The Principal Proposal Analyst Level 3 or Senior Principal Proposal Analyst Level 4 will become part of the Material Estimating and Analysis (ME&A), working closely with Global Supply Chain (GSC), Program Management Office, Business Management, and various cross-functional proposal teammates. The candidates selected for this role will be a key member of proposal teams, leading/supporting proposal activities of diverse and inclusive teams with high levels of engagement and collaboration with other team members. This position can be located in San Diego, CA, El Segundo, CA or Palmdale, CA.
The Principal Proposal Analyst Level 3: Full knowledge of industry practices. Independently demonstrates the skill and ability to perform fairly complex professional tasks. Develops solutions to a variety of complex problems. May refer to established precedents and policies. Represents organization as a prime contact on contracts or projects. Interacts with senior internal and external personnel on significant matters often requiring coordination between organizations. May develop and deliver presentations.
The Senior Principal Proposal Analyst Level 4: Contributes to the development of new concepts, techniques, and standards. Considered expert in field within the organization. Most assignments are complex and performed independently without appreciable direction. Serves as consultant to management and special external spokesperson for the organization on major matters pertaining to its policies, plans, and objectives. Acts as an advisor to senior management and customers.
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following:
- Develops GSC cost estimates for procurement and subcontract.
- Prices a consolidated bill of material (CBOM), requirements derived from engineering/program utilizing supplier proposals/quotes, PO history, engineering estimates, etc., and providing compliant, quality basis of estimates and documentation to support.
- Evaluates supplier quotations/proposals, POs, and historical quotes/proposals to determine if any adjustments to the estimate are required (e.g., escalation, quantity, cost history/trends, statement of work changes, etc.).
- Performs price analysis and prepares documentation for all BOM items at or below the Truthful Cost and Pricing Data (TCoPD) threshold.
- Develops GSC labor hours estimates for the proposal with support from applicable GSC functions.
- Prepares and supports presentation and approval of material estimates and GSC labor estimates at the required approval value level.
- Develops, plans and schedules proposals.
- Compiles cost, schedule, and technical elements in the development of proposals in accordance with request for proposal (RFP) specifications.
- Researches and analyzes historical data, develops cost models to support proposal efforts.
- Coordinates activities and participates in fact-finding meetings.
- Participates in should-cost and pricing reviews with management and customer representatives.
- Participates as a member of the contract negotiating team.
This position may be filled as either a Principal Proposal Analyst Level 3 or Senior Principal Proposal Analyst Level 4 depending on qualification below
Basic Qualifications for Principal Price/Cost Proposal Analyst Level 3:
- Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, or related field of study with 5 years of relevant experience; or a Master's degree in stated fields of study with 3 years of relevant experience.
- Must have an active DoD Secret or higher clearance (with a background investigation completed within the last 6 years or currently enrolled into Continuous Evaluation).
- Must have the ability to obtain and maintain the Special Access Program (SAP) clearance prior to the commencement of employment.
- Must have proficiency with MS Office Suite, specifically Excel and Word
- Ability to work onsite
Basic Qualifications for Senior Principal Price/Cost Proposal Analyst Level 4:
- Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, or related field of study with 8 years of relevant experience; or a Master's degree in stated fields of study with 6 years of relevant experience.
- Must have the ability to obtain and maintain the Special Access Program (SAP) clearance prior to the commencement of employment.
- Must have proficiency with MS Office Suite, specifically Excel and Word
- Ability to work onsite
Preferred Qualification:
- Knowledge of the government regulations FAR and DFARS
- Experience in professional communications with USG officials in programs, DCAA and DCMA
- Experience working within complex, high volume, high value proposals of varying contract types [FFP, FPIF, CPAF, CPIF, etc.]
- Experience working with Basis of Estimate (BOE) and analyzing BOE quality.
- Experience with Global Supply Chain (GSC)
- Excellent oral and written communication skills.
- Excellent problem solving and organizational skills.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in business, finance, or related field with 5 years relevant experience OR Master's degree with 3 years relevant experience (Principal Level 3)
- Bachelor's degree in business, finance, or related field with 8 years relevant experience OR Master's degree with 6 years relevant experience (Senior Principal Level 4)
- Active DoD Secret or higher clearance (background investigation within last 6 years or enrolled in Continuous Evaluation)
- Ability to obtain and maintain Special Access Program (SAP) clearance prior to commencement of employment
- Proficiency with MS Office Suite, specifically Excel and Word
- Ability to work onsite (San Diego, El Segundo, or Palmdale, CA)
- Knowledge of government regulations FAR and DFARS
- Experience communicating with USG officials, DCAA and DCMA
- Experience with complex, high-volume, high-value proposals and multiple contract types (FFP, FPIF, CPAF, CPIF, etc.)
- Experience with Basis of Estimate (BOE) development and BOE quality analysis
- Experience with Global Supply Chain (GSC) functions
- Excellent oral and written communication skills
- Excellent problem solving and organizational skills
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.





