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Entry Level Pki Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Cyber Research Scientist (Early Career)

Columbus, OH · On-site

$112K - $138K/yr

Responsibilities As a Cyber Research Scientist - Entry Level, you will support senior researchers ... Basic programming or scripting experience in at least one language, including Python, Bash ...

Entry Level Pki Engineer information

See salary details

$30K

$69.4K

$118K

How much do entry level pki engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 11, 2026, the average yearly pay for entry level pki engineer in the United States is $69,362.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $51,500.00 and $78,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are some common challenges faced by entry-level PKI engineers, and how can they be overcome?

Entry-level PKI engineers often encounter challenges such as understanding complex cryptographic concepts, managing certificate lifecycle processes, and ensuring compliance with security policies. To overcome these, it's important to seek mentorship from experienced team members, regularly review best practice documentation, and participate in hands-on training with PKI tools and platforms. Collaboration with IT security teams and staying updated on evolving standards also help in building a strong foundation and minimizing errors in this critical area.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an Entry Level PKI Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Entry Level PKI Engineer, you need a solid understanding of cryptography, network security principles, and a bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related field. Familiarity with PKI tools (such as Microsoft Certificate Services or OpenSSL), certificate management systems, and basic scripting or automation skills are commonly required. Strong problem-solving abilities, attention to detail, and effective communication help you troubleshoot issues and collaborate with teams. These competencies are vital for maintaining secure digital environments and ensuring the integrity of authentication and encryption services.

What is the difference between Entry Level Pki Engineer vs Network Security Technician?

AspectEntry Level Pki EngineerNetwork Security Technician
CertificationsBasic PKI, security fundamentalsCompTIA Security+, Network+
Work EnvironmentIT/security teams, enterprise environmentsNetwork operations, security support
Industry UsageCybersecurity, IT infrastructureIT support, network security

While both roles involve cybersecurity fundamentals, an Entry Level Pki Engineer focuses on Public Key Infrastructure and certificate management, whereas a Network Security Technician handles broader network security tasks. The PKI Engineer role is more specialized in cryptography and certificate lifecycle management, often requiring knowledge of encryption protocols. The Network Security Technician provides support across network security systems, troubleshooting, and implementing security measures. Both roles are essential in cybersecurity but differ in scope and technical focus.

What is an Entry Level PKI Engineer?

An Entry Level PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) Engineer is a technology professional who helps design, implement, and maintain systems that use cryptographic keys and digital certificates to secure data and communications. These engineers support authentication, encryption, and digital signing processes to protect sensitive information within an organization. Entry level PKI Engineers often assist with certificate management, troubleshooting security issues, and ensuring compliance with security policies under the guidance of more experienced team members.
What are the most commonly searched types of Pki Engineer jobs? The most popular types of Pki Engineer jobs are:
What job categories do people searching Entry Level Pki Engineer jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Entry Level Pki Engineer jobs are:
Software Engineer Level 1 or 2

Software Engineer Level 1 or 2

Northrop Grumman Corporation

Aurora, CO • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Life, PTO

Posted 2 days ago


Northrop Grumman rating

8.1

Company rating: 8.1 out of 10

Based on 352 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

108th of 527 rated manufacturers


Job description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be availableCLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: YesCLEARANCE TYPE: Top SecretTRAVEL: Yes, 10% of the TimeDescriptionAt 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.

Northrop Grumman Space Sector is seeking multipleSoftware Engineersto support an innovative program in their development, integration, deployment, and sustainment of satellite ground software.

This position is located onsite on ourAurora, CO, Linthicum, MD, or Morrisville, NC campus.

The ideal candidate will have the ability to take ownership of hard problems and drive to a solution, while working in a team environment and provide leadership for its implementation. It is critical that you understand the software development life cycle. The Software Engineer will participate in the full life cycle of software development, to include requirements development, modeling and design, application development, unit to CSCI testing, integration, formal system testing, release, installation, and maintenance. The Software Engineer will apply technical expertise in solving complex integrations problems.

This position requires interfaces between systems analysts/programmers and users located in a specialized area to ensure that information technology designs meet the needs of the end users within an organization. Documents product/service requirements and develop test procedures to ensure user requests are carried out. The Software Engineer will interact with Program Management, and/or government customers.Therefore, excellent verbal, written and interpersonal skills are required.A solid experience in bash scripting, Python, or other OOP languages, in a Linux environment is required.

About our organization:Our Aurora Software & Digital Engineering department comprises 200+ engineers, DevOps specialists, system administrators, DBAs, and network engineers-from entrylevel talent to chief architects. Engineers often serve as informal subjectmatter experts and may assume formal technicalleadership roles. Career progression into higherlevel technical or leadership positions is strongly supported.

What You'll Have an Opportunity to Do:

  • Full stack development at the OS, platform, and mission unique software layer

  • Applications will span languages and toolsets including GO, Python, Postgres, Kubernetes/Docker, AWS cloud infrastructure provisioning, PKI, and static code analysis execution and finding remediation.

  • Developer will be expected to be a self-starter capable of making decisions with overall project budget and schedule in mind.

  • Develop software which provides command and control functionality of a hardware system (sending commands, receiving acknowledgements, working on and integrating across interfaces)

  • Develop software which enables activity planning and constraint checking to achieve mission outcomes.

  • Develop software which enables the visualization of a complex and dynamic environment in both two and 3 dimensions, complete with decisions tools, intelligent context, and user-centric interface design.

This position may be filled at the Associate Software Engineer (level 1) or Software Engineer (level 2).

Basic Qualifications:

Associate Software Engineer Level 1:

  • Bachelor's degree with 0 years of development experience. 4 years of experience may be considered in lieu of degree.

  • ActiveTop Secret clearancewithSCI eligibilityat time of application.

  • Knowledge of Agile programs

  • Knowledge of design, build, and deployment of software products

  • Knowledge of producing software architecture documentation

  • Experience with Python, GO, AWS, GitLab workflows, and Docker/Kubernetes

Software Engineer Level 2:

  • Bachelor's degree with 2 years of development experience. 0 years of experience with a Master's degree.4 additional years of experience may be considered in lieu of degree.

  • ActiveTop Secret clearancewithSCIeligibility at time of application.

  • 2 years with Agile programs

  • 2 years of experience with the design, build, and deployment of software products

  • 2 years of experience in producing software architecture documentation

  • 2 years of experience with Python, GO, AWS, GitLab workflows, and Docker/Kubernetes

  • Prior experience with development of microservice software architecture

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Experience developing satellite ground software with any of the following applications for spacecraft missions is highly preferred: Command and Control, Mission Planning, Visualization, and/or Astrodynamics

  • Experience with the creation and use of planning software and constraint checking applications utilized in complex and dynamic space mission planning

  • Experience with the creation and implementation of visualization tools for space missions, including dynamic renderings of space vehicles, depiction of space vehicle missions, simulation of space vehicle sensor and mission outputs, and configuration displays of complex contextual and situational awareness information

  • Linux, Ansible, Docker, UI/UX experience

  • Active CI polygraph

Primary Level Salary Range: $76,200.00 - $114,400.00Secondary Level Salary Range: $91,800.00 - $137,600.00The 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.

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About Northrop Grumman

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

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.

Industry

Space research administration

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Falls Church, VA, US

Year founded

1939