Staff Aeronautical Engineer -Test and Evaluation Lead
About The Position
Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems is seeking a Staff Aeronautical Engineer to serve as a Test and Evaluation Lead in its Test and Evaluation Engineering organization, supporting the Research and Advanced Design Expendables Operating Unit. The position is located in Redondo Beach or El Segundo, California. The Test Lead coordinates, manages, leads, and executes test activities to meet customer deliverable milestones throughout the program lifecycle, while ensuring program data, deliverables, and documentation remain controlled, traceable, and compliant with contractual and organizational standards. The role covers test planning and execution across the full range of an EMD program, from validation and proof of concept through component, subassembly, and full-vehicle testing. Activities may include wind tunnel, dynamics, subcomponent validation, electrical, ground, flight, and store-separation testing. The Test Lead coordinates test ranges, facilities, resources, personnel, engineering points of contact, and test hardware procurement, and reports progress and results to the SEIT Lead or customer. The role is expected to keep test work on schedule and budget and support requirement verification and validation. The team works on advanced aircraft and autonomous platform concepts, taking work from early-stage design and rapid prototyping through demonstrations and mission-ready capabilities. Northrop Grumman describes a flexible work arrangement, a 9/80 schedule with every other Friday off, learning opportunities, and exposure to varied projects and customers. The position requires an active Secret clearance and the ability to obtain and maintain Top Secret and Special Access Program clearances. Travel of up to 25% is required.
Requirements
- Bachelor of Science degree in a STEM discipline and 12 years of related engineering, technical management, and/or related military experience; or Master of Science degree in STEM and 10 years of related experience; or Ph.D. in STEM and 8 years of related experience.
- Demonstrated experience in test and evaluation within defense, aeronautics, or complex engineering environments.
- Experience testing at government or private facilities for ground, laboratory, wind-tunnel, and/or flight test.
- Experience with requirement decomposition to lead design procedures and execute tests, including ground, laboratory, wind-tunnel, and/or flight test.
- Experience coordinating with test facilities to meet cost, schedule, and test requirements.
- Active Secret U.S. Government clearance, with a background investigation within the past six years or enrollment in Continuous Evaluation.
- Ability to obtain and maintain Top Secret U.S. clearance.
- Ability to obtain and maintain Special Access Program clearance within a reasonable amount of time as determined by business needs.
- Ability to travel up to 25% to multiple locations for ground and flight tests.
- Strong organizational, analytical, and communication skills to communicate with all levels of the program, subcontractors, and customers.
Nice To Haves
- Experience with expendables or one-time-use missiles.
- Experience developing flight test cards and procedures.
- Experience leading customer deliverables.
- Experience with cradle-to-grave test and evaluation processes, from conceptual design through production.
- Working knowledge of aeronautical disciplines, including Flight Sciences, Subsystems, Software, Structures, Vehicles, Test and Evaluation, Survivability, Mission Systems, Manufacturing and Production, Product Support, and Global Supply Chain.
- Demonstrated understanding of program risk, opportunity, and issue management processes.
- Experience with Jira, Confluence, MBSE, Cameo, CPLM, and/or other collaboration tools.
- Experience with U.S. defense CDRL/SDRL processes and compliance requirements.
- Experience as a Cost Account Manager or experience with Earned Value Management.
- Experience with the DoD acquisition lifecycle, classified program execution, and support to technical proposals, SOWs, and BOEs.
- Experience briefing results to senior leadership and government customers.
Responsibilities
- Develop test plans, test procedures, and test reports for flight and ground testing, and coordinate government test-range approvals.
- Execute tests ranging from validation or proof of concept to component, subassembly, and full-vehicle testing.
- Coordinate and manage Test and Evaluation activities from ground testing through flight testing and store separation.
- Coordinate and manage the ground facilities and resources required for ground and flight testing.
- Report test status and results to the SEIT Lead or customer.
- Ensure test schedules support the SEIT Lead’s timelines for requirement verification and validation.
- Coordinate test personnel availability and engineering points of contact.
- Coordinate procurement of test hardware.
- Complete and execute Test activities on schedule and within budget.
- Coordinate, manage, lead, and/or execute test activities to meet customer deliverable milestones across the program lifecycle.
- Ensure the integrity, traceability, and control of program data, deliverables, and documentation in accordance with contractual and organizational standards.
Benefits
- Relocation assistance may be available.
- Flexible work arrangements.
- 9/80 work schedule with every other Friday off.
- Learning opportunities and exposure to a wide variety of projects and customers.
- Health insurance coverage.
- Life and disability insurance.
- Savings plan and 401(k) matching program.
- 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.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
