• Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills, with demonstrated ability to produce clear engineering artifacts (designs, diagrams, ICDs, risk summaries) and to brief leadership, customer representatives, and authorization officials on risk trade-offs, mitigations, and accreditation posture.

Pay

Primary Level Salary Range: $113,900.00 - $170,900.00

Secondary Level Salary Range: $142,200.00 - $213,200.00

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.

Benefits

• Health insurance coverage
• Life and disability insurance
• Savings plan
• Company-paid holidays
• Paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business