Principal/Sr. Principal Systems Administrator

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available

CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes

CLEARANCE TYPE: Polygraph

TRAVEL: Yes, 10% of the TimeDescription

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 (NGSP) is seeking a Principal/Sr. Principal Systems Administrator to join our team at our facility in Aurora, Colorado.

Job responsibilities will include, but not be limited to, the following:

• Perform as a Linux and Windows System Administrator on large government contracts.
• Perform administration on VMware technologies (or related)
• Maintain smooth operation of multi-user computer systems, including coordination with network, software, and system engineers, PC desktop technicians, project managers, end users, and customer and IT management.
• Recommend and implement system enhancements that will improve the performance and reliability of the system including installing, upgrading/patching, monitoring, problem resolution, and configuration management.
• Provide backup and recovery services; manage file systems and disk space; manage virus protection on a routine basis.
• Create and maintain user and computer accounts and modify file permissions and security access lists.
• Maintain security audit and logging information on all classified networked and standalone computers as directed by the Information Systems Security Manager (ISSM).
• Support the Cyber Security team.
• Report on project status as required for all recurring and non-recurring efforts.

Basic Qualifications:

• Principal: Bachelor's degree in information technology, Computer Science, or related field with 5 years of IT experience; Master's degree with 3 years of IT experience; Associate degree with 7 years of IT experience; OR a HS Diploma / GED with 9 years of IT experience is required
• Sr. Principal: Bachelor's degree in information technology, Computer Science, or related field with 8 years of IT experience; Master's degree with 6 years of IT experience; Associate degree with 10 years of IT experience; OR a HS Diploma / GED with 12 years of IT experience is required
• Active Top Secret with SCI eligibility at time of application
• Active CI Poly Required at time of application and willingness to sit for Full-Scope Polygraph
• Experience administering Windows Server and/or Linux operating systems in a production environment
• Working knowledge of virtualization technologies such as VMware (vSphere, ESXi)
• Experience with enterprise storage systems (e.g., SAN/NAS), including provisioning and performance monitoring
• Familiarity with backup, recovery, and disaster recovery processes
• Basic understanding of networking concepts (TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, firewalls)
• Experience with system monitoring, patching, and security best practices
• Ability to troubleshoot hardware, OS, and application issues across multiple platforms
• Strong documentation and communication skills
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Willingness to participate in on-call rotations and respond to after-hours incidents (infrequent)
• Ability to work occasional off-shift hours for maintenance or operational needs
• Ability to travel up to 10% as required

Preferred Qualifications:

• Active Full-Scope Polygraph
• Experience with Oracle databases (installation, patching, basic administration)
• Experience with NetApp storage solutions (ONTAP, snapshots, replication)
• Scripting or automation experience (e.g., PowerShell, Bash, Python)
• Experience with configuration management or automation tools
• Familiarity with cloud platforms
• Experience supporting hybrid environments (on-prem + cloud)
• Knowledge of identity and access management tools (Active Directory, LDAP)
• Experience with monitoring and logging tools (e.g., Splunk, SolarWinds)
• Understanding of security frameworks and compliance standards
• Prior experience supporting high-availability or mission-critical systems

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.