Principal/Sr Principal Penetration Tester

Northrop Grumman Mission Systems seeks a Principal or Senior Principal Cyber Protection Engineer to lead cloud-focused penetration testing and cybersecurity assessments in San Antonio, TX. The role involves collaborating with customers and testing teams to identify vulnerabilities and provide remediation guidance.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Perform cloud-centered penetration testing and security assessments to reveal vulnerabilities, attack paths, and threat vectors across cloud-native and hybrid environments.
• Support offensive security operations aimed at cloud infrastructure, CI/CD pipelines, containerized workloads, applications, and enterprise services within AWS, Azure, and related platforms.
• Contribute to the development of attack methodologies, testing procedures, and technical analyses in partnership with senior operators and engineers.
• Apply cybersecurity expertise to evaluate cloud security postures, validate security controls, and contribute to technical reporting, operational recommendations, and remediation guidance.

REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor's Degree and 5 years of related experience; or a Master's degree and 3 years of related experience. Note: 9 years of related experience may be considered in lieu of degree.
• US Citizenship is required
• Active US Government Top Secret Security Clearance is required with the ability to obtain an SCI.
• Must possess a DoD 8570 Certification for IAT Level II or higher (Sec+, CCNA, CySA+ or CND).
• Experience conducting penetration testing, vulnerability analysis, or security assessments against cloud, enterprise, or hybrid environments.
• Experience with cloud platforms such as AWS and Azure, including familiarity with IAM, networking, storage, logging, and security services.
• Familiarity with CI/CD pipeline technologies and concepts, including GitHub Actions, GitLab CI/CD, Jenkins, Azure DevOps, or similar platforms.
• Experience or familiarity with containerization and virtualization technologies such as Docker, Kubernetes, or VMware.
• Knowledge of Windows and Linux operating systems, networking fundamentals, and common enterprise architecture.
• Experience using scripting or automation languages such as Python, Bash, or PowerShell to support testing, analysis, or operational workflows.
• Familiarity with offensive security methodologies, vulnerability management processes, and common attacker TTPs.
• Bachelor's Degree and 8 years of related experience; or a Master's degree and 6 years of related experience. Note: 12 years of related experience may be considered in lieu of degree.

TECHNOLOGIES

• AWS
• Azure
• GitHub Actions
• GitLab CI/CD
• Jenkins
• Azure DevOps
• Docker
• Kubernetes
• VMware
• Windows
• Linux
• Python
• Bash
• PowerShell
• Splunk
• Sentinel
• ELK
• Defender
• CrowdStrike
• Terraform
• Ansible
• ARM templates
• CloudFormation
• Infrastructure-as-Code

BENEFITS

• Overtime
• Shift differential
• Discretionary bonus in addition to base pay
• Annual bonuses
• Long Term Incentives
• Health insurance coverage
• Life and disability insurance
• Savings plan
• Company paid holidays
• Paid time off for vacation and/or personal business

COMPENSATION

Annual salary range: USD 103,600 - 193,900.