Principal Engineer Software - job 3 of 4

To qualify for the Principal Engineer Software position at Northrop Grumman, candidates must comply with one of the following educational pathways: a high school diploma with a minimum of 9 years of software development experience, a bachelor's degree in a STEM field coupled with at least 5 years of experience, or a master's degree in a STEM field with 3 years of software development experience. Additionally, candidates should possess experience as a Full Stack Software Developer, with proficiency in Object Oriented programming languages like Java or C#, and a working knowledge of Agile development processes.

As a Principal Engineer Software at Northrop Grumman, you will engage in the entire software development lifecycle, focusing on designing and developing high-quality software solutions. Your responsibilities will also include collaborating as part of an Agile team, completing work on schedule, innovative problem-solving, and maintaining effective communication with both internal and external stakeholders. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to mentor team members and lead project initiatives.

Northrop Grumman emphasizes Agile development methodologies for the Principal Engineer Software position. Candidates are expected to have familiarity with Agile processes to effectively collaborate with team members while successfully delivering projects. Working in an Agile environment fosters adaptability and responsiveness to changes, enabling the team to produce high-quality software solutions efficiently.

In addition to the essential qualifications, preferred candidates for the Principal Engineer Software role at Northrop Grumman should have experience with web development frameworks such as React or Angular, familiarity with various database types, and knowledge of tools like Docker, Elastic, and Jira. Additionally, experience with Continuous Integration (CI) / Continuous Deployment (CD), software security tools, and microservices architecture is highly beneficial.

Yes, Northrop Grumman offers relocation assistance for candidates who may be moving to Bellevue, NE for the Principal Engineer Software position. This assistance can help ease the transition for qualified candidates looking to relocate for this exciting opportunity.

When discussing your experience with Object Oriented programming, provide specific examples of projects where you utilized languages such as Java or C#. Explain your approach to design patterns, code structuring, and object interactions, which can help demonstrate your expertise and ability to contribute to team projects.

Illustrate your experience by detailing specific roles and responsibilities you held within an Agile team. Discuss how you contributed to sprint planning, daily stand-ups, and retrospectives, emphasizing your adaptability and commitment to continuous improvement—key components for success at Northrop Grumman.

Effective communication is vital for collaboration. Share techniques you employ, such as regular check-ins, using collaborative tools like Jira, or adopting open lines of communication with stakeholders. Highlight how your interpersonal skills helped resolve challenges and fostered a positive team culture.

When answering this question, choose a specific challenge you encountered, outline your thought process, and explain how your creative solution not only solved the problem but also contributed positively to the project and team dynamics.

Discuss your proficiency with web development frameworks by mentioning projects where you applied your skills. Detail the features you implemented, the challenges you faced, and how you overcame them. This demonstrates your hands-on expertise required for the Principal Engineer Software position.

When discussing task prioritization, illustrate your method for assessing project urgency and importance. Highlight tools or frameworks you use to prioritize effectively, and provide an example where your approach helped achieve objectives on time.

Explain your understanding of CI/CD processes and mention any specific tools you’ve used, such as Jenkins for builds. Share insights on how these practices enhance software quality and speed up deployment, emphasizing their significance in modern development.

Discuss your familiarity with microservices by providing examples of systems you've designed or developed using this architecture. Explain the benefits you realized from scalability to resilience, and how this aligns with Northrop Grumman's computing methodologies.

This question allows you to showcase your passion for technology. Mention any blogs, forums, webinars, or professional development courses you engage with, as well as how your continuous learning habit translates into better project outcomes.

Highlight the critical role that software security tools like HP Fortify or SonarQube play in identifying vulnerabilities early in the development process. Discuss specific scenarios where you’ve used such tools to enhance the security posture of your projects, demonstrating your awareness of best practices for software security.