> Markdown version of [/jobs/ext/2643523-principal-senior-principal-systems-test-engineer](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/jobs/ext/2643523-principal-senior-principal-systems-test-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/Senior Principal Systems Test Engineer - **Company:** Northrop Grumman - **Location:** San Diego, CA, United States - **Experience:** Expert - **Salary:** $103,600.0 - $193,900.0 - **Contract:** Permanent contract - **Skills:** Testing (Software), Agile Methodology, Systems Engineering, Confluence, JIRA, IBM Rational Software, Internet Control Message Protocol, SAP (Applications), Software Engineering, System Testing, Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), Wireshark, Git, SC Clearance, Integration Tests, Atlassian Tools - **Published:** August 7, 2026 - **Apply:** https://www.indeed.com/viewjob?jk=7d9b551e87040d4b ## About the Role * Must have a Bachelor of Science degree in a STEM discipline AND 5 years of related professional/military experience, OR a Master's degree AND 3 years of related professional/military experience, OR a Ph.D. AND 1 year of related professional/military experience., * Must have a Bachelor of Science degree in a STEM discipline AND 9 years of related professional/military experience, OR a Master's degree AND 7 years of related professional/military experience, OR a Ph.D. AND 4 years of related professional/military experience., * Must have an active US Government Secret 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. * Ability to obtain and maintain US Government Top Secret clearance * Extensive Experience in Test Program Execution * Prior Experience in Hot bench and overall lab operations support. * Experience working System Test, SW Development and/or Systems Engineering * Understanding of the software development lifecycle and agile development methodology, * Security+ certification * Experience with IBM Rational tool suite (DOORS and Jazz) * Experience with Atlassian tool suite (JIRA, Git, Confluence) * Experience using software test automation tools/frameworks * Software development experience * Strong Troubleshooting abilities * Experience with network diagnosis tools; Wireshark, ICMP, Netstat * Strong understanding with interfaces of software/system environments ## Description * Responsible for development and execution of automated and manual test cases to verify system functional requirements * The ideal candidate is detail oriented, organized, and able to learn challenging concepts quickly in a fast-paced environment * Developing robust nominal & off-nominal test cases centered on improving the user experience * Work independently on assigned tasks to meet deadlines while managing multiple projects at once * Flexibility to support weekends, multiple shifts, and off hours. * The candidate will also be expected to actively seek opportunities for process improvement * Interface and present test integration and execution results to program and test leadership at pre-and-post-test reviews * Use Wireshark/TCP, ICMP, and/or Netstat to evaluate systems * Report, Track, and Troubleshoot Air and Ground systems discrepancies 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) - [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) - [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) - [SMART Test Automation - the experience of legacy transformation](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/100215-smart-test-automation-the-experience-of-legacy-transformation) - [MySQL Protocol Features You Should Be Aware Of](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/100267-mysql-protocol-features-you-should-be-aware-of) - [Collaboration Quantified: Lessons from Open Source Developer Networks](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1422-collaboration-quantified-lessons-from-open-source-developer-networks) ## Related Articles - [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) - [The 8 Best Code Testing Tools](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/402-the-8-best-code-testing-tools) - [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) - [Should senior developers refuse interview coding challenges?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/29-should-senior-developers-refuse-interview-coding-challenges) - [Is Software Engineering Over-Saturated?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/418-is-software-engineering-over-saturated) - [7 Important Tips That Every Software Developer Should Know](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/101-7-important-tips-that-every-software-developer-should-know)