This role pays more than
68%
of similar roles. Most pay
$142,400–$208,800
— the shaded band above.
At the midpoint, this role pays about
$196k
versus about
$176k
for comparable roles.
Based on 240 similar postings.
Employer
About Northrop Grumman
Northrop Grumman is a leading global aerospace and defense technology company providing systems in autonomous systems, cyber, C4ISR, space, strike, and logistics. Industry: Aerospace & Defense
Northrop Grumman currently has
367 open roles
on FindRole.
Listed pay typically runs
$114,900–$176,300
across 353 roles with salary data.
Sr Principal Cyber Systems Engineer (S) joins the Mission Defense Cyber Team to support the Sentinel program. This role focuses on ensuring cyber survivability by decomposing, deriving, and refining cybersecurity requirements for weapon systems across all levels. The engineer will design cyber system architectures, perform attack surface analyses, and manage risk while guiding security tool selection and verification efforts. Key responsibilities include providing technical guidance for flight test events, ensuring compliance with standards like CNSSI 1253 and DoD 8570, and developing engineering processes in Agile and DevSecOps environments. The role requires expertise in NIST 800-160, RMF assessment artifacts, Model-Based System Engineering (MBSE) using Cameo, and requirement management via IBM DOORs. This position addresses the critical challenge of protecting launch and missile defense systems against cyber threats within a complex multi-certification environment.
Decompose, derive, and refine system cybersecurity requirements at all levels to ensure built-in protections are integrated into architecture and design.
Guide and support security layout, architecture, and the selection and development of security tools.
Evaluate proposed implementations to identify security risks, analyze attack surfaces, and verify that cyber protections are functional.
Ensure weapon system compliance with contractually obligated standards including CNSSI 1253, DoD 8570, and DoD 8510.
Propose and design cyber systems architecture changes with full traceability to requirements.
Provide technical guidance and oversight across teams to ensure high-quality product deliveries and flight test events.
Perform cyber-attack surface analysis of system designs and provide recommendations to mitigate risks.
Participate in cybersecurity assessment activities, including review of plans, procedures, and security penetration test execution.
What we're looking for
Must possess a Bachelor's degree with 8 years experience, Master's with 6 years, PhD with 4 years, or 14 years of relevant experience in lieu of a degree.
Relevant fields include Systems Engineering, Cybersecurity Engineering, Computer Engineering, or Computer Science.
Must possess an active Secret clearance and be able to obtain a Top Secret clearance and Special Access.
Must be able to obtain an IASAE II certification (CISSP preferred) within six months of hire.
Direct experience utilizing NIST 800-160 system security engineering or the system development life cycle is required.
Direct experience supporting RMF assessment authorization artifacts to satisfy NIST SP 800-37 requirements is required.
Experience in systems engineering activities such as requirement decomposition, architecture, design, implementation, and verification is required.