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Sr Principal Network Administrator - TS/SCI

Northrop Grumman

Dulles, VAFull-time$129–194K/yrSeen todaySeen in employer's feed today

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At a glance

Compensation
$129–194K/yr
Location
Dulles, VA
Schedule
Full-time
Work Authorization
US work authorization required

Olive lists jobs from US employers, including remote roles you can work from the United States.

Requirements

Credentials this posting asks for.

IAT Level II Or Higher Certification, requiredTS/SCI clearance, required

Job overview

Northrop Grumman seeks a Sr. Principal Network Communications professional to support classified government contracts and information system lifecycle activities. The role is full-time and on-site in Dulles, Virginia, and requires a current U.S. Government Top Secret/SCI clearance. The selected candidate will lead network architecture and implementation, provide advanced technical support, and mentor team members. A master’s degree with six years of experience or an alternative education-and-experience path is required.

Skills & qualifications

RequiredNice to have

Skills

Network Architecture, requiredNetwork Design, requiredNetwork Maintenance, requiredLAN/WAN Networking, requiredRouter Configuration, requiredSwitch Configuration, requiredFirewall Configuration, requiredVideo Teleconferencing, requiredClassified AV Deployment, requiredNetwork Analysis, nice to haveNetwork Enhancement, nice to haveCisco Call Manager, nice to haveAdvanced Routing, nice to haveTACLANE Configuration, nice to haveEncryption Solutions, nice to haveAssessment and Authorization, nice to haveNetwork Troubleshooting, nice to haveSystems Integration, nice to haveCOTS Integration, nice to haveCapacity Analysis, nice to haveSystem Architecture Design, nice to haveNetwork Analysis Tools, nice to haveBGP, nice to haveOSPF, nice to haveMPLS, nice to haveTelco Circuit Troubleshooting, nice to have

Qualifications

Master's+6, Bachelor's+8, Associate's+10, or High School+12 Years, requiredTop Secret/SCI Clearance, requiredCounter Intelligence Polygraph, requiredIAT Level II or Higher Certification, requiredBachelor's in Network Engineering, nice to haveCCNP Certification, nice to haveNISPOM Chapter 8, nice to haveDCID 6/3-ICD 503, nice to haveRMF, nice to haveSTIG, nice to haveJAFAN, nice to haveJSIG, nice to have

Benefits

Medical Insurance
401(k) Match
Paid Time Off

Full job description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: No relocation assistance available

CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes

CLEARANCE TYPE: SCI

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.

At the heart of Defining Possible is our commitment to missions. In rapidly changing global security environments, Northrop Grumman brings informed insights and secure technological solutions to enable strategic objectives. We’re looking for innovators who can help us keep building on our wide portfolio of secure, affordable, integrated, and multi-domain systems and technologies that fuel those missions. By joining in our shared mission, we will support yours by expanding your personal network and developing skills, whether you are new to the field or an industry thought leader. At Northrop Grumman, you will have the resources, support, and team to do some of the best work of your career.

The Northrop Grumman CIDO Classified Solutions team is seeking a Sr. Principal Network Communications to support information system lifecycle activities. The selected candidate will be required to work on-site, full-time at our Dulles, VA location.

The responsibilities of this role include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Perform Sr. Principal Network Communications activities in support of classified government contracts.

  • Define and execute long-term network architecture roadmaps, such as SDWAN, ZeroTrust, and cloud-enabled networking, ensuring alignment with enterprise security and compliance requirements.

  • Lead the design, integration, and implementation of large-scale, multidomain networks supporting classified missions, and oversee network migrations and cyber resilience initiatives.

  • Serve as a senior technical liaison to government customers and internal leadership, negotiating requirements, delivering status briefings, and participating in external technical forums, proposals, and procurement discussions.

  • Author, maintain, and enforce enterprise-wide network standards, policies, and security frameworks; regularly audit compliance and champion continuous improvement initiatives.

  • Provide advanced monitoring, analysis, and planning for network systems, coordinating third-party maintenance as needed and supporting environments through ticketing systems (e.g., ServiceNow, JIRA).

  • Deliver third-level technical support for complex network, hardware, software, and telecommunications issues

  • Develop innovative technical solutions to complex problems, support project designs, clarify requirements, and ensure solutions adhere to established standards.

  • Raise issues requiring management attention and measure performance against KPIs, implementing corrective actions to exceed operational standards.

  • Provide senior-level technical expertise by mentoring junior and experienced team members, fostering their professional growth and enhancing team capabilities.

  • Lifts and moves equipment up to 50 pounds.

  • Work after hours, and weekends, as needed.

Note: Due to the classified nature of the work being performed, this position does not offer any virtual or telecommute working options. Applicants are encouraged to apply, only if they are willing to work on-site.

Basic Qualifications:

  • Master's Degree with 6 years of relevant technical experience; OR a Bachelor's Degree with 8 years of relevant technical experience; OR an Associate's Degree with 10 years of relevant technical experience; OR a High School Diploma / GED (or equivalent) with 12 years of relevant technical experience is required

  • Candidate must have a current U.S. Government Top Secret/SCI level security clearance to be considered

  • Must be able to obtain/maintain a Counter Intelligence Polygraph as a contrition of continued employment

  • Candidates must meet the U.S. Government 8140 requirements (8570 equivalent) for an Administrator – IAT level II certification or higher (Examples: Security+ CE, CND, CCNA Security, SSCP, GICSP, GSEC, CCISO)

  • Demonstrated experience designing and maintaining complex LAN/WAN based networks to include analysis, enhancements of routers, switches, and firewalls

  • Experience supporting Video Teleconferencing (VTCs), deploying audio/visual technologies in classified environments

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree Network Engineering preferred

  • CCNP certification

  • Experience supporting Cisco Call Managers or other similar technologies

  • Experience designing, implementing, and managing largescale, multidomain network architectures; expertise in advanced routing, security, and mission critical systems

  • Experience with configuring TACLANES, and/or encryption solutions

  • Experience with Assessment & Authorization processes

  • Experience troubleshooting network procedures and best practices; experience with network challenges associated with systems integration, including COTS integration, capacity analysis and system architecture design

  • Knowledge of NISPOM Chapter 8, DCID 6/3-ICD 503, RMF, STIG, JAFAN, or JSIG information system environments

  • Experience in the use of network analysis tools (WireShark, SolarWinds, Opnet, etc.)

  • Design, implement, and troubleshoot advanced WAN protocols (BGP, OSPF, MPLS) and complex telco circuits

We offer flexible work arrangements, phenomenal learning opportunities, exposure to a wide variety of projects and customers, and a very friendly team environment. At Northrop Grumman, we are on the cutting edge of innovation. Our diverse portfolio of programs means there are endless paths to cultivate your career. We also offer exceptional benefits/healthcare, a 9/80 work schedule, and a great 401k matching program. Come join us!

Primary Level Salary Range: $129,300.00 - $193,900.00

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.

Job Category: Information Technology

How this job compares

Set against the 757 open Network Administrator jobs on Olive Jobs, counted November 12, 2026.

Pay
  • This posting$129–194K/yr
  • Virginia median$95–135K/yr57 salary ranges
  • US median$100–133K/yr482 salary ranges

This range's midpoint, $162K, is 41% above the Virginia median midpoint ($115K) — in the top quarter of Network Administrator salary ranges in Virginia.

Openings
Olive Jobs lists 72 open Network Administrator jobs in Virginia and 757 across the US. 2% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
Hiring the most in Virginia
Experience
This posting asks for at least 6 years of experience; Network Administrator postings that state a minimum ask for 5 years at the median (662 postings).
Education
128 of the 757 open Network Administrator jobs (17%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.

Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on November 12, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.

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