Director Systems Engineering 2

Northrop Grumman • Aurora, CO

2d • $230,000 - $399,500

About The Position

Northrop Grumman Space Systems is seeking a Director 2 – Systems Engineering Discipline Lead to lead its growing Systems Engineering organization across Central Region locations in Chandler, Arizona; Boulder, Aurora, and Colorado Springs, Colorado; and Huntsville, Alabama. The role may be based in Colorado Springs, Aurora, Boulder, or Chandler, and reports to the Vice President, Central Region Engineering.

The director provides strategic leadership, people management, and day-to-day operational oversight across disciplines including Communication Systems Engineering, Mission Payload Systems Engineering, Space Vehicle Systems Engineering, Specialty Engineering (including Radiation and Reliability), Mission Systems Engineering, Modeling and Simulation, Cyber Systems Engineering, Requirements & Verification, Flight Operations, and Configuration Management. The role aligns technical capabilities with program requirements, long-range sector priorities, and corporate objectives, drawing on expertise in system architecture, SEIT leadership, integration and test, and verification and validation.

The director leads strategic and operational initiatives across the systems lifecycle, supports program capture and execution, manages organizational resources, and promotes technical innovation, risk management, disciplined execution, employee development, inclusion, and continuous improvement. The role requires the ability to travel 25% and a current active Secret clearance with the ability to obtain TS/SCI at application; the posting also identifies Top Secret as the clearance required for the role’s start.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) discipline.
• At least 12 years of engineering, project management, and/or functional management experience.
• Current, active Secret security clearance and ability to obtain TS/SCI at the time of application.
• Demonstrated Systems Engineering experience, including system architecture, SEIT leadership, and development programs through system integration and test, verification, and validation.
• Experience leading large SEIT teams.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and develop high-performing teams and collaborate across organizations to achieve shared objectives.
• Ability to travel 25%.

Nice To Haves

• Advanced degree in Engineering or another STEM field.
• At least 15 years of experience in engineering, project management, and/or functional management roles.
• Significant experience leading a large functional or program organization of approximately 1,000 or more personnel and successfully implementing strategic goals.
• Current, active TS/SCI clearance.
• Exceptional oral and written communication skills, including preparing and delivering executive-level presentations and briefings.
• Ability to foster ethical conduct, balanced results, partner satisfaction, employee growth, collaborative teams, customer trust, and adaptability.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical and people leadership, strategic direction, and oversight of major disciplines and functions within the Systems Engineering organization.
• Lead long-range strategic planning and align organizational capabilities with sector goals, program needs, future technology requirements, and the Central Systems Engineering organization’s critical skills and infrastructure needs.
• Optimize people, processes, and tools to support successful captures and program execution throughout development, qualification, manufacturing, integration, test, and flight operations.
• Own the people, processes, and tools supporting recruiting, employee development and engagement, skills development, NCTA efforts, staffing, and process and product development.
• Ensure sound Systems Engineering processes are applied during capture, conceptual design, qualification, manufacturing, integration, and test of Space Systems portfolio systems.
• Oversee program and project reviews, including leading Independent Review Teams for customer milestones such as SRR, SDR, PDR, and CDR; drive SE process improvement plans, proposal review, and commitment authority for SE scope of work.
• Identify and diagnose program challenges across development, hardware/software integration, production, and test, and enable decisive resolution.
• Drive Model Based Enterprise solutions.
• Oversee special assignments, including proposal development, independent technical reviews, program standup reviews, anomaly resolution, and technical audits.
• Drive innovation and support advanced research and technology development in Systems Engineering disciplines aligned with long-range sector priorities and Space Systems strategic roadmaps.
• Champion risk, issue, and opportunity management strategies to support operational success and mitigate technical and execution risks.
• Manage and optimize direct, indirect, NCTA, and capital budgets to achieve organizational objectives and support sector and corporate priorities.
• Foster a high-performance, inclusive, continuously improving culture emphasizing communication, collaboration, disciplined execution, and employee engagement.

Benefits

• Health insurance coverage
• Life insurance
• Disability insurance
• Savings plan
• Company-paid holidays
• Paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business
• Employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus, depending on the position.
• Employees in Vice President or Director positions may be eligible for Long Term Incentives.
• Relocation assistance may be available.

What This Job Offers

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