Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems (NGAS) is seeking a Mission Assurance Manager 2 for its Palmdale, CA location. Supporting the Mission Assurance Program Manager and Director, the functional manager will support the quality requirements for the program and provide leadership and management to assigned personnel.
Roles and Responsibilities:
· Functional manager of quality engineering professionals and analyst for the program.
· Defines and monitors Mission Assurance program specifications and processes to ensure mission success of programs.
· Performs or assures quality, risk management, safety, reliability, and maintainability of program achievements, subcontractors, and suppliers in accordance with contractual requirements.
· Assesses program performance and risks and determines resources to ensure mission assurance.
· Demonstrates comprehensive metrics, customer and employee feedback to assess program quality, performance and risks.
· Supervises the proper implementation and execution of Continuous Improvement programs.
· Sets the strategy to meet customers’ expectations, regularly communicates program status.
· Frequently collaborates with executives and customer representatives, including on-site DCMA representatives, concerning projects, operational decisions, scheduling requirements, and contractual clarifications.
· Promotes the professional development of the quality inspection workforce and fosters a collaborative culture that sustains the momentum around employee engagement and inclusion, affordability, innovation, value growth, and continuous improvement.
· Manages program budgets, schedules, and program EACs for the Quality scope on programs.
Basic Qualifications:
· Education – Bachelor’s degree in a STEM discipline and at least 9 years of related experience in Aircraft, Aerospace, or Manufacturing industries in a Quality environment, or a Master’s degree in a STEM discipline and 7 years of related experience in Aircraft, Aerospace, or Manufacturing industries in a Quality environment
· Clearance – Must have an active DoD Secret security clearance (US Citizenship required) and ability to obtain Special Program Access
· Experience with fast‑paced program environments – Must have at least 5 years of prior management/leadership experience in industries where schedule volatility is common
· Dynamic work‑hour flexibility – Proven ability to adjust schedule on short notice, including rotating shifts, evening/weekend coverage, and overtime, to meet critical program milestones and production demands.
· Excellent communication skills – Clear, concise reporting to senior leadership and stakeholders, especially when conveying schedule changes, risk impacts, and overtime requirements.
· Physical and mental stamina – Capacity to sustain focus and decision-making quality during extended work periods, night shifts, or high-pressure overtime bursts.
· Regulatory and standards knowledge – Working understanding of relevant quality standards (AS9100, AS9102, ISO 9001, etc.) and the capacity to implement them within shifting schedules.
Preferred Qualifications;
· Quality/Mission Assurance and/or process knowledge and understanding
· Quality/Mission Assurance and/or Process experience
· Aerospace manufacturing experience
· Proven experience conducting First Article Inspections and completing DD 250 (Department of Defense material inspection and receipt) documentation for aerospace or defense hardware.
· Sophisticated level of understanding risk/reward implications for program or area of influence of complex quality policies, procedures, governmental regulations, and workflow.
Our Leaders at Northrop Grumman live our values daily and encourage our teams to do the same. We do the right thing: upholding the highest ethical standards and facilitating a safe and respectful environment that attracts, retains, and inspires a diverse and engaged team. We do what we promise: holding yourself and others accountable to meet predictable and balanced results. We commit to shared success: operating as OneNG and removing barriers for our teams. Finally, We pioneer: setting a vision that shapes the future and inspires others.
Primary Level Salary Range: $146,600.00 - $219,800.00The 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's degree in a STEM discipline with at least 9 years related experience in Aircraft/Aerospace/Manufacturing quality, or Master's with 7 years
- Active DoD Secret security clearance and U.S. Citizenship
- Ability to obtain Special Program Access
- At least 5 years prior management/leadership experience in fast‑paced, schedule‑volatile environments
- Ability to work flexible hours, including rotating shifts, evenings/weekends, and overtime
- Excellent communication skills for reporting to senior leadership and stakeholders
- Physical and mental stamina for extended work periods and high‑pressure situations
- Working knowledge of quality and regulatory standards (AS9100, AS9102, ISO 9001) and ability to implement them
- Experience assessing program performance, risk management, safety, reliability, and maintainability
- Experience managing program budgets, schedules, and EACs for quality scope
- Quality/Mission Assurance and/or process knowledge and understanding
- Aerospace manufacturing experience
- Experience conducting First Article Inspections and completing DD 250 documentation
- Sophisticated understanding of complex quality policies, governmental regulations, and risk/reward implications
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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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.








