Sr Staff Systems Engineer

Northrop Grumman • Gilbert, AZ

2d • $166,500 - $249,700 • Onsite

About The Position

Northrop Grumman Space Systems Sector is seeking a Sr. Staff Systems Engineer to serve as a Sr Staff Producibility Architect in Gilbert, Arizona. The ART operating unit within the Space Superiority Division is seeking a senior engineer with spacecraft systems experience to lead a new deliverable producibility initiative. The role works across the development lifecycles of products to identify ways to increase production rates while maintaining quality. The position reports to the OU Office of the Chief Engineer and OU Profit and Loss leaders. Relocation assistance may be available. An active or current U.S. Government Top Secret security clearance is required at the start, and travel is 25% of the time.

The Producibility Architect maintains product lessons-learned databases, develops plans to incorporate lessons learned, and coordinates with engineering, manufacturing, and AI&T teams to carry out the plans and measure their effectiveness. The role identifies cost-effective opportunities to automate testing and creates implementation roadmaps; develops mission risk classification tailoring plans with Mission Assurance and Systems Engineering; and serves as a liaison with customer engineering leadership. The engineer also explores AI/ML applications across the product development lifecycle, coordinates value stream mapping events and internal audits, audits program processes, and independently reviews systems engineering processes and program SEMPs to support more streamlined development, manufacturing, verification, and validation.

The position requires a STEM bachelor's degree and 14 or more years of engineering experience, or a STEM master's degree and 12 or more years of engineering experience. Candidates must have full lifecycle systems engineering experience in spacecraft development, spacecraft subsystem design and test experience, familiarity with Government Mission Risk Classification processes, technical leadership experience supporting complex programs with constrained schedules, and an active or current U.S. Government Top Secret clearance. Preferred qualifications include additional spacecraft systems and subsystem experience, basic AI/ML understanding, high-rate production or product-line experience, and strong communication and senior-stakeholder briefing skills.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in a STEM discipline with 14 or more years of engineering experience, or a master's degree in a STEM discipline with 12 or more years of engineering experience.
• Full lifecycle systems engineering experience as applied to spacecraft development.
• Experience with spacecraft subsystem design and test.
• Familiarity with Government Mission Risk Classification processes and their application to space systems.
• Technical leadership capabilities supporting complex, constrained program execution on short timelines.
• Active or current U.S. Government Top Secret security clearance.
• U.S. citizenship is required for positions requiring a government clearance.

Nice To Haves

• 7 or more years of experience with spacecraft systems engineering.
• 3 or more years of experience with spacecraft subsystems engineering and test.
• Basic understanding of AI/ML.
• High-rate production and/or product-line experience.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills and experience briefing senior stakeholder leaders.

Responsibilities

• Lead the operating unit's deliverable producibility initiative across product development lifecycles, identifying opportunities to increase production rates while maintaining quality.
• Maintain product lessons-learned databases and establish actionable plans to implement process enhancements.
• Collaborate with engineering, manufacturing, and AI&T teams to execute process enhancement plans and maintain metrics measuring their effectiveness.
• Work with systems engineering and AI&T teams to identify testing automation opportunities through cost-benefit analysis and develop detailed implementation roadmaps.
• Collaborate with Mission Assurance and Systems Engineering Functional Groups to develop mission risk classification tailoring plans for OU products based on Government standards.
• Serve as liaison to customer engineering leadership to ensure the approach meets contractual mission risk classification needs.
• Work with division, sector, and corporate groups to explore AI/ML use across product development and reduce touch labor and production timelines.
• Coordinate with manufacturing work centers on value stream mapping events and internal audits to improve producibility.
• Audit OU program processes to streamline execution and work with functional and mission assurance leadership to codify approved rapid development and manufacturing processes.
• Independently review OU program systems engineering processes and support appropriate tailoring of program System Engineering Management Plans to enable rapid design cycles and more efficient verification and validation.

Benefits

• Health insurance coverage.
• Life insurance.
• 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.

What This Job Offers

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