Chief Engineer – Propulsion Tanks - Level 5

Northrop Grumman•Commerce, CA

2d•$177,000 - $265,600•Onsite

About The Position

Northrop Grumman's Space Sector is seeking a Chief Engineer – Propulsion Tanks - Level 5 to join their team in Commerce, CA. This is a highly visible, hands-on role for a technical leader who wants to own a product line end-to-end—stabilizing performance, lifting team capability, and shaping the technology roadmap. The role involves direct influence with customers, site leadership, and business leadership across the company, working on hardware that directly affects mission success. The ideal candidate is a seasoned technical leader with deep propulsion tank experience, strong metallurgy and manufacturing expertise, and a proven track record of building teams, navigating challenges, and positively influencing culture in demanding environments. The company values diverse perspectives and inclusive leadership, and is looking for a chief engineer who can bring out the best in a broad range of engineers and partners.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in a Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math (STEM) field with 12 years of technical experience in aerospace, space, or closely related propulsion/pressure vessel domains.
Experience in propulsion tank design and manufacturing (e.g., pressure vessels, PMDs, COPVs, diaphragm tanks).
Deep technical proficiency in metallurgy and materials (including titanium and high performance alloys).
Experience with GD&T, precision machining, and production tooling for complex hardware.
Demonstrated experience with additive manufacturing or other advanced manufacturing methods for structural/pressure vessel hardware, and the ability to incorporate these into technical and technology roadmap decisions.
Demonstrated success leading RCCA/non-conformance resolution and closing persistent technical issues that impact cost, schedule, and performance.
Experience leading and influencing cross-functional technical teams and effectively interfacing with customers and senior leadership.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to explain complex technical topics to diverse stakeholders.
Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in a STEM discipline (Aerospace, Mechanical, or Materials Engineering preferred).
Broad familiarity with propulsion tank architectures, customer expectations, and market trends, including PMD designs, COPV and diaphragm tanks, and forging supply chain constraints.
Experience developing technology transition plans that leverage additive and other advanced processes to mitigate forging/supply constraints and support higher demand.
Prior experience as a Chief Engineer, IPT Lead, or equivalent senior technical leadership role on mission-critical hardware.
Active TS and/or SCI clearances

Responsibilities

Serve as Chief Engineer for the Commerce Propulsion Tank Product Line, owning the technical baseline and guiding design, development, integration, test, and production support.
Act as the primary technical interface to customers, Commerce site leadership, and key functional and business partners.
Lead root cause and corrective action (RCCA) and nonconformance resolution, driving closure of complex technical issues that impact performance, yield, and schedule.
Apply deep expertise in metallurgy and materials, GD&T, precision machining, and production tooling to improve producibility and manufacturing robustness.
Partner closely with Operations, Manufacturing Engineering, Tooling, and Quality to address manufacturability, variability, and cost drivers.
Build and mentor a high performing engineering team in a small, growing organization: coach engineers, set clear technical standards, and raise the level of technical rigor.
Take on a high impact build and transform charter: strengthen a small team, improve technical discipline, and help shape the culture of the Commerce propulsion tank organization.
Champion a positive, inclusive culture by modeling Northrop Grumman’s leadership behaviors: setting a vision, taking ownership, leading with courage, responding with resilience, and acting with speed.
Maintain strong awareness of the propulsion tank market and architectures, including PMD designs, COPV tanks, diaphragm tanks, and titanium forging constraints.
Support new business and proposals with technical strategy, risk assessment, and requirements compliance, clearly articulating our technical value to customers.
Lead development of technical roadmaps, including evaluating emerging technologies such as additive manufacturing and defining transitions away from forging constrained approaches to meet higher demand under tighter timelines.
Work closely with site leadership, Operating Unit and Business Unit leaders, and enterprise functional leadership, providing a strong platform for future technical and organizational leadership opportunities.