Principal Software Engineer (X-Lab) (26-328) at Northrop Grumman
Colorado Springs, CO
$103,600–$155,400from the description
Jul 11, 2026
Colorado Springs, CO
Jul 21, 2026
What this job asks for AI summary
A software engineering role focused on building and integrating prototype capabilities for a missile defense command-and-control system, including sensor/weapon integration, algorithm work, and user interface development. The position involves full-cycle Java development, automated testing, build pipeline scripting, and deployment across Windows and Linux platforms. It suits an experienced engineer comfortable with fast-moving requirements and a classified, on-site defense environment.
Senior level · 5+ years · Colorado Springs, CO · Secret clearance · Full-time
Advertised as Principal, but the requirements read as Senior.
“or” means any one of them counts — you don't need all of them.
Posted 2 times — it's one opening, so apply once.
We read this from the posting text with AI. Skim the description below before ruling yourself out.
How this req sits in the market our data
Most people in this occupation already list these. Still required — just not what gets you shortlisted.
What the occupation pays Median $137,233 (middle half $108,638–$170,529). This posting is about at that midpoint.
Estimated from BLS employment for this occupation and area, per-skill prevalence across our listing corpus, and published wage benchmarks — as of Jul 28, 2026. It is a model, not a headcount.
Why we read it this way (8)
The title is 'Principal Software Engineer' but the actual requirements (5 years experience, component-level scope, no org-wide authority described) align with a Senior-level role. 'Principal' here appears to be an internal Northrop Grumman job grade rather than a true top-of-ladder technical authority position.
The degree requirement accepts a Bachelor's + 5 years, a Master's + 3 years, OR 9 years of experience with no degree — so no degree is hard-gated.
The 'experience with any of the following' phrasing for Eclipse IDE, Maven, Git/GitLab, Python, and Ansible means these are listed as a group of interchangeable/optional tools under a required qualifications heading. They are captured as a single skill entry with alternatives to reflect that the JD does not require all of them individually.
An active DoD 8140 IAT Level II (or higher) certification — such as Security+ CE, CCNA-Security, CySA+, or CND — is explicitly required at time of application and must be maintained throughout the contract.
An active, in-scope DoD Secret clearance is required to start; this role is on-site at Schriever Space Force Base, CO with no remote option.
The alt SOC (15-1253) is noted because the JD places significant emphasis on test frameworks, test coverage, and automated test pipelines alongside core software development duties, though development is clearly the primary function.
Ignored 1 non-technology phrase(s) as skills (responsibilities/concepts, not named tools): DoD 8140 IAT Level II.
Requires a Secret clearance — the cleared population is a small fraction of this occupation, so the real candidate pool is materially smaller than the estimate below, which does not model clearance.
Read the full posting
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