Staff Chief Engineer

Northrop Grumman•Chantilly, VA

1d•$177,000 - $265,600•Onsite

About The Position

Northrop Grumman is seeking a Staff Chief Engineer to join Mission System’s Business Execution Engineering Organization. This position will be located in Chantilly, VA. The Chief Engineer will serve as the technical authority for a USAF Electronic Warfare (EW) low‑rate initial production (LRIP) program. This role is responsible for managing the technical development and direction for all aspects of engineering, ensuring the integrity and executability of the technical baseline, and delivering a mission‑effective EW hardware solution that meets USAF requirements and contract commitments. The Chief Engineer will lead architecture and design trades, oversee integration and verification activities, chair technical review boards, and provide clear, authoritative technical communication to Program Management, the prime contractor, and the customer. This position requires broad technical depth in RF/EW systems and strong leadership capabilities across a small, multi‑discipline engineering team.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or an equivalent STEM related discipline from an accredited institution.
Bachelor’s degree with 12 years of relevant experience; 10 years with a Master’s degree; 8 years with a PhD.
An active Secret clearance to be considered and required to start.
Willing and able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret / SCI /SAP security clearance.
Minimum 2 years in roles such as Chief Engineer, Lead Systems Engineer, or equivalent technical authority on complex RF/EW or radar hardware programs.
Experience on USAF or other DoD programs with significant RF/EW or radar hardware content, including LRIP or late development/early production phases (configuration control and manufacturability).
Strong RF/EW technical background in one or more areas: RF/microwave hardware (e.g., high‑power transmitters/receivers, front ends, filters, frequency generation), EW system architectures (ES/EA, DRFM, DSP for EW), and antenna/aperture integration.
Ability to translate mission needs and CONOPS into KPPs/KSAs and MOEs/MOPs/MOSs, and then into clear, verifiable system and subsystem requirements.
Understanding of EMI/EMC and environmental requirements (e.g., MIL‑STD‑461/464, MIL‑STD‑810) and their implications for RF/EW design, integration, and test.
Proven ownership of a program technical baseline, maintaining consistency across requirements, architecture, design, implementation, and V&V, including use of DOORS or similar tools for requirements and traceability.
Experience chairing or leading technical review boards and contributing to CCB decisions with clear technical tradeoffs; leading technical content for major reviews (SRR/PDR/CDR/TRR/SVR) and TIMs.
Hands‑on experience planning and overseeing system integration and test for RF/EW or radar systems (lab and subsystem/system‑level), including leadership of root cause and corrective action for complex technical issues.
Demonstrated ability to make structured, data‑driven technical decisions and lead multi‑discipline trade studies (technical, cost, schedule, risk) under LRIP‑like cost and schedule constraints, including rapid triage of test anomalies, production issues, and field test findings.
Experience serving as the primary technical interface to a prime contractor and/or Government customer, effectively communicating technical risks, mitigation plans, performance status, and recovery plans.
Demonstrated leadership of small, multi‑discipline engineering teams (~10–20 engineers across systems, RF, digital/FPGA, software, mechanical/thermal, test, and specialty engineering), aligning direction across IPTs and suppliers and balancing rigor with rapid execution.
Working knowledge of Northrop Grumman engineering processes (E‑series, D‑series, NGPro) or equivalent large defense‑contractor standards, and familiarity with DoD/USAF acquisition practices and technical standards relevant to EW/RF systems.

Nice To Haves

Direct experience as Chief Engineer or Lead Systems Engineer on a USAF EW or radar LRIP or late-EMD program.
Experience working with test ranges, spectrum management, and RF safety for EW/RF testing.
Experience driving reuse and affordability in RF/EW designs (common modules, shared architectures, test approaches) while preserving performance and reliability.
Experience leading cross-company technical integration as a subcontractor to a prime contractor.
Experience supporting LRIP or late development/early production phases, including managing design changes, configuration baselines, and production impacts.

Responsibilities

Serve as the program’s technical authority and owner of the system technical baseline for a USAF EW LRIP program.
Direct all engineering activities (design, development, integration, test, and delivery) to meet technical, cost, and schedule objectives.
Lead RF/EW architecture and design trades, balancing mission performance, SWaP‑C, manufacturability, testability, and schedule.
Ensure requirements are clear, verifiable, properly decomposed, and fully traced in DOORS or similar tools, with alignment to architecture, design, V&V, and the IMS.
Chair the Technical Review Board and support CCBs; lead technical content for SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR, SVR, and related reviews.
Oversee system integration and test, including lab integration, EMI/EMC and environmental qualification, and field/flight test of EW performance.
Apply sound engineering practices, peer reviews, and formal trade studies to ensure technical quality and structured, data‑driven decisions.
Lead RCCA for complex technical issues, ensuring robust corrective actions that protect performance and production.
Identify, own, and manage technical risks and opportunities; coordinate mitigation and capture plans with EPM/SEIT and IPT Leads.
Serve as the primary technical interface to the prime contractor and USAF customer, providing clear communication on performance, risks, and issues.
Lead and mentor a small, multi‑discipline engineering team, resolving cross‑IPT technical conflicts and driving continuous improvement and affordability.
Ensure adherence to company engineering processes and quality standards across development, production, test, and sustainment.

Benefits

Relocation assistance may be available
health insurance coverage
life and disability insurance
savings plan
Company paid holidays and paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business
overtime
shift differential
a discretionary bonus
Annual bonuses
Long Term Incentives (for VP or Director positions)