Principal OR Senior Principal Electronics Engineer - Data Center Engineer

Company: Northrop Grumman
Location: San Diego
Posted on: April 1, 2026

Job Description:

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes CLEARANCE TYPE: Top Secret TRAVEL: Yes, 25% of the Time Description 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 looking to add a Principal Electronics Engineer OR Senior Principal Electronics Engineer – Data Center Engineer to our operations team in Rancho Bernardo, CA. The candidate should have familiarity working in an Integrated Product Team construct. This position will be responsible for the design, implementation, and maintenance of the physical and virtual infrastructure that powers our hybrid-cloud services (on-prem/lab/production) ensuring maximum uptime, efficiency, and security. Responsibilities will include, but are not limited to: Infrastructure Operations Install, configure, troubleshoot, and maintain servers (Dell servers), networking gear (Cisco servers and Cisco network devices), data storage hardware (NetApp storage solutions), and power distribution units. Configure and manage virtualized environments using VMware vCenter and virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI). Capacity Planning Monitor resource utilization, forecast growth, and recommend upgrades or consolidations. Automation & Scripting Develop, deploy, and maintain robust automated deployment scripts to streamline infrastructure provisioning through Infrastructure as Code (IaC). Implement and manage infrastructure configuration using tools such as Ansible or Terraform. Incident Management Lead Tier 2/3 support to end users and Engineering Product Teams (IPTs), perform root cause analysis, and document remediation steps which could include defect resolution or system enhancement efforts. Change Management Execute hardware refreshes, firmware upgrades, and network architectures. Maintain comprehensive documentation for COTS hardware/software, including configuration matrices, release procedures, and system compatibility mapping. Security & Compliance Apply hardening standards, conduct vulnerability scans, and support audits to maintain ATO. Collaboration Work closely with the tenants, Tenant Solutions Architecture, and Lab Ops to align physical resources with virtual workloads across all environments. The selected candidate will be required to work full-time, on-site at our facility. There is no remote / hybrid / telework available for this position. Travel up to 25% may be required. This position can be filled at either the Principal Electronics Engineer – Data Center Engineer or the Senior Principal Electronics Engineer – Data Center Engineer level, depending upon the qualifications below. Basic Qualifications for Principal Electronics Engineer – Data Center Engineer Bachelor's degree in a relevant STEM discipline (Science, Technology, Engineering or Math) with 5 years of related engineering experience; OR a Master’s degree in a relevant STEM discipline with 3 years of related engineering experience; OR a PHD in a relevant STEM with 1 year of related engineering experience. Hands-on experience in data center operations, server hardware, and networking. Strong knowledge of system administration of Windows operating system (Windows Server) with focus on Active Directory and Group Policy Management and Linux (RHEL) Strong knowledge of virtualization platforms (VMware ESXi, Red Hat OpenShift) and VDI Experience with and proficiency in scripting (PowerShell, Bash, Python). Exposure to or knowledge of IaC tools (Terraform, Ansible) Familiarity with monitoring tools (Grafana) and ticketing system (JIRA). Active DoD Top Secret (in-scope) clearance. Ability to obtain and maintain Special Program Access (SAP/SAR). This SAP must be obtained prior to commencement of employment and within a reasonable amount of time as determined by the company to meet its business needs. Basic Qualifications for Senior Principal Electronics Engineer – Data Center Engineer Bachelor's degree in a relevant STEM discipline (Science, Technology, Engineering or Math) with 9 years of related engineering experience; OR a Master’s degree in a relevant STEM discipline with 7 years of related engineering experience; OR a PhD in a relevant STEM with 4 years of related engineering experience. Hands-on experience in data center operations, server hardware, and networking. Strong knowledge of system administration of Windows operating system (Windows Server) with focus on Active Directory and Group Policy Management and Linux (RHEL) Strong knowledge of virtualization platforms (VMware ESXi, Red Hat OpenShift) and VDI Experience with and proficiency in scripting (PowerShell, Bash, Python). Exposure to or knowledge of IaC tools (Terraform, Ansible) Familiarity with monitoring tools (Grafana) and ticketing system (JIRA). Ability to act as DOA (Delegation of Authority) when lead is unavailable. Active DoD Top Secret (in-scope) clearance. Ability to obtain and maintain Special Program Access (SAP/SAR). This SAP must be obtained prior to commencement of employment and within a reasonable amount of time as determined by the company to meet its business needs. Preferred Qualifications for both levels Certification(s) in Cisco CCNA/CCNP, Network CE/Security CE, CEH, CASP, CISM, and/or CISSP Experience with Cisco UCS, Cisco networking devices, and networking Knowledge of storage technologies (NetApp) Knowledge of containers (Docker) and container management (Kubernetes) Experience implementing CI/CD pipelines in Gitlab in support of IaC Active Top Secret DoD Clearance with previous or current program access Primary Level Salary Range: $114,000.00 - $171,000.00 Secondary Level Salary Range: $142,200.00 - $213,400.00 The above salary range represents a general guideline; however, Northrop Grumman considers a number of factors when determining base salary offers such as the scope and responsibilities of the position and the candidate's experience, education, skills and current market conditions. Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay. Annual bonuses are designed to reward individual contributions as well as allow employees to share in company results. Employees in Vice President or Director positions may be eligible for Long Term Incentives. In addition, Northrop Grumman provides a variety of benefits including health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, savings plan, Company paid holidays and paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business. The application period for the job is estimated to be 20 days from the job posting date. However, this timeline may be shortened or extended depending on business needs and the availability of qualified candidates. Northrop Grumman is an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class. For our complete EEO and pay transparency statement, please visit http://www.northropgrumman.com/EEO. U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.

Keywords: Northrop Grumman, Bell Gardens , Principal OR Senior Principal Electronics Engineer - Data Center Engineer, IT / Software / Systems , San Diego, California