Security Architecture Lead

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: No relocation assistance available
CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: No
CLEARANCE TYPE: Secret
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.
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.
Northrop Grumman is seeking a Staff Computer Systems Architect to serve as the Security Architecture Lead to define and guide enterprise technology architecture across the architecture function’s strong core within Strategy and Architecture, part of the Governance & Strategy organization in the Chief Information & Digital Office. This role will serve as the lead for technology architecture direction covering foundational platforms, infrastructure-aligned patterns, integration-enabling technology, environment strategy, technical standards, and modernization guardrails that support the broader business and application landscape.
The Security Architecture Lead is responsible for helping ensure that modernization, platform, integration, and information architecture decisions incorporate security as a built-in design concern rather than a downstream compliance check. This role is expected to work closely with CISO & Global Cybersecurity and adjacent delivery organizations to align enterprise architecture decisions with security, risk, and trusted modernization expectations.
The successful candidate will:
define enterprise security architecture principles, reference patterns, and architectural guardrails;
guide security-related architecture trade-offs involving identity, access, segmentation, trust boundaries, integration, and enterprise risk;
partner with application, data, technology, cyber, and delivery stakeholders to improve security alignment across architectural decisions; and
Help peer domain leads embed security into enterprise roadmaps, target-state direction, and major design decisions.
This position will be available as a virtual telecommuter, however, the incumbent most be within 90 miles of a major Northrop Grumman location for ad hoc onsite meetings.
Key Responsibilities
Serve as the Security Architecture Lead for the enterprise architecture function.
Define and maintain enterprise security architecture principles, trusted patterns, and reference architectures aligned to enterprise priorities and risk expectations.
Guide architecture decisions involving identity and access, trust boundaries, segmentation, secure integration, data protection, and security-enabling technical controls.
Ensure enterprise target-state architecture, modernization plans, and major design decisions reflect security requirements and risk-informed architectural guardrails early in the process.
Partner with business, application, data, technology, cyber, infrastructure, and delivery stakeholders to evaluate architectural trade-offs and improve security alignment across domains.
Identify security-related architectural debt, duplication, policy conflicts, control gaps, and modernization risks across the enterprise architecture landscape.
Participate in architecture reviews, standards governance, and decision forums involving significant platform, integration, application, and information architecture initiatives.
Develop recommendations that improve enterprise security posture while still enabling practical delivery, modernization, and operational effectiveness.
Mentor architects and technical leaders on how to embed security into enterprise, capability, solution, and system architecture decisions.
Support executive-facing architecture communication and leadership visibility into enterprise security architecture risks, standards decisions, and modernization implications.
Basic Qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, Cybersecurity, or related technical discipline and 12+ years of relevant experience, or Master’s degree with 10+ years, or PhD with 8+ years.
Candidates must have the ability to obtain, and maintain, a U.S. Government Secret level security clearance as a condition of continued employment.
Demonstrated experience in security architecture, cyber architecture, enterprise security engineering, or risk-informed architecture leadership.
Experience defining security standards, trusted patterns, architecture guardrails, or reference architectures across complex technical environments.
Strong understanding of secure system design, enterprise risk, architectural trade-offs, and how security requirements affect applications, platforms, integrations, and data flows.
Experience influencing security-related architecture decisions across multiple teams, organizations, or technical domains.
Ability to connect enterprise security objectives with practical architecture and delivery decisions.
Strong knowledge of Zero Trust Architecture
Strong knowledge of the Defense Compliance Landscape
Knowledge of the Security Architecture Method or equivalent
Experience with Threat Modeling and Risk Translation
Preferred Qualifications:
Experience leading enterprise security architecture, cyber architecture, or security design governance efforts in a large organization.
Experience in defense, aerospace, federal, or other regulated environments.
Experience with enterprise identity, boundary protection, integration security, data protection, zero trust-aligned design, or related security architecture domains.
Experience supporting architecture review boards, standards governance, or modernization planning in security-sensitive environments.
Ability to balance strong security discipline with practical delivery, interoperability, and operational constraints.
Ability to work effectively across technical and non-technical stakeholders, including senior leaders.
Knowledge of TOGAF or other architecture frameworks.
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 cultivating your career. We also offer exceptional benefits/healthcare, a 9/80 work schedule option, and a great 401k matching program. Come join us!
Primary Level Salary Range: $161,000.00 - $241,400.00
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 ben