Youve been selected to interview at Northrop Grumman! Its an exciting, hopeful and unnerving time. Read our helpful interview prep tips to learn more about what to expect, what to wear, and the different types of interviews you might face before you go on the interview. Well even give you some sample questions to help you prepare. After all, we want you to be the hire were looking for!.
Northrop Grumman is one of the largest defense contractors and IT companies in the United States. Landing a software engineering job with them can be highly competitive. You’ll want to make sure you’re fully prepared for the challenging technical interviews they are known for.
In this article, I’ll share some insider tips and example questions to help you ace your Northrop Grumman software engineering interview. I’ve compiled this information based on feedback from engineers who have interviewed with the company in the past couple of years.
Tip #1: Brush Up on Data Structures and Algorithms
Software engineers at Northrop Grumman work on complex aerospace and defense systems. They need rock solid computer science fundamentals to succeed in these roles.
You can expect coding questions focused on data structures like arrays, linked lists, stacks, queues, trees, graphs, and hash tables Be ready to implement these from scratch and discuss their time and space complexities
Make sure you also brush up on algorithms like sorting, searching, recursion, breadth-first search, depth-first search, and Dijkstra’s algorithm. Analyzing the efficiency of algorithms with Big O notation is fair game as well.
I’d recommend reviewing introductory algorithm and data structure textbooks and practice implementing everything yourself. LeetCode is also great for practicing specific coding problems.
Tip #2: Know Your Computer Organization and Architecture
Since Northrop Grumman builds embedded systems and flight computers, expect some lower-level systems questions too.
You’ll want to brush up on computer organization topics like CPU components, pipelining, superscalar processors, hazards, caches, and memory hierarchy. Review digital logic as well, like logic gates, adders, multiplexers, encoders/decoders, and flip flops.
Be ready to discuss tradeoffs in RAM technologies, like size, cost, speed, volatility, and use cases. Know the basics of assembly language and how compilers generate machine code.
Tip #3: Be Comfortable with C and C++
The majority of Northrop Grumman’s codebases are in C and C++. You’ll need to demonstrate fluency in these languages during the interviews.
Make sure you’re familiar with pointers, memory management, references, templates, and object-oriented principles in C++. Know how to write clean, efficient, bug-free code in both languages.
Brush up on best practices related to performance, safety, modularity, portability, and maintainability. Expect coding questions in C/C++ where you’ll need to solve problems efficiently while writing clean, well-structured code.
Tip #4: Review Software Design Patterns
Northrop Grumman works on enormous legacy systems with millions of lines of code. Following proven design patterns is essential to managing this complexity.
Study up on GoF patterns like singleton, factory, builder, observer, decorator, facade, mediator, and strategy. Understand the use cases, benefits, and limitations of each pattern.
Be ready to refactor code or extend systems using appropriate patterns. You may be asked to identify patterns in existing code. Having a repertoire of patterns makes you better equipped to build flexible, reusable, maintainable software.
Tip #5: Know Agile, SDLC, and Software Process Models
Northrop Grumman utilizes Agile methodologies like Scrum and Kanban for many teams. Understand how theseiterative approaches differ from waterfall.
Be familiar with Agile principles, roles, ceremonies, and artifacts. Know common software development lifecycle models and terminology. This shows you can collaborate effectively with stakeholders during the engineering process.
Expect behavioral questions about how you deliver quality software on time. Discuss experiences where you successfully applied process methodologies on past projects.
Tip #6: Show Strong Systems Design Skills
Software engineers at Northrop Grumman work on systems like radars, weapons, satellites, aircraft, and more. You’ll need strong systems design abilities to succeed here.
Be ready to discuss considerations in systems architecture like modularity, interfaces, reliability, scalability, availability, security, monitoring, and deployments. Understand architectural styles like MVC, microservices, and event-driven.
Prepare for open-ended system design questions. For example, you may be asked to design a parking garage security system, an airline booking system, or a pet adoption platform. Structure your discussion methodically and highlight important design decisions.
Tip #7: Demonstrate Leadership Skills
Northrop Grumman wants engineers who can lead teams, initiatives, and even entire programs. Come prepared to showcase your leadership potential.
Be ready to discuss experiences where you coordinated technical projects, mentored junior engineers, motivated colleagues, resolved conflicts, influenced stakeholders, or delivered presentations.
Highlight leadership training, roles in student organizations, or volunteer experiences. Share proactive steps you’ve taken to strengthen leadership abilities. This shows you can eventually grow into lead and principal engineering roles.
Tip #8: Expect Behavioral and Situational Questions
In addition to technical questions, expect behavioral and situational types as well. These reveal your judgment, ethics, communication skills, and personality.
Prepare stories highlighting your perseverance in overcoming obstacles. Discuss examples of how you take initiative even when it falls outside your responsibilities. Share situations where you had to make difficult technical decisions with tradeoffs.
Stay calm under pressure and be your authentic self. Northrop Grumman needs ethical, personable team players who can thrive in high-stakes defense work. Let your passion and integrity shine through.
Tip #9: Ask Good Questions
Interviews are a two-way street. The company evaluates you, but you’re also assessing Northrop Grumman as an employer.
Come prepared with thoughtful questions that show your interest in the company. Ask about day-to-day responsibilities, technical challenges, company culture, mentorship programs, career growth opportunities, etc.
Having insightful questions shows you’ve done your research and are excited about the role. It also gives you information to help determine if it’s the right job for you.
Tip #10: Follow Up After the Interview
Stand out by following up after your interviews. Send thank you notes to everyone you met with, highlighting something memorable about your conversations.
This simple gesture can boost your chances of moving forward and make you more memorable. Reiterate your interest in the role and fit with the company.
Following up properly is part of putting your best foot forward throughout the entire interview process. Don’t neglect this last step.
Example Northrop Grumman Software Engineering Interview Questions
Here are some representative questions reported by software engineers who interviewed with Northrop Grumman:
Algorithm Design and Analysis
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Given two sorted arrays, write a function to merge them into a single sorted array. Analyze the time and space complexity.
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Implement a depth-first search on a binary tree. How does it differ from breadth-first search? Compare time and space complexity.
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You have a sorted list of integers and a target value. Write a function to determine if there are two numbers in the list that add up to the target. Explain your approach and analyze its efficiency.
Object Oriented Programming
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How do you implement inheritance in C++? Explain virtual functions.
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What is method overriding? Give an example. How does it differ from method overloading?
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Explain polymorphism in object oriented programming. Give examples of runtime and compile time polymorphism.
Systems Design and Architecture
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Design a parking garage payment system. What components, interfaces, and technologies would you use?
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You’re building a pet adoption platform. Walk through your high-level design. What are the primary entities, relationships, and constraints?
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How would you design an API for a weather forecasting application? What endpoints would you provide?
Behavioral and Situational
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Tell me about a time you overcame a technical obstacle. What was the situation and how did you handle it?
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Describe a situation where you had to manage tight deadlines or scheduling constraints. How did you approach it?
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Have you ever made a mistake that caused issues in a team project? What did you learn from it?
Start Preparing Now to Ace Your Interview
Northrop Grumman software engineering interviews will put your skills to the test. Following these tips and practicing responses to example questions will get you a long way towards your goal.
With diligent preparation, you can walk into your interviews with confidence in your ability to tackle whatever comes your way. I wish you the very best as you embark on this exciting career opportunity. Now get out there and show Northrop Grumman what an amazing software engineer you are!
Tell Me About Yourself
One common lead-off interview question is often one where people tend to have trouble: “Tell me about yourself. “Sometimes you can’t think of anything to say because you don’t think you need to prepare for that question; you know yourself well enough.”
This answer should be between one and two minutes long and show that you can speak clearly and confidently. Try to highlight your strengths and remember that the interviewers want to know more about you.
What we dont want is a chronological retelling of your whole life story. Instead, your answer should be a short summary of your life, with a focus on the most important parts of your work history that are related to the job you’re applying for. Think of it as an elevator pitch about yourself.
The phone screen is a short, casual interview (usually 30 minutes) that you use to get to know your talent acquisition business partner. This is your chance to show off your personality and communication skills, and it’s also our chance to learn more about you as a candidate.
Frequently, questions in the phone screen are centered on behavioral scenarios. The general format of these questions is: “Given a certain situation, how would you respond?”.
You should have two goals for the phone screen: to get the talent acquisition partner’s attention and to get them interested in you enough that they want to learn more about you.
To move on to the next round of interviews, you’ll probably meet with the hiring manager in person or online. These are more technical interviews. Learn some new technical terms, keep up with current events, and come up with something interesting to say about your field.
Know basic information about the organization. A talent acquisition interviewer or manager won’t expect you to be an expert, but they will be impressed if you show that you’ve done your research and are interested in and know a lot about Northrop Grumman.
You might want to look at the interviewers’ LinkedIn profiles and see if you can find a connection with them, whether it’s personal, academic, or professional.
Read the job description and make a list of the qualities of a “successful candidate.” Then, ask yourself, “How do those qualities relate to my skills and experience?” Be ready to make the connection between the job description and your skills, especially the ones that are listed on your resume.
Take the time to know and understand your credentials and the overall job objective and goal. Our mission makes us happy and drives us, and we want you to feel the same way if you join our team.
Its likely you will be asked about your long- and short-term career goals. Be prepared to answer this question in a meaningful way.
Have at least three questions prepared to ask the interviewers about the company and scope of work
Conducting an interview over video stream is becoming more common. Take steps to prepare for this special kind of interaction:
- Check your end of the technology before the interview to make sure it all works.
- Check the camera to make sure you’re getting the best lighting and angles.
- It’s also important to dress professionally for this kind of interview.
- Think about the audio and visual background of the place where you’ll be interviewing people.
Youd think this would be a no-brainer — but unfortunately, it isnt.
Our day-to-day dress code at most locations is business casual. If you are hired, thats generally what you should expect to wear.
For an interview, however, you should take it up a notch, to business formal. We want you to be you, but we want the professional version of you.
Send thank-you notes. They dont have to be long, elaborate or handwritten. They should be sent on time, with correct spelling and grammar, and they should show the interviewer why they should hire you.
In many cases, you may not get the interviewers direct email. Make sure to ask your business partner in talent acquisition if they can send your thank-you note to everyone who came to the interview.
Interview Tips with Northrop Grumman | General Body Meeting
FAQ
Are Northrop Grumman interviews hard?
Does Northrop Grumman ask for a leetcode?
What do software engineers at Northrop Grumman do?
What should I wear to a Northrop interview?
How do you prepare for an interview at Northrop Grumman?
Here are some interview prep tips straight from the Northrop Grumman Talent Acquisition team. One common lead-off interview question is often one where people tend to have trouble: “Tell me about yourself.” Sometimes your mind goes blank because you don’t think you need to prepare for that question; after all, you know yourself.
Does Northrop Grumman have Glassdoor?
On Glassdoor, you can share insights and advice anonymously with Northrop Grumman employees and get real answers from people on the inside. I interviewed at Northrop Grumman Staff was very helpful and had clear questions. They seemed genuinely interested in what I had to say and I enjoyed the process.
How do I filter an interview at Northrop Grumman?
To filter interviews, Sign In or Register. Your trust is our top concern, so companies can’t alter or remove interviews. I interviewed at Northrop Grumman (Roy, UT) It was very basic. Met a recruiter at a job fair, applied online, and had an over the phone interview. It was a very easy and smooth process.
