Sr. Engineering Design Manager – 3

Northrop Grumman • San Diego, CA

4d • $175,400 - $263,200 • Onsite

About The Position

Northrop Grumman’s Space Sector is seeking a Sr. Engineering Design Manager to join the Mission Enabling Products (MEP) Business Unit, supporting the PASS operating unit in San Diego, California. The position is 100% onsite and reports to the Director of Engineering. The MEP Business Unit designs, builds, and delivers space, defense, and aviation-related systems, including satellites and space components, launch vehicles and propulsion systems, missile products, defense electronics, precision weapons, armament systems, and aerospace structures.

The manager provides technical and programmatic leadership for a multidisciplinary Design Engineering and Configuration Management team. The role is accountable for product performance, quality, technical execution, schedule, and cost, and leads Mechanical Design Engineers, Tool Engineers, and Configuration Management professionals. The manager ensures the team has the people, tools, skills, and culture to support current programs and future growth.

The successful candidate will be a visible, positive leader who develops talent, builds an engaged, high-performing team, and strengthens design and configuration management capabilities. Relocation assistance may be available. The position requires travel 25% of the time. No clearance is required to start, but the candidate must be able to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a STEM discipline and 8 years of experience in mechanical, structural, or related engineering disciplines, such as aerospace, space, or other mission-critical hardware domains.
• Demonstrated leadership experience managing an engineering team performing structural or mechanical design.
• Aerospace experience with product definition, including specifications, SOWs, drawings, and ICD compliance, as well as design and verification processes.
• Understanding of aerospace composite tooling, including layup molds, assembly fixtures, test fixtures, and Ground Support Equipment (GSE).
• Experience with composite manufacturing processes and applications.
• Proficiency in CAD and PLM systems, such as Siemens NX and Teamcenter, and in drawing generation, including GD&T.
• Demonstrated experience applying Design for Manufacturability (DFMA) principles and mistake-proofing.
• Demonstrated ability to build engagement and foster a positive, inclusive team culture.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance.

Nice To Haves

• 5 years of management experience leading structural or mechanical design efforts.
• Extensive experience with composite and metallic assemblies and associated materials, adhesives, and fasteners.
• Extensive experience designing composite structures and associated manufacturing tooling.
• Experience with end-item test design and support, including static and dynamic testing.
• Demonstrated success driving continuous improvement across design and configuration management.
• Broad understanding of engineering, manufacturing, cost and schedule execution, scope management, and risk management.
• Experience leading or partnering with Configuration Management teams and processes.
• Active U.S. Government TS/SCI clearance.

Responsibilities

• Lead a multidisciplinary engineering team comprising Mechanical Design, Tooling, and Configuration Management professionals supporting PASS programs.
• Manage staffing, resource allocation, and development plans; conduct one-on-ones, performance reviews, and career development discussions.
• Build a positive, inclusive, high-trust culture and support effective collaboration across disciplines.
• Drive employee engagement, retention, and talent development through clear expectations, feedback, and coaching.
• Implement succession and talent development plans to build leadership capability across Mechanical Design, Tooling, and Configuration Management.
• Set direction and communicate transparently through changing priorities and organizational growth while maintaining team engagement and focus.
• Provide technical oversight and guidance for design activities across multiple programs, ensuring robust product definition and design and verification practices.
• Review product and tooling designs, drawings, and design review packages, including PDR, CDR, and MRR, supporting flight hardware and ground support equipment execution.
• Partner with Configuration Management to control product baselines, engineering changes, and lifecycle documentation.
• Coordinate workload and priorities with analysis, manufacturing, quality, program management, and chief engineers.
• Support daily management of technical, schedule, and financial design issues, including escalation and cross-functional coordination.
• Track and improve First Pass Yield (FPY) and On-Time Delivery (OTD).
• Generate proposal Bases of Estimates (BOEs) for design labor and tooling costs.
• Ensure consistent use of standard practices, methods, and design software, such as Siemens NX and Teamcenter, across Design and Configuration Management.
• Lead continuous improvement in design technology, capability, and efficiency, including DFMA and mistake-proofing, and promote knowledge sharing across disciplines.

Benefits

• Health insurance coverage.
• Life and 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.
• Relocation assistance may be available.

What This Job Offers

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