Aeronautical Engineer or Principal Aeronautical Engineer – Subsystems Project Engineer
Please note that this opportunity is contingent on program funding. Start dates are determined after funding confirmation.
Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems is looking to add an Aeronautical Engineer or Principal Aeronautical Engineer – Subsystems Project Engineer to our team in Palmdale, CA or San Diego, CA!
This position will lead and coordinate multiple concurrent projects on a classified program within the Subsystems Mods team and combines hands-on technical engagement with strong project management skills, including responsibility for scope, schedule, budget, risk, and communication across many levels including senior and executive leadership. In this role, you will use schedule trackers, leverage tools such as Jira, Tableau, and Power BI to present status or numerous projects.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the planning and execution of multiple projects from concept through delivery.
- Engage in the proposal effort to develop proper requirements that can be communicated to the execution team
- Identify and resolve technical issues, escalating as needed to subject matter experts.
- Own project schedules including milestones, dependencies, critical path, and resource loading.
- Develop and maintain schedule trackers, status dashboards, and action item logs.
- Monitor project budgets, track actuals vs. plan, and support cost forecasting and variance analysis.
- Coordinate change management activities (scope changes, re-baselines) and document impacts on cost, schedule, and risk.
- Coordinate cross-functional work across engineering and manufacturing
- Prepare and deliver clear, concise presentations on technical progress, risks, and performance to customers and senior leadership.
- Serve as a primary point of contact for internal stakeholders and customer counterparts on assigned projects.
- Leverage data from multiple sources (project trackers, financial reports, engineering tools) to drive decisions and proactively manage risks and opportunities.
This position can be filled at either the Aeronautical Engineer level or the Principal Aeronautical Engineer level, depending upon the qualifications below.
Basic Qualifications for Aeronautical Engineer:
- Bachelors Degree in a relevant Science, Technology, Engineering or Math (STEM) discipline and 2 years of related experience OR a Masters Degree in a relevant STEM discipline with 0 years of related experience
- Experience with project management tools and willingness and motivation to learn new tools
- Understanding of the Engineering Life cycle process
- Experience with data-driven decision making, budget management, organization, and clear communication across multiple levels of the organization
- Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government Secret clearance within a reasonable amount of time as determined by the company to meet its business needs.
- Ability to obtain and maintain Special Access Program (SAP) clearance. This SAP must be obtained within a reasonable amount of time as determined by the company to meet its business needs.
Basic Qualifications for Principal Aeronautical Engineer:
- Bachelors Degree in a relevant Science, Technology, Engineering or Math (STEM) discipline and 5 years of related experience; OR a Masters Degree in a relevant STEM discipline with 3 years of related experience; OR a PhD in a relevant STEM discipline and 1 year of related experience.
- Experience with project management tools and willingness and motivation to learn new tools
- Understanding of the Engineering Life cycle process
- Experience with data-driven decision making, budget management, organization, and clear communication across multiple levels of the organization
- Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government Secret clearance within a reasonable amount of time as determined by the company to meet its business needs.
- Ability to obtain and maintain Special Access Program (SAP) clearance. This SAP must be obtained within a reasonable amount of time as determined by the company to meet its business needs.
Preferred Qualifications for both levels:
- Applicable or previous program access (SAP)
- Electrical or Aerospace Engineering Degree
- Experience integrating mechanical and electrical subsystems on complex products or systems.
- Familiarity with additional tools (e.g., MS Project, Confluence, Jira, etc.)
Skills Required
- Bachelor’s degree in a relevant STEM discipline and 2 years of related experience, or a master’s degree in a relevant STEM discipline with 0 years of related experience for the Aeronautical Engineer level
- Bachelor’s degree in a relevant STEM discipline and 5 years of related experience, or a master’s degree with 3 years of related experience, or a PhD with 1 year of related experience for the Principal Aeronautical Engineer level
- Experience with project management tools
- Understanding of the engineering life cycle process
- Experience with data-driven decision-making and budget management
- Clear communication across multiple organizational levels
- Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government Secret clearance
- Ability to obtain and maintain Special Access Program clearance
- Applicable or previous SAP program access
- Electrical or aerospace engineering degree
- Experience integrating mechanical and electrical subsystems on complex products or systems
- Familiarity with MS Project, Confluence, Jira, or similar tools
Northrop Grumman Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Northrop Grumman and has not been reviewed or approved by Northrop Grumman.
-
Healthcare Strength — Health coverage offers multiple medical plan options by region alongside dental, vision, mental‑health resources, and wellness programs. Recent materials also highlight added family‑building support, including a dedicated fertility benefit.
-
Retirement Support — The 401(k) savings plan is positioned as competitive with a company match, auto‑escalation features, and access to an employee stock fund/ESPP. Official filings and benefits guides emphasize retirement as a core element of the Total Rewards package.
-
Leave & Time Off Breadth — Many sites offer a 9/80 schedule, generous PTO, paid holidays, and flexible/telework options where program needs allow. Paid parental and caregiver leave are prominently featured, with recent enhancements for the delivering parent.
Northrop Grumman Insights
What We Do
We are a close-knit community of big thinkers collaborating to keep the world safe. Our passion, creativity and expertise bring next-level technology solutions to life in autonomous systems, cyber, C4ISR, strike, space, and logistics and modernization for our customers around the globe. On the Northrop Grumman team, you’ll join our pursuit of excellence immersed in a dynamic culture of innovation and respect. Your unique perspective will help achieve our shared vision for the future of global security. Every step of the way, you'll be supported by world-class training, employee resource groups and a comprehensive benefits package that enables greater health and happiness for you and your family. Worldwide and across disciplines, we’re challenging what’s possible for technology to protect people and places from undersea to outer space and into cyberspace. And we see the impact of our performance every day. We are Northrop Grumman, and we work on what matters—now, you too can make a difference. Explore opportunities in engineering, IT, manufacturing, business management, cybersecurity and more with us. Northrop Grumman is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.







