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 collaborative teams. As a Senior Director of Engineer – Level 2 located in Chandler, AZ, you’ll be a linchpin in missions of paramount importance, defining the art of the possible from day one.
This position reports to the Space Sector Central Region Engineering Vice President and works in concert with LSBU Senior Leadership team. As LSBU Chief Engineer, you lead the Office of Chief Engineer and drive technical execution. You provide technical oversight of all programs within the LSBU. You participate in the definition of system architecture. You co-lead the development and execution of technical reviews. You lead Chief Engineers to achieve efficient, effective, and innovative engineering solutions that fully comply with customer requirements. You ensure subsystem and support technology development.
This position will work a 9/80 schedule, with every other Friday off.
Job responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Support LSBU Senior Leadership team with broad technical expertise, as well as down-and-in technical guidance to program and product-specific chief engineers.
- Closely partner with the Launch and Exploration Division Chief Engineer.
- Act as the primary technical interface to the Customer, and maintain strong working relationships with the Customer, providing timely communication and engaging to resolve technical questions posed by the Customer.
- Deliver quick and thorough resolution of non-conformances and other challenges that might arise, including leading failure investigations and presentation of findings to internal and customer review boards.
- Act as a motive force to implement prioritized LSBU Digital Transformation efforts.
- Bring mature engineering leadership to the coordination and performance of internal reviews like design reviews and flight readiness.
- Chair the Standards Review Board and the Flight Readiness Review Board.
- Ensure coordination between programs on common technical issues and strategic initiatives.
- Ensure that designs and hardware builds meet all internal and Customer requirements, especially across engineering discipline boundaries. Provide justification and adjudicate through proper boards any deviations or waivers to such requirements.
- Actively participate and guide proposal and RFI responses.
- Coordinate and lead LSBU participation in the Space Sector NCTA and IRAD process.
- Perform other duties, as necessary, commensurate with the role of LSBU Chief Engineer.
- Other duties as assigned
Why you? You’re the candidate we’re searching for if you are ready to achieve the impossible alongside like-minded innovators.
Basic Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering with 20+ years of professional experience including people management experience – OR – Master’s degree with 18+ years of professional experience including people management experience.
- Requires an active U.S. Government DoD Top-Secret security clearance at time of application, current and within scope, with the ability to obtain and maintain SCI approval/access
- Position requires 100% on-site presence.
- Familiarity with LS engineering practices and command media.
- Technical leadership experience or previous Chief Engineer experience.
- Experience with integrated system management and broad technical oversight.
- Well-versed, skilled, and disciplined in system engineering processes.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Familiarity with the Customer and its methods of technical execution and review.
- Experience with tactical execution of field operations.
- Familiarity with missiles and rockets including design, fabrication, and operation.
- Experience with the functional management Chief Engineers.
- Supervisory or management responsibilities for projects engaged in research and/or product development in more than one engineering discipline.
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: $209,000.00 - $313,600.00The 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 Engineering with 20+ years professional experience including people management OR Master's degree with 18+ years professional experience including people management
- Active U.S. Government DoD Top-Secret security clearance, current and within scope, with the ability to obtain and maintain SCI approval/access
- Position requires 100% on-site presence
- Familiarity with LS engineering practices and command media
- Technical leadership experience or previous Chief Engineer experience
- Experience with integrated system management and broad technical oversight
- Well-versed, skilled, and disciplined in systems engineering processes
- Familiarity with the Customer and its methods of technical execution and review
- Experience with tactical execution of field operations
- Familiarity with missiles and rockets including design, fabrication, and operation
- Experience with the functional management Chief Engineers and supervisory responsibility across multiple engineering disciplines
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.






