Principal Network Engineer

At Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems that impact people's lives around the world today and for generations to come.

Our pioneering and inventive spirit has enabled us to be at the forefront of many technological advancements in our nation's history - from the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean, to stealth bombers, to landing on the moon.

We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage, and a pioneering spirit to join forces to invent the future and have fun along the way.

Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity, and bringing your whole self to work and we have an insatiable drive to do what others think is impossible.

Our employees are not only part of history, they're making history.

Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems is seeking a highly qualified, mission-oriented Principal Network Engineer to add to our team in Palmdale, CA or San Diego, CA.

This position requires up to 25% CONUS travel.

Responsibilities include (but are not limited to) :

• Design, operate, and manage companion, RMF-compliant classified and unclassified networks in both lab and field environments.
• Deploy, utilize, and maintain network management tools.
• Maintain smooth operation of network and network management equipment during network expansion.
• Collaborate with engineers and stakeholders to design network integration solutions to achieve mission objectives on a wide range data flow scenarios and use cases.
• Plan and install security patches in adherence to program security requirements.
• Monitor and sustain target uptime and latency on systems.
• Recommend and implement system enhancements that will improve the performance, utilization, and reliability of the system including scripting for optimizing IT environment.
• Troubleshoot issues in collaboration with users, sector partners, and vendors. Develop and recommend corrective actions.
• Collaborate on requirements and planning for network and network management hardware / software purchasing including upgrades, licenses, warranties, tech support, and refreshes.
• Document designs using detailed schematics, diagrams, and specifications and maintain system documentation and work instructions as needed.
• Prepare security documentation for hand-offs to Cyber Security.
• Plan and report project status as required for recurring and non-recurring efforts.
• Work under minimal direction and independently determine and develop approach to solutions.

Basic Qualifications :

Bachelor's Degree from an accredited institution in STEM field with 5 years of relative experience; OR a Master's Degree in STEM field and 3 years of relative experience;

OR a PhD in STEM with 0 years of experience.

• Current Security+CE or equivalent certification under DoD 8570.01-M.
• Current expertise with network architecture, network design, requirement specifications, and equipment selection with ability to generate, coordinate, and maintain network designs and configuration artifacts.
• In depth knowledge of and experience with routing and switching concepts and protocols to include DNS, DHCP, GRE, IPSEC, QOS, VLANs, BGP, OSPF, DMVPN and EIGRP
• Solid understanding of network operating systems (JUNOS, Cisco IOS)
• Any professional networking certification
• Experience deploying, configuring, hardening, and diagnosing JSIG / RMF compliant networks including switches, routers, firewalls, and encryption devices such as GD TACLANES.
• Experience with network diagnostic, monitoring, and analysis tools (e.g. SolarWinds network tools)
• Ability to lift equipment weighing up to 40 pounds.
• Ability to travel up to 25% and work after hours and weekends as needed.
• Knowledge of or experience with scripting
• Active DoD Secret clearance required, with the ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret clearance with SCI eligibility.
• Ability to obtain and maintain Special Program Access (SAP / PAR). This SAP / PAR must be obtained within a reasonable amount of time as determined by the company to meet its business needs.

Preferred Qualifications :

• Experience with Splunk, GEM One, Windows Server and VMWare
• Advanced Bash / Ruby / Python script writing
• Experience implementing Cross Domain Solutions
• Experience with Type 1 Network encryption
• DoD 8570 Certification in a primary OS (Windows, Cisco).
• Experience with NetOps / NOC design integrated with program Cyber
• Good communication, interpersonal skills, and the ability to interface with all types and levels of employees including counterparts from other sectors
• Ability to work in a fast-paced team environment where instances are being tested and deployed simultaneously and to adapt quickly to change

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