> Markdown version of [/jobs/ext/260581-principal-engineer-software-sr-principal-engineer](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/jobs/ext/260581-principal-engineer-software-sr-principal-engineer). 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 Engineer Software/Sr Principal Engineer... - **Company:** Northrop Grumman - **Location:** San Diego, CA, United States - **Experience:** Expert - **Salary:** $114,000.0 - $171,000.0 - **Contract:** Permanent contract - **Skills:** Agile Methodology, Systems Engineering, Confluence, JIRA, Automation of Tests, Configuration Management, Cyber Security, Computer Engineering, DevOps, Scrum Methodology, Software Architecture, Scaled Agile Framework, Software Engineering, C4ISR, Delivery Pipeline, Gitlab, SC Clearance, Containerization, Kubernetes, Information Technology, Atlassian Bamboo, Jenkins - **Published:** May 24, 2026 - **Apply:** https://www.juju.com/job/00000000g299jc ## About the Role + (Principal Engineer Software) Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, Electrical/Computer Engineering, or a related STEM field plus 5 years of experience (or Master's degree with 3 years experience). + (Sr Principal Engineer Software) Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, Electrical/Computer Engineering, or a related STEM field plus 8 years of experience (or Master's degree with 6 years experience). + Minimum 5 years of professional software engineering experience and at least 3 years of experience leading Agile teams or acting as a Scrum Master on large, multi team programs (preferably SAFe). + Must have the ability to obtain and maintain a DoD Secret clearance + Experience with the Software System Product Lifecycle from inception to development, testing, and release + Willingness to travel up to 15% of the time for customer site visits, program events, and training. Preferred qualifications + Certification as a SAFe Release Train Engineer (RTE) or Scrum Master. + Experience in a DevOps environment (Jira, Confluence), including CI/CD pipelines (Jenkins, Azure Pipelines, GitLab) + Familiarity with maritime ISR, UAV command and control, or other C4ISR domains. + Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate technical details into clear status updates for senior leadership and non technical stakeholders. + Experience applying Earned Value Management (EVM) principles to agile programs, including aligning EVM processes with agile planning frameworks. + Familiarity leveraging an Agile EVM Performance Measurement Baseline (PMB) to track and communicate program performance effectively. + Certification as a Control Account Manager (CAM). ## Description Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems is seeking a **Principal Software Engineer/Sr Principal Software Engineer - Release Train Engineer** (Level 3/4) to join the Sustainment contract team in **Rancho Bernardo, CA** . This position will work full time for Sustainment Program Management, acting as the Release Train Engineer/Scrum Master for the scaled agile framework that supports multiple product lines and their own Scrum teams. The role blends deep software engineering experience with strong Agile leadership to keep the program's task planning, execution, and data collection efforts on track. What you'll do + Facilitate all SAFe ART ceremonies - PI Planning, Scrum of Scrums, ART Sync, System Demo, Inspect & Adapt - for the eight plus Scrum teams that make up the Triton sustainment train. + Translate high level program epics into train level features and work with each team to decompose those into sprint stories that align with system engineering requirements. + Serve as the primary point of contact for the program manager, gathering status, risk, and performance data from each product team and consolidating it into program wide reports and dashboards. + Coach individual Scrum Masters and their teams on Agile best practices, Definition of Done, and the consistent use of metrics such as velocity, predictability, and defect density. + Maintain the ART's PI objectives, track milestones, and remove cross team impediments that could affect schedule or quality. + Provide technical oversight on software architecture, design, and implementation for the assigned product(s), ensuring work aligns with higher level system models and MBSE artifacts (CAMEO). + Lead continuous improvement initiatives, driving adoption of DevOps pipelines, automated testing, containerization (Kubernetes), and cloud deployment practices across the train. + Communicate regularly with stakeholder groups-including cyber security, configuration management, test & evaluation, and Navy customers-to keep the program's delivery status transparent and actionable. + Mentor junior engineers and foster a culture of psychological safety, inclusion, and relentless improvement. ## Related Videos - [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) - [From DevOps to Scaled DevOps: How We’re Rebuilding Continuous Delivery as a Platform](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/100018-from-devops-to-scaled-devops-how-we-re-rebuilding-continuous-delivery-as-a-platform) - [Improving quality with Agentic AI with Rovo Dev and Xray](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/2005-improving-quality-with-agentic-ai-with-rovo-dev-and-xray) - [The user in the eye of the Cargo1492 storm](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/96-the-user-in-the-eye-of-the-cargo1492-storm) - [DevOps Maturity Check – a way to balance autonomy and alignment](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/58-devops-maturity-check-a-way-to-balance-autonomy-and-alignment) - [Collaboration Quantified: Lessons from Open Source Developer Networks](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1422-collaboration-quantified-lessons-from-open-source-developer-networks) ## Related Articles - [The 12 Best Jobs for Software Engineers](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/401-the-12-best-jobs-for-software-engineers) - [What is Software Engineering?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/289-what-is-software-engineering) - [The Ultimate Software Engineer Career Path Guide for 2023](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/146-the-ultimate-software-engineer-career-path-guide-for-2023) - [What Jobs Can You Get with a Software Engineering Degree?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/398-what-jobs-can-you-get-with-a-software-engineering-degree) - [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) - [Is Software Engineering Hard?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/448-is-software-engineering-hard)