> Markdown version of [/jobs/ext/2208757-principal-senior-principal-engineer-aeronautical-software](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/jobs/ext/2208757-principal-senior-principal-engineer-aeronautical-software). Every page supports `.md` or `Accept: text/markdown`. Links point to the HTML versions so they work for humans too. Agent guide: [/agents.md](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/agents.md). --- # Principal / Senior Principal Engineer Aeronautical - Software - **Company:** Northrop Grumman - **Location:** Melbourne, FL, United States - **Experience:** Expert - **Salary:** $98,400.0 - $147,600.0 - **Contract:** Permanent contract - **Skills:** Microsoft Windows, Audit Trail, System Configuration, Continuous Delivery, Debian Linux, VMware ESX Servers, HAProxy, Hardware-In-The-Loop Simulation, Hyper-V, Hypervisor, Kernel-Based Virtual Machine, Linux System Administration, Nginx, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Reverse Proxy, SAP (Applications), Software Systems, Virtual Machines, Virtualization Technology, Xen Servers, Git, PfSense, Software Version Control - **Published:** August 24, 2026 - **Apply:** https://www.clearancejobs.com/jobs/9113362/principal-senior-principal-engineer-aeronautical-software ## About the Role In this role, the successful candidate will be responsible for the design, development, deployment, and enhancement of advanced software solutions, specifically focused on laboratory test bench virtualization for flight control, communication, and mission system functionalities. The ideal candidate will have a strong technical background, a proactive approach to problem-solving, and a commitment to driving innovative improvements., * Must have a Bachelor of Science degree in a Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math (STEM) discipline AND 5 years of related professional/military experience OR a Master of Science degree in a STEM discipline AND 3 years of related professional/military experience, OR a STEM Ph.D. AND 1 years of related professional/military experience * Must have an active US Government Secret (or higher) clearance (with a background investigation within the past 6 years or enrolled into Continuous Evaluation) * Must have the ability to obtain and maintain Special Access Program (SAP) clearance, within a reasonable amount of time as determined by business needs * Willingness and ability to obtain a RedHat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA) certification * Experience using Git or similar version control systems * Experience working across Windows and/or Linux environments (e.g., RHEL, Debian, Ubtuntu, or similar distributions), * Must have a Bachelor of Science degree in a Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math (STEM) discipline AND 8 years of related professional/military experience OR a Master of Science degree in a STEM discipline AND 6 years of related professional/military experience, OR a STEM Ph.D. AND 4 years of related professional/military experience * Must have an active US Government Secret (or higher) clearance (with a background investigation within the past 6 years or enrolled into Continuous Evaluation) * Must have the ability to obtain and maintain Special Access Program (SAP) clearance, within a reasonable amount of time as determined by business needs * Willingness and ability to obtain a RedHat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA) certification * Experience using Git or similar version control systems * Experience working across Windows and/or Linux environments (e.g., RHEL, Debian, Ubtuntu, or similar distributions), * Experience with systemd, (e.g., use of systemctl, journalctl) * Experience with hypervisors (e.g. VMWare ESXi, Xen, kvm, Hyper-V), virtualization, and creating virtual machines * A RedHat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA) certification * Experience with hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) and software-in-the-loop (SIL) testing approaches. * Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in a multi-disciplinary team and to communicate effectively with a range of technical and non-technical stakeholders. * Experience with setting up and configuring a firewall and reverse proxy software PFSense or OPNSense and HAProxy or nginx * Experience working with OS automation tools * Experience with implementing and tailoring the implementation of DOD STIGs * Active Top Secret clearance. ## Description * Assist in the development of the virtual lab topology (compute, storage, networking) using industry standard hypervisors and container orchestration. * Develop automation scripts (IaC) for provisioning, configuration, and lifecycle management of lab resources. * Build or integrate device emulation layers that expose virtual instruments to end users via standard protocols. * Implement audit logging to meet security and compliance requirements. * Create CI/CD pipelines for continuous delivery of lab images, updates, and patches. * Produce comprehensive documentation (design diagrams, SOPs, user guides) and train lab administrators. * Work closely with domain experts to translate experimental procedures into reproducible virtual workflows. We offer flexible work arrangements, 9/80 work schedule with every other Friday off, phenomenal learning opportunities, exposure to a wide variety of projects and customers, and a very friendly team environment. We are looking for self-motivated, proactive, and goal-oriented people to help us grow our services and become even better at what we do. ## Related Videos - [How I saved 200K/yr in direct costs writing 0 code lines in K8s](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1055-how-i-saved-200k-yr-in-direct-costs-writing-0-code-lines-in-k8s) - [How a Small Team Shrank a Microsoft Monorepo by 94%](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1236-how-a-small-team-shrank-a-microsoft-monorepo-by-94) - [Post-Quantum Cryptography: Preparing for Q-Day](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/100179-post-quantum-cryptography-preparing-for-q-day) - [Crew Management System for Airlines: Plan duties for pilots & flight attendants worldwide](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1444-crew-management-system-for-airlines-plan-duties-for-pilots-flight-attendants-worldwide) - [Streaming AI Responses in Real-Time with SSE in Next.js & NestJS](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1630-streaming-ai-responses-in-real-time-with-sse-in-next-js-nestjs) - [Git for Code Reviews](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/429-git-for-code-reviews) ## Related Articles - [Highest Paying Tech Companies for Developers](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/220-highest-paying-tech-companies-for-developers) - [Is Software Engineering Over-Saturated?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/418-is-software-engineering-over-saturated) - [How We Built a Worry-Free System That Runs for 10+ Years – And What We’d Do Again](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/751-how-we-built-a-worry-free-system-that-runs-for-10-years-and-what-we-d-do-again) - [Best Countries for Software Engineers](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/267-best-countries-for-software-engineers) - [What’s the Difference between a Junior, Mid, and Senior Developer?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/238-what-s-the-difference-between-a-junior-mid-and-senior-developer) - [7 Important Tips That Every Software Developer Should Know](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/101-7-important-tips-that-every-software-developer-should-know)