Principal DevOps Engineer - Defense Systems

About The Company

Northrop Grumman is a leading global security and aerospace company dedicated to developing innovative systems that impact and enhance people's lives worldwide. With a rich history of technological advancements, Northrop Grumman has been at the forefront of pioneering projects, from the first transatlantic flight to space exploration and stealth technology. The company fosters a culture of intellectual curiosity, diversity, and inclusion, encouraging employees to bring their whole selves to work. Northrop Grumman is committed to making history through groundbreaking work in air and space systems, defense, and cybersecurity, ensuring national security and technological progress for generations to come. Relocation assistance may be available for eligible candidates, supporting their transition to new locations.

About The Role

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Northrop Grumman Defense Systems is seeking a highly skilled Principal DevOps Engineer to join our team supporting the Sentinel program. This role offers an exciting opportunity to work on cutting-edge defense systems that safeguard our nation and advance technological capabilities in aerospace and defense. The position can be located in Colorado, CO; Huntsville, AL; Manhattan Beach, CA; or Roy, Utah, providing flexibility for qualified candidates. The successful candidate will be instrumental in designing, implementing, and maintaining infrastructure and cloud resources necessary for reliable application hosting and deployment throughout the software development lifecycle. This role involves creating and managing CI/CD pipelines, automating deployment processes, and ensuring the security and efficiency of systems used in critical defense applications. The position requires approximately 10% travel and offers a competitive salary range, along with comprehensive benefits.

Qualifications

Candidates should possess a minimum of 5 years of experience in DevOps or related fields, with a relevant bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience. Advanced degrees (Master’s or PhD) can substitute for years of experience. U.S. citizenship and the ability to obtain and maintain a Department of Defense security clearance are mandatory. Candidates must be willing to obtain and sustain Special Program Access (SAP). Technical proficiency in build tools such as Maven, Ant, or GNU Make, and experience with continuous integration environments like Jenkins, GitLab, or Bamboo in a Linux environment are essential. Additionally, candidates should have at least 3 years of experience with Jira/Confluence within an Agile framework, and a strong background working with both Microsoft and Red Hat Linux operating systems. Scripting skills in PERL, Python, Bash, or YAML are required, alongside experience with Kubernetes, VMware Cloud Foundation, Terraform, vCenter, vSphere, and container technologies. Preferred qualifications include a STEM degree, automation/configuration management experience with tools like Ansible or Chef, source code management with Git, and familiarity with HashiCorp tools such as Packer and Vault. Certifications such as IAT II (e.g., Security+ CE) are advantageous.

Responsibilities

The Principal DevOps Engineer will be responsible for designing, configuring, and maintaining infrastructure and cloud resources to support application deployment and operation across all SDLC phases. Key responsibilities include creating and maintaining CI/CD pipelines, scripting automation for testing, deployment, and maintenance, and proactively monitoring systems to troubleshoot and resolve issues. The engineer will automate infrastructure deployment using infrastructure-as-code tools such as Terraform and Ansible, and remediate vulnerabilities identified through scanning and testing. Mentoring team members on DevOps best practices and collaborating with peers and business partners to optimize workflows and reduce costs are vital aspects of the role. Additionally, the engineer will provide application support, including installation, configuration, troubleshooting, and performance tuning, ensuring system security and operational excellence.

Benefits

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Northrop Grumman offers a comprehensive benefits package to full-time employees, including medical, dental, and vision coverage, a 401(k) retirement plan, educational assistance, and life insurance. Employees also have access to Employee Assistance Programs, work/life balance resources, paid time off, health and wellness programs, and employee discounts. The role typically follows a 9/80 work schedule, allowing employees to enjoy every other Friday off, promoting work-life balance. The company may also provide a competitive relocation assistance package to support candidates transitioning to new locations. Additional benefits include paid holidays, disability insurance, and opportunities for bonuses based on individual and company performance.

Equal Opportunity

Northrop Grumman is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to fostering an inclusive environment where all employees are valued and respected. The company makes employment 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. U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions involving government security clearances or other restricted roles. For more information about our EEO policies and pay transparency, please visit our website. We encourage diverse candidates to apply and join us in shaping the future of aerospace and defense technology.