Manager Manufacturing Systems Engineering 3 – Production Lead for Large Scale System Development & Production

Posted 4 Days Ago
Be an Early Applicant
2 Locations
In-Office
193K-290K Annually
Senior level
Aerospace • Logistics • Security • Software • Cybersecurity
The Role
Lead manufacturing systems engineering for large-scale space vehicle production: develop manufacturing plans (AS6500), drive production strategy, manage subcontractors and supply chain, oversee MRAs and CI projects, support proposals and cost models, and coordinate cross-functional teams from concept through full-rate production and sustainment.
Summary Generated by Built In
RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available

CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes

CLEARANCE TYPE: Secret

TRAVEL: Yes, 10% of the TimeDescription

At Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems that impact people's lives around the world today, and for generations to come. Our pioneering and inventive spirit has enabled us to be at the forefront of many technological advancements in our nation's history - from the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean, to stealth bombers, to landing on the moon. We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage and a pioneering spirit to join forces to invent the future, and have fun along the way. Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity and bringing your whole self to work — and we have an insatiable drive to do what others think is impossible. Our employees are not only part of history, they're making history.

Northrop Grumman’s Space Sector is seeking a Manufacturing Systems Engineering (MSE) Manager – Level 3 to join our team. The primary location(s) of the work will be in Dulles, VA and Gilbert, AZ. Alternate locations will be considered.

Primary objectives will include the leadership of program manufacturing strategy and execution from requirements development and demonstration through large-scale production at full rate requiring the delivery of a significant number of space vehicles on an annual basis. This individual will need to work collaboratively with all elements of the organization to achieve production throughput objectives.  Organizational elements include but are not limited to: Capture, Profit & Loss, Business Development, Engineering, Manufacturing, Integration & Test, Operations, Facilities, Safety & Mission Assurance, and Global Supply Chain. This position requires following projects through all manufacturing readiness level phases:

  • Concept development

  • Design, fabrication/assembly/test at lab level

  • Production environment demo

  • Full production operations implementation

  • Sustainment

  • Maintenance

  • Continuous improvement  

The individual fulfilling this position is responsible for the Manufacturing ownership and oversight of designs (drawing packages) for a portfolio of products.  The individual will engage in the Engineering change process and has ownership and approval authority for all changes involving Manufacturing scope. This position provides the leadership and management of Non-Recurring Engineering (NRE) efforts from the preparation of proposals through execution with responsibility for cost, schedule, and performance to contract requirements. The individual selected for this role will provide management of Continuous Improvement (CI) projects and drive resolution of technical issues in manufacturing.  This position may require performing the manufacturing portion of a Manufacturing Readiness Assessment (MRA) as well as assisting other functions in their assessments.

The MSE is responsible for leading cross-functional teams to develop the Manufacturing Plan per AS6500, which includes but is not limited to executing Affordability, Operations Planning, and Strategic Sourcing Efforts.
The Manufacturing Plan also involves the alignment of Manufacturing Capital, Internal Research and Development (IRAD), Manufacturing Technology Advancement (MTA) resources to the development of discriminating technologies including, automation/robotics, data analytics, and digital fabric.

In this job, you will:

  • Rapidly assess and lend guidance to projects assigned to the program capture team to define strategy and architecture consideration to support LRIP production and scale, delegating appropriately to the rest of the program team 

  • Owning the full development lifecycle of the assigned programs, inclusive of tracking subcontractors/partners, Design To Cost (DTC), sourcing/alternative suppliers 

  • Develop overall production strategy scenarios to include multiple classification and SAP levels 

  • Support customer Questions & Answers related to Production activities 

  • Cultivate customer relationships and intimacy to develop further opportunities within the customer community 

  • Partner with Global Supply Chain organization to cultivate subcontractor and partner relationships to maximize strategic sourcing and throughput goals 

  • Develop new business opportunities through long term strategic planning, capture planning, and development of proposals and business plans 

  • Deliver presentations to customers, executive management, and other program stakeholders  

  • Establish design concepts, criteria, and engineering efforts for product research, development, integration, and test 

  • Actively support management of suppliers to meet program objectives, including cost, schedule, and technical requirements 

  • Adhere to all internal processes, policies, and applicable industry standards  

  • Conduct thorough risk & opportunity management practices including identification, mitigation, and realization 

  • Lead the formation of Manufacturing Technical Strategy to support Proposals

  • Lead the development of MRAs and Manufacturing Plans

  • Recommend design improvements to produce lower cost/higher performing products

  • Understand and translate state-of-the-art process capabilities and guidelines for product designers by interfacing with manufacturing subject matter experts

  • Develop discriminating IRAD and capital investment plans

  • Lead IRAD Projects

  • Develop cost models and perform affordability assessment efforts to meet program cost targets

  • Work with Sector Infrastructure team to determine manufacturing locations for future program phases and develop Facility Transition Plans

  

Basic Qualifications:

  • Bachelor of Science degree in engineering, science or other relevant STEM area and 10 years or more of related experience OR a Master’s degree and 8 years of related experience as defined below 

  • Requires an active U.S. Government Secret security clearance at time of application, current and within scope

  • Related experience includes professional and/or military experience to include a background in project management, program management, engineering, capture efforts, supply chain, and/or business management related functions 

  • Experience leading the Production Operations, Design to Cost, Subcontract Management, Full-Rate Production, Supplier sourcing acting as either project lead or integrated program team lead 

  • Demonstrated success leading teams/and or organizations to achieve a common goal 

  • Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, including presentation experience and the ability to work seamlessly with a diverse community of engineers and customers 

  • Experience with the full lifecycle of aerospace hardware development and builds 

 Preferred Qualifications:  

  • Minimum 5 years of experience in production (manufacturing and/or integration and test) 

  • Minimum 5 years of experience in development or sustainment management 

  • Minimum 5 years of experience in integration of complex weapon systems 

  • Experience engaging in supplier oversight and management

  • Proven performance as an engineering leader in all phases of acquisition, design, integration, and execution 

  • Working knowledge and/or experience across engineering disciplines 

  • Experience managing production, manufacturing, manufacturing operations, or test engineering teams. 

  • Experience with use and integration of AI and automation tools to support scalability and production  

  • Ability to obtain Top Secret security clearance level and SAPs as determined by the company to meet its business needs 

  • The ability to identify and proactively address organizational and program impacts through a systematic, proactive, approach to issue and problem resolution in keeping with industry practices (e.g. Nishikawa diagram, 5 Whys, etc.) that identifies, communicates, monitors, and promptly resolves conflicts across all levels of the organization.   

  • The ability to support the identification, selection, and management of subcontract and supply chain elements of the program in a manner that supports program goals and company strategy.   

As a leader with integrity, you ensure ethical conduct, balanced results, and partner satisfaction. You respect and nurture growth, fostering a culture of excellence. Skilled in building collaborative teams and customer trust, you communicate well, foster strong teams, and embrace change.  

Curious about all the exciting developments with the Northrop Grumman Space Sector? Click the link below:

https://www.northropgrumman.com/space

Working at Northrop Grumman is more than just a paycheck. We offer a comprehensive Total Rewards and benefits package designed to help you thrive at work and in life. For more information on our Total Rewards package, please visit our Total Rewards site.

Northrop Grumman Total Rewards 

Primary Level Salary Range: $193,000.00 - $289,600.00

The above salary range represents a general guideline; however, Northrop Grumman considers a number of factors when determining base salary offers such as the scope and responsibilities of the position and the candidate's experience, education, skills and current market conditions.

Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay. Annual bonuses are designed to reward individual contributions as well as allow employees to share in company results. Employees in Vice President or Director positions may be eligible for Long Term Incentives. In addition, Northrop Grumman provides a variety of benefits including health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, savings plan, Company paid holidays and paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business.

The application period for the job is estimated to be 20 days from the job posting date. However, this timeline may be shortened or extended depending on business needs and the availability of qualified candidates.

Northrop Grumman is an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class. For our complete EEO and pay transparency statement, please visit http://www.northropgrumman.com/EEO. U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.

Skills Required

  • Bachelor of Science in engineering, science or STEM + 10 years OR Masters degree + 8 years of related experience
  • Active U.S. Government Secret security clearance at time of application, current and within scope
  • Experience in project management, program management, engineering, capture efforts, supply chain, or business management
  • Experience leading Production Operations, Design To Cost, Subcontract Management, Full-Rate Production, and supplier sourcing as project or IPT lead
  • Demonstrated success leading teams or organizations to achieve objectives
  • Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, including presentation experience
  • Experience with the full lifecycle of aerospace hardware development and builds
  • Minimum 5 years experience in production (manufacturing and/or integration and test)
  • Minimum 5 years experience in development or sustainment management
  • Minimum 5 years experience in integration of complex weapon systems
  • Experience engaging in supplier oversight and management
  • Proven performance as an engineering leader across acquisition, design, integration, and execution
  • Working knowledge across engineering disciplines and experience managing production/manufacturing/integration/test engineering teams
  • Experience with use and integration of AI and automation tools to support scalability and production
  • Ability to obtain Top Secret clearance and SAP access as determined by company
  • Familiarity with problem resolution methodologies (e.g., Nishikawa diagram, 5 Whys) and continuous improvement practices

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.

  • Retirement Support 401(k) matching is considered strong, with additional defined-benefit coverage for certain cohorts and options like catch-up contributions. Retirement programs are repeatedly highlighted as a core strength of the total rewards.
  • Leave & Time Off Breadth PTO, company-paid holidays, and compressed work schedules (such as 9/80) provide meaningful time away and flexibility. These scheduling options are cited as a major quality-of-life benefit across many locations.
  • Parental & Family Support Paid parental leave alongside caregiver leave, adoption assistance, and back-up care supports a range of family needs. These programs have been expanded recently, signaling continued investment in family support.

Northrop Grumman Insights

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The Company
HQ: Charlotte, North Carolina
85,636 Employees

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.

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