Expand your horizons, advance your career, and contribute to a secure future for generations.
Northrop Grumman’s Space Sector invites you to bring your pioneering spirit to our inclusive team. As a Principal Supply Chain Subcontract Specialist, you’ll be crucial to missions of paramount importance, defining the art of the possible from day one.
This position will be in one of the following locations:
San Diego, CA
Commerce, CA
Oxnard, CA
Goleta, CA
Hanover, MD
Hybrid position at any of the locations noted; virtual/remote is not offered. No relocation assistance.
Key Responsibilities:
- Conduct supplier evaluations and performance monitoring to ensure quality and reliability.
- Manage all pre-award and post-award subcontract activities, including but not limited to onboarding suppliers, drafting RFPs and RFQs, analyzing bid and conducting negotiations, completing compliance purchase order/subcontract packages meeting FAR/DFAR requirements, managing subcontract performance and closing out subcontracts.
- Coordinate and collaborate with key internal stakeholders such as contracts, engineering, quality, planning, operations, programs, end-users, and others to finalize Statements of Work (SOWs), manage supplier performance, and draft various agreements like Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) and Long-Term Purchasing Agreements (LTPAs).
- Ensure strict compliance with public laws, company policies, import/export regulations, flow-down clauses while upholding high standards of procurement integrity and ethical business practices.
- Continuously refine processes to improve efficiency, reduce costs, mitigate risks, and drive program success, while implementing strategies to optimize cost savings and reduce supplier-related risks.
Basic Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree and 5+ years of relevant experience (Master’s with 3 years) in purchasing, subcontracts, or contracts. Or in lieu of a degree, 9 years of experience in Purchasing, Subcontracts or Contracts.
- Must have government purchasing/subcontracting experience
- Experience in an MRP system, SAP, Costpoint, or Oracle
Preferred Qualifications:
- Master’s degree in business or supply chain.
- Experience in large dollar, complex purchases including subcontracts and long-term agreements.
- Experience purchasing in a NPI/concurrent engineering environment.
- Experience in machining, forgings, extrusions, electrical, or raw material commodities.
- Experience leading negotiations with suppliers.
- Experience writing price analysis and/or cost analysis.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree and 5+ years of relevant experience in purchasing, subcontracts, or contracts; alternatively, a master's degree with 3+ years of experience
- In lieu of a degree, 9 years of experience in purchasing, subcontracts, or contracts
- Government purchasing or subcontracting experience
- Experience using an MRP system, SAP, Costpoint, or Oracle
- Master's degree in business or supply chain
- Experience with large-dollar, complex purchases, including subcontracts and long-term agreements
- Experience purchasing in an NPI or concurrent engineering environment
- Experience with machining, forgings, extrusions, electrical, or raw material commodities
- Experience leading supplier negotiations
- Experience writing price analysis or cost analysis
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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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.
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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.
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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.
