Embedded Software Architect 5 (aht)

Northrop Grumman Northrop Grumman · Aerospace · Los Angeles, CA +1 · Software

Northrop Grumman is seeking an Embedded Software Architect 5 to join their missile systems development team. The role involves defining and architecting secure missile weapon systems, collaborating with cross-functional teams, and ensuring the development of real-time, mission-critical software for advanced missile platforms. Requires a strong background in embedded software, RTOS, C/C++ programming, and an active DoD Secret security clearance.

What you'd actually do

  1. Develop and implement software for embedded devices and systems based on requirements.
  2. Design, develop, code, test, and debug system software, including low-level drivers and board bring-up.
  3. Create and maintain hardware-abstraction layers (HAL) and operating-system abstraction layers (OSAL) for embedded systems.
  4. Define and enforce architectural guidelines, coding standards, and design patterns across cross-functional teams.
  5. Lead integration of real-time operating systems (VxWorks) and ensure deterministic scheduling, priority management, and inter-process communication.

Skills

Required

  • BS or MS degree in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field
  • 12+ years of embedded software experience (or 10+ with MS, or 16+ without degree)
  • Architect or lead role experience on defense or aerospace programs
  • Expertise with RTOS (VxWorks, ThreadX, FreeRTOS, Green Hills INTEGRITY)
  • Experience developing and troubleshooting low-level embedded software
  • Knowledge of embedded systems design principles (operating systems, threading, inter-process communication)
  • Communication skills across technical and non-technical stakeholders
  • Technical influence across an organization of embedded software, systems, and hardware engineers
  • Strong proficiency in C/C++ programming
  • Active US Government DoD Secret security clearance with the ability to be cleared for SAP

Nice to have

  • In-depth understanding of weapons systems, real-time embedded constraints, safety-critical standards, and secure communications
  • Experience with version-control systems (Git)
  • Experience with CI/CD pipelines (Jenkins, CMake, Make, Yocto)
  • Experience with hardware abstraction layers, peripheral abstraction layers, and OS abstraction layers
  • Hands-on experience with pre-emptive, multitasking RTOS environments and OSAL integration
  • Expertise in embedded C++ optimization and integration with VxWorks
  • Familiarity with Atlassian Suite (JIRA, Confluence, Bitbucket, SonarQube)
  • Product-owner experience
  • Ability to translate architectural concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders
  • Familiarity with Java, Python, or C#

What the JD emphasized

  • Active US Government DoD Secret security clearance with the ability to be cleared for SAP
  • Previously an architect or lead role on defense or aerospace programs
  • Expertise with RTOS (VxWorks, ThreadX, FreeRTOS, Green Hills INTEGRITY)
  • Experience in developing and troubleshooting low-level embedded software knowledge of embedded systems design principles, including operating systems, threading, and inter-process communication