Consulting Chief Engineer - Expendables

Northrop Grumman • El Segundo, CA

4d • $212,100 - $318,100 • Onsite

About The Position

Northrop Grumman's Aeronautics Systems – Research & Advanced Design (R&AD) transforms breakthrough ideas into mission-ready capabilities through intelligent anticipation. We’re the front-end design engine, defining what comes next. From developing cutting-edge next-generation future aircraft to trailblazing collaborative autonomous platforms, we push the boundaries of technology and forge industry-leading partnerships that set new standards for what’s possible. Our team owns the full lifecycle of advanced concept creation, from visionary early-stage designs and rapid prototyping to high-impact demonstrations and solving the toughest technical challenges in survivability, autonomy, and battle management. We seek curious, adaptable people who thrive on turning intuition into breakthrough solutions. If you’re driven to invent the future, build what’s next, and shape the landscape of national security, this is where you belong. R&AD has an opening for Consulting Chief Engineer to join our Expendables (Advanced Weapons) Operating Unit (OU) located in Redondo Beach or El Segundo, CA. In this role, the successful candidate will lead a multi-disciplinary engineering team executing research & development projects within the Expendables OU. This team conceives, develops, demonstrates and transitions cutting-edge technologies and capabilities in the expendable air breathing weapons domain. Activities within the OU span the spectrum from applied research through flight demonstrations, program of record capture, and technical support to programs already in development or production at other NG sectors. The Expendables portfolio includes subsonic, supersonic, and hypersonic air-breathing platforms.

Requirements

• Bachelor of Science degree in a relevant Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math (STEM) discipline and 16 years related professional/military experience; OR a Master of Science degree in a STEM discipline and 14 years of related professional/military experience; OR a Ph.D. in a related STEM discipline and 12 years of related professional/military experience
• Professional experience related to expendables, weapons, or high-speed air-breathing systems.
• Experience integrating multiple engineering specialties and experience working across multiple Business Units within a company, as well as with industry partners and customer community
• Active US Government Secret or higher clearance (with a background investigation completed within the last 6 years or currently enrolled into Continuous Evaluation)
• Ability to obtain SAP (Special Program Access) and TS / SCI Clearance within a reasonable amount of time as determined by business needs
• Up to 25% travel required

Nice To Haves

• Active DoD Top Secret or TS/SCI clearance, one or more SAP clearances
• Familiarity with US Government science & technology and/or acquisition customer community for weapons and expendable systems technologies
• Experience across multiple phases of program lifecycle, including business development, business acquisition, research & development, production and sustainment.
• Experience as a Chief Engineer or technical lead with the planning and execution of technical design and integration tasks on schedule, at cost and achieving all technical requirements
• A strong understanding of weapons and related systems, including relevant mission systems, seekers, weapon data links, architectures (WOSA, GRA), warheads, platform integration, and mission engineering.
• Demonstrated experience in making sound decisions in uncertain, ambiguous or difficult situations
• Excellent organizational and written communication skills, as well as project management planning and presentation skills

Responsibilities

• Serve as the technical authority for the OU, providing technical direction and leadership to internally funded and contracted activities
• Serve as the focal point for definition and control of technical requirements, and ensure technical coordination and horizontal integration across projects
• Serve as the principal technical interface with the customer and company senior leadership
• Serve as the NGAS sector representative for cross-company weapon related technical activities.
• Collaborate with USG technology development stakeholders.
• Ensure that programs adhere to sound engineering principles and comply with relevant company policies, procedures, and quality standards
• Oversee and ensure technical performance measures are being met by the Engineering team within allocated cost and schedule resources
• Serve as the chairperson of the Technical Review Board (TRB)
• Support program managers in risk and opportunity management by identifying and owning risks associated with technical performance
• Support of weapon mission engineering, design, and cost trades.
• Provide technical leadership, direction and mentoring to technical contributors in the application of systems engineering principles, tools, and techniques to achieve practical end results

Benefits

• Relocation assistance may be available
• health insurance coverage
• life and disability insurance
• savings plan
• Company paid holidays and paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business
• overtime
• shift differential
• discretionary bonus
• Long Term Incentives (for VP or Director positions)

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior