Sr Principal Software Engineer (Algorithm) – TRK (26-332)
Northrop Grumman · Huntsville, AL
$135,800–$203,600from the description
Jul 21, 2026
Huntsville, AL
Jul 22, 2026
What this job asks for AI summary
A senior-level algorithm engineering role focused on designing, developing, and integrating Java-based mathematical algorithms — particularly tracking and discrimination — within a missile defense command-and-control system. The work spans the full development lifecycle, from MATLAB/Python prototyping through to real-time tactical implementation, and includes code reviews, testing across lab and flight environments, and mentoring junior engineers. Suits experienced algorithm engineers with a background in data fusion, Kalman filtering, or radar signal processing who hold an active Secret clearance.
Senior level · 8+ years · Huntsville, AL · 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.
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
Rare in this occupation — lead with these, and say what you built with them.
Most people in this occupation already list these. Still required — just not what gets you shortlisted.
What the occupation pays Median $130,897 (middle half $102,526–$165,828). 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 (11)
The title 'Sr Principal Software Engineer' maps to advertised Principal; however, the actual requirements (8+ years, component-level algorithm ownership on a program team) are consistent with a Senior individual contributor, not a true org-wide Principal.
Degree requirement is marked None because the JD explicitly accepts 12 years of relevant work experience as an alternative to any degree.
Total years minimum is set to 8 (the lowest qualifying path: Bachelor's + 8 years); the role also separately requires 7+ years specifically in mathematical algorithm design (data fusion, Kalman filtering, signal processing, etc.).
The 'mathematical algorithm development' skill entry captures the 7-year domain-specific requirement (data fusion, transferable belief model, signal processing, sensor discrimination/classification, or Kalman filtering) stated in the Basic Qualifications.
An active DoD Secret clearance is a hard gate at time of application — not merely the ability to obtain one.
DoD 8140 / IAT Level II certification (Security+ CE, CCNA-Security, CySA+, CND, etc.) is listed under Preferred Qualifications as 'highly preferred' but is not a hard gate for hire.
Git and GitLab appear together as interchangeable options in the Preferred section ('Git/GitLab'); Maven and Gradle similarly appear as alternatives.
Skills such as missile defense sensor discrimination, BMDS domain experience, and C2BMC/Command and Control application development appear only in the Preferred Qualifications section and are domain-knowledge items rather than named tools — omitted per extraction rules.
ICDs, use cases, and sequence diagrams are systems-engineering artifact types, not tools, and are omitted.
Ignored 1 non-technology phrase(s) as skills (responsibilities/concepts, not named tools): mathematical algorithm development.
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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