Software Engineering- Sr. Staff Engineer (Software Test Automation Discipline Lead)

The Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Sector (NGAS) Software Engineering Center of Technical Excellence (CoTE) is creating an Everything-as-Code (XaC) ecosystem powered by an AI-augmented workforce and a resilient software factory. Our mission is to deliver mission effects at the speed of relevance by continuously evolving the tools, processes, training, and metrics that make the software engineering ecosystem efficient, measurable, and future-ready. As a leader in the CoTE team, you will be at the heart of this transformation, driving relentless improvement and ensuring our software capabilities not only meet but anticipate emerging challenges - and turn them into strategic opportunities.

The Software Engineering CoTE organization is seeking a Sr. Staff Engineer Software - Software Test Automation Discipline Lead to lead the Software Management Discipline area. This key leadership role reports to the Aeronautics Systems (AS) Software Factory & Systems Integration Director in the Software Engineering CoTE organization.

This position supports all Aeronautics Systems business divisions at the Aeronautics Systems primary geographic sites, including Melbourne, FL; Palmdale, CA; San Diego, CA; South Bay (El Segundo / Redondo Beach / Manhattan Beach), CA; and Oklahoma City, OK. This position is geographically flexible and can be based at any of the 5 locations listed above.  

The Sr. Staff Engineer Software/ Software Test Automation Discipline Lead owns governing the tools, processes, training, and metrics to support the end‑to‑end ecosystem that guarantees NGAS software is “right” (meets its requirements) and that the means to prove it are in place. This role merges the traditional “verification & assurance” responsibilities with the engineering, governance, and continual evolution of the automated‑test infrastructure. In practice, the Lead drives the strategy, tools, processes, training, and metrics that enable shift‑left testing, hybrid‑test execution, continuous monitoring, and test‑as‑code across the entire product lifecycle: from unit‑level checks through Hardware‑in‑the‑Loop (HITL) simulation to post‑flight health‑data analysis.

The Lead does not own day-to-day coding or system integration; instead, the role is to architect, sustain, and continuously improve the tools, process, training, and metrics, creating an enabling environment that product teams use.

Core Responsibilities include

• Define and maintain test verification & automation tools, processes, training, and a metrics roadmap aligned with the product strategy.
• Foster a “Test as Code” culture through code review practices, pull request templates, and shared libraries.
• Provide leadership and define the strategic vision for technical priorities within the Software discipline, aligned with the long-term sector strategy.
• Regularly interface with EI&E discipline leads to identifying program needs and closing gaps in engineering tools, processes, digital solutions, and technical training.
• Lead the development, deployment, and sustainment of sector-wide engineering tools, standardized processes, digital solutions, and technical training: ensuring they are relevant, scalable, and interoperable across programs.
• Build and sustain a strong Software Community of Practice (CoP), ensuring alignment of sub-CoPs, strategies, and priorities while fostering collaboration across programs and sub-disciplines.
• Act as a trusted advisor to help resolve technical performance shortfalls through root cause analysis, corrective action planning, and long-term verification of improvement.
• Capture, share, and embed lessons learned and best practices across programs to continuously raise the bar for technical performance.

Core Technical Competencies

• Software Testing Automation Frameworks: Automation Frameworks, Test Automation, Tool Qualification. Architecture and integration of modular test harnesses, such as JUnit, PyTest, or Google Test.
• Real-Time & Embedded Systems: Hardware-in-the-Loop (HITL) Integration of test automation with hardware instrumentation.
• UI Automation: Using tools like Selenium for Ground Station GUI testing.
• Software Quality: Defect metrics, root cause analysis, and audits.
• Software Testing: Verification Methodology, Formal Qualification
• Software Requirements Engineering: Verification of Traceability & Completeness.
• Static Code Analysis Tools: Mastery of Static Application Security Testing (SAST) tools like Coverity, Fortify, and SonarQube.
• Coverage Analysis: Using tools like Bullseye or LDRA to prove 100% Statement/Decision coverage for safety-critical code.

What You’ll Achieve

In partnership with Engineering Integration & Execution Leads, you’ll deliver the tools, process, training, and metrics - enabling programs to achieve:

• Automated Requirement Traceability: Software requirements are verified and automatically reflected in a constantly up-to-date Verification Cross-Reference Matrix (VCRM).
• Automation Dominance: > 90% of regression test cases are automated and executed on every CI run, reducing manual test effort and speeding release cycles.
• Early Defect Detection: > 70% of defects are caught before code merge, dramatically lowering downstream rework cost.
• Continuous Monitoring Coverage: Real-time health check alerts cover > 95% of critical system functions in production-like environments, enabling proactive issue resolution.
• Create a vibrant, cross-program Community of Practice for your discipline area that spreads best practices and lessons learned across programs, fosters increased software reuse, and improves the discipline's overall capabilities.

Basic Qualifications:

• Must have a Bachelor’s degree in a Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) discipline and 14 or more years of experience in software engineering OR a Master’s degree in a STEM discipline and 12 or more years of experience in software engineering OR a Ph.D. in a STEM discipline and 9 or more years of experience in software engineering.
• Subject Matter Expert in one or more of the Core Technical Competency areas:
  • Software Testing Automation Frameworks
  • Real-Time & Embedded Systems
  • UI Automation
  • Software Quality
  • Software Testing
  • Software Requirements Engineering
  • Static Code Analysis Tools
  • Coverage Analysis

• Must have an active DoD Secret clearance that is in-scope (granted or renewed in the last 6 years) and eligibility for Top Secret/SCI.
• Must be able to attain and maintain Special Program Access (PAR).
• Strong experience in software verification, assurance, or test automation roles; at least 5 years in safety critical or aerospace environments.
• Strong knowledge of test-automation frameworks (EG: JUnit, Selenium, GoogleTest, PyTest, etc.) and CI/CD pipelines.
• Hands-on experience with Software-in-the-Loop and Hardware-in-the-Loop testing and integration.
• Ability to travel as needed (approx. 25%).

​Preferred Qualifications:

• Subject Matter Expert in most of the Core Technical Competency areas:
  • Software Testing Automation Frameworks
  • Real-Time & Embedded Systems
  • UI Automation
  • Software Quality
  • Software Testing
  • Software Requirements Engineering
  • Static Code Analysis Tools
  • Coverage Analysis

• Demonstrated experience leading engineering tools, process, training, and/or metrics optimization using a continuous improvement mindset.
• Demonstrated Strategic, systems-level thinker who can build alignment across functional and program boundaries.
• Background in managing large test data sets and implementing test data lifecycle policies
• Active TS/SCI.
• Current Special Program Access (PAR).
• Advanced degree in a relevant field (MS/PhD).