Principal Software Engineer Jobs in San Diego, CA

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: No relocation assistance available

CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes

CLEARANCE TYPE: Secret

TRAVEL: Yes, 10% of the Time

Description

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 - from the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean, to stealth bombers, to landing on the moon. 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. At Northrop Grumman, you will have the resources, support, and team to do some of the best work of your career.

The Northrop Grumman CIDO team is seeking a Sr Staff Software Development Analyst to support PLM Architect Solutions. The selected candidate will be required to work on-site, full-time either our Roy, UT, Melbourne, FL, San Diego, CA, or Palmdale, CA locations.

The Sr. Principal Software Development Analyst – Quality Engineering & Business Process Integration operates as a senior individual contributor at a senior principal level, providing enterprise‑wide leadership in software testing, quality engineering, and quality governance. This role is responsible for defining and driving testing standards, enhancing software quality practices, advancing test automation capabilities, and ensuring technology solutions integrate effectively with critical business processes.

The ideal candidate combines deep expertise in software testing and quality engineering with strong business process understanding and cross‑functional collaboration skills. Working across product, development, operations, and business teams, this individual will influence engineering excellence at scale and ensure business requirements are translated into reliable, secure, and high‑performing solutions.

Note: Due to the classified nature of the work being performed, this position does not offer any virtual or telecommute working options. Applicants are encouraged to apply, only if they are willing to work on-site.

The responsibilities of this role include, but are not limited to, the following:

Quality Engineering Leadership

• Define and drive enterprise‑wide software testing and quality engineering standards, aligned with NG engineering and delivery frameworks.
• Establish and maintain quality metrics, KPIs, and reporting mechanisms to measure software reliability, release confidence, and delivery effectiveness.
• Lead the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of testing frameworks, methodologies, and best practices across diverse applications and platforms.
• Champion shift‑left testing strategies and quality‑by‑design principles throughout the SDLC, influencing teams to embed quality early and consistently.
• Provide technical leadership for functional, integration, regression, performance, and user acceptance testing initiatives, including test strategy, planning, and execution oversight.
• Serve as a senior technical advisor on quality topics to product teams, engineering leadership, and operations stakeholders.

Test Automation & Tooling

• Lead the design, expansion, and governance of automated testing capabilities across enterprise applications, APIs, and integrations.
• Evaluate, recommend, and help implement modern testing tools and frameworks (e.g., UI automation, API testing, performance testing, and test data management solutions).
• Define and enforce CI/CD quality gates and automated validation processes; ensure automated tests are integrated into build and deployment pipelines.
• Ensure automated test coverage supports release readiness, operational stability, and rapid yet safe deployment practices.
• Partner closely with DevOps and engineering teams to integrate testing activities into continuous integration and continuous delivery workflows.

Quality Governance & Risk Management

• Develop and maintain software quality assurance controls, standards, and governance frameworks that are consistent across programs and platforms.
• Conduct quality reviews and testing assessments for critical initiatives, providing recommendations to improve test strategy, coverage, and risk mitigation.
• Identify software quality risks and defects trends; recommend mitigation strategies and systemic improvements.
• Support regulatory, audit, compliance, and security testing requirements, partnering with security and compliance teams as needed.
• Facilitate root cause analysis and corrective action planning for production incidents; drive lessons‑learned into updated standards and practices.

Business Process Integration & Analysis

• Collaborate with business stakeholders to understand operational workflows, process dependencies, and customer experience goals.
• Ensure software solutions align with business objectives, process efficiencies, and quality outcomes; identify gaps between intended and actual process behavior.
• Analyze business processes and identify opportunities to improve quality through automation, workflow optimization, and improved test coverage.
• Translate business requirements and process changes into measurable quality objectives and corresponding testing strategies.
• Support process improvement initiatives that enhance software delivery effectiveness, operational stability, and business performance.

Cross‑Functional Collaboration & Technical Influence

• Partner with Product Management, Software Engineering, Architecture, Operations, Security, and Business teams to align quality engineering efforts with strategic priorities.
• Provide guidance and mentorship to quality engineers, analysts, and testing teams, enabling consistent adoption of best practices across the organization.
• Facilitate quality planning sessions, release readiness reviews, and go/no‑go discussions for critical releases.
• Communicate testing outcomes, quality risks, and recommendations clearly to executive and technical stakeholders; prepare concise, data‑driven summaries of quality status.
• Advocate for continuous improvement in engineering and quality practices across teams and programs.

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related STEM discipline with 8 years of relevant experience OR Master’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related STEM discipline with 6 years of relevant experience
• Candidates must have a current US Government Secret level security clearance in order to be considered
• 5+ years of experience in software development, quality engineering, software testing, or closely related disciplines.
• 3+ years of experience leading enterprise or multi‑program testing and quality initiatives as a senior technical individual contributor or quality lead.
• Experience with software testing methodologies, SDLC, and Agile/DevOps practices, including test planning, design, execution, and reporting.
• Strong experience with automated testing tools and frameworks (e.g., UI, API, performance, and regression automation).
• Experience validating enterprise applications, APIs, integrations, and cloud‑based solutions (e.g., microservices, SaaS/PaaS platforms).
• Demonstrated ability to establish and enforce quality standards, governance processes, and test automation strategies across multiple teams.
• Proven experience working directly with business stakeholders to align technology solutions, testing strategies, and quality outcomes with business processes.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Active Security+ certification or greater
• Quality‑related certifications such as ISTQB, CSQA, CSTE, or equivalent.
• Experience with cloud platforms (Azure, AWS, or Google Cloud) and testing strategies for cloud‑native applications.
• Experience with CI/CD platforms and DevSecOps practices, including integration of security and compliance checks into pipelines.
• Knowledge of performance testing, security testing, service‑level validation, and test data management techniques.
• Experience supporting large‑scale digital transformation initiatives, modernizing legacy platforms, or implementing new enterprise systems.
• Background in process improvement methodologies such as Lean, Six Sigma, or Business Process Management.
• Experience with metrics‑driven dashboards and reporting for quality and delivery performance.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills, with ability to interpret metrics, identify trends, and propose data‑driven improvements.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate across technical and non‑technical audiences.

We offer flexible work arrangements, phenomenal learning opportunities, exposure to a wide variety of projects and customers, and a very friendly team environment. At Northrop Grumman, we are on the cutting edge of innovation. Our diverse portfolio of programs means there are endless paths to cultivate your career. We also offer exceptional benefits/healthcare, a 9/80 work schedule, and a great 401k matching program. Come join us!

#MPR

Primary Level Salary Range: $122,800.00 - $213,400.00

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. In addition, Northrop Grumman provides a variety of benefits including health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, savings plan, Company paid holidays and paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business.

The application period for the job is estimated to be 20 days from the job posting date. However, this timeline may be shortened or extended depending on business needs and the availability of qualified candidates.

Northrop Grumman is an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class. For our complete EEO and pay transparency statement, please visit http://www.northropgrumman.com/EEO. U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.