Mission Assurance Manager 3 - NDI Development

Northrop Grumman • Palmdale, CA

4d • $151,500 - $263,200

About The Position

Northrop Grumman’s Aeronautics Systems Sector is seeking a Mission Assurance Manager 3 for NDI Development in the Strike Division. The role may be based in Palmdale, California; Clearfield, Utah; or Melbourne, Florida, and reports directly to the Strike Mission Assurance NDI Director 1. The manager leads engineering efforts related to Non-Destructive Inspection (NDI) on the program, providing technical oversight across program build sites and suppliers and driving development and implementation of future NDI technologies and methods.

The role coordinates with engineering and program organizations to align requirements with inspection capabilities, oversees testing and qualification of new equipment and methods, and transitions validated improvements into production. The manager also oversees supplier NDI work and develops technical leaders to support current and future program lifecycles and locations. The position requires an active Secret-or-higher DoD clearance and the ability to obtain and maintain SAP clearance before starting. Travel is 10% of the time. Relocation assistance may be available.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a STEM discipline and 10 years of related experience, or a master’s degree and 8 years of related experience.
• Related experience must include professional and/or military experience involving aircraft, aerospace, NDI/quality, Materials & Processes, and/or structural engineering-related functions.
• Experience with composite design, fabrication, and inspection methods.
• At least 3 years of experience as a manager.
• Active DoD clearance at the Secret level or higher.
• Ability to obtain and maintain Special Access Program (SAP) clearance prior to start.
• U.S. citizenship is required for positions requiring a government clearance.

Nice To Haves

• Current Special Program Access (PAR).
• Membership in an NDI-specific Community of Practice or industry council.
• Ability to interpret composite design, including ply orientation, material system performance, and critical features, and understand how design can affect inspection results.
• Knowledge of composite fabrication processes and ability to correlate process disruptions with NDI/inspection results.
• Strong people leadership skills and ability to lead teams through a dynamic, challenging environment across multiple sites and functions.
• Demonstrated experience building relationships with customers and other functions.
• Demonstrated experience developing, communicating, and instituting new organizational processes.
• Excellent written communication and presentation skills.
• Attention to detail while maintaining an understanding of the big picture.
• Familiarity with industry NDI requirements such as NAS410 and MIL-HDBK-6870, and Northrop Grumman processes such as Q0-1005.01 and ACS-PRS-7101.
• Current or past certification in UT Inspection and experience using multiple equipment types and software versions.
• Knowledge of NDI modeling and simulation software, analysis tools, and methods.

Responsibilities

• Support the Program NDI Chair with technical oversight across program build sites and suppliers.
• Coordinate approved technical changes through the program TRB and change process as required.
• Coordinate with the Chief Engineer’s Office, Structural Integrity, and Vehicle Engineering to align requirements and inspection capabilities.
• Set sector strategy for future NDI technologies and methods and lead their execution to improve inspection capabilities and efficiencies.
• Oversee and advise the NDI Chair on equivalency testing, demonstrations, and qualification requirements for new equipment or methods.
• Develop and implement future equipment and processes, including automated systems, ultrasound, thermography, shearography, radiography, computed tomography, eddy-current, and computer-aided data analysis.
• Transition improvements to production inspectors and validate benefits or identify changes needed.
• Develop a pipeline of NDI technical leaders to support current and future program lifecycles and locations.
• Oversee supplier NDI work to ensure alignment with requirements.

Benefits

• Health insurance coverage.
• Life and disability insurance.
• Savings plan.
• Company-paid holidays.
• Paid time off for vacation and/or personal business.
• Employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus, depending on the position.
• Annual bonuses are designed to reward individual contributions and allow employees to share in company results.
• 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: Manager