Principal or Sr Principal Systems Administrator - Workflow Engineer
Northrop Grumman· Defense· Sep 4, 2026 · 2mo ago
United States-Colorado-Aurora
In office
Full-time
Principal
$168K–$230K est.
5+ years exp
Job description
RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available
CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes
CLEARANCE TYPE: Top Secret
TRAVEL: Yes, 10% 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 Space Systems Sector’s Central Region Software Engineering organization is seeking a Principal or Sr Principal Systems Administrator - Workflow Engineer to support mission-critical environments in Aurora, Colorado.
The ideal candidate will combine strong systems administration skills (Windows and Linux) with experience configuring and maintaining Atlassian tools and containerized services, as well as identity and access management technologies. This role is hands-on and requires the ability to design, implement, secure, and sustain complex workflows and infrastructure in a high-availability, classified environment.
Roles and Responsibilities
• Administer, configure, and harden Windows and Linux servers supporting mission-critical applications and workflows
• Configure, maintain, and optimize Atlassian tools (e.g., Jira, Confluence, Bitbucket) to support engineering and operational processes
• Design, deploy, and manage containerized workloads, including Kubernetes clusters and associated services
• Manage identity and access services by leveraging IPA and Active Directory for secure authentication and authorization
• Develop scripts and automation (BASH/Python) to streamline operations, patching, and workflow execution
• Provide Tier 2/3 support, perform root cause analysis, and maintain clear technical documentation and runbooks
This position can be staffed at a Principal or Sr Principal level based on the basic qualifications below.
Basic Qualifications
• Principal: Bachelor’s degree in science with 5+ years of relevant experience; 3+ years with a Master’s; or 4 additional years of experience in lieu of a degree
• Sr Principal: Bachelor’s degree in science with 8+ years of relevant experience; 6+ years with a Master’s; or 4 years with a PhD; 4 additional years may be considered in lieu of a degree
• Must have an active U.S. Government Top Secret security clearance at time of application, current and within scope, with the ability to obtain and maintain SCI approval/access.
• Current Security+ certification
• Hands-on experience administering and configuring Atlassian tools (Jira, Confluence, Bitbucket or similar)
• Experience with containerization and Kubernetes setup/configuration in production or mission environments
• Strong Windows and Linux system administration experience, including IPA/Active Directory integration and troubleshooting
Preferred Qualifications
• Experience with OS patching strategies and tooling across Windows and Linux environments
• Scripting proficiency in BASH and Python for automation, integration, and workflow orchestration
• VMware experience (ESXi, vCenter) including provisioning and managing virtualized infrastructure
• VDI experience (e.g., VMware Horizon, Citrix) for design, deployment, and support of virtual desktop environments
• Familiarity with infrastructure-as-code or configuration management (e.g., Ansible, Terraform) and security hardening best practices
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 northropgrumman.com. U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.
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Benefits
Benefits detected in the listing.
Health Insurance
Vision
Pto
Paid Time Off