Senior Principal Test Engineer

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available

CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes

CLEARANCE TYPE: Secret

TRAVEL: Yes, 25% 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 Aeronautics Systems has an opening for a Senior Principal Test Engineer to join our team of qualified, diverse individuals in our RAD organization. This role is located in San Diego, CA or El Segundo, CA.

Northrop Grumman’s Aeronautics Systems – Research & Advanced Design (R&AD) transforms breakthrough ideas into mission-ready capabilities through intelligent anticipation. We’re the front-end design engine, defining what comes next. From developing cutting-edge next-generation future aircraft to trailblazing collaborative autonomous platforms, we push the boundaries of technology and forge industry-leading partnerships that set new standards for what’s possible.

Our team owns the full lifecycle of advanced concept creation, from visionary early-stage designs and rapid prototyping to high-impact demonstrations and solving the toughest technical challenges in survivability, autonomy, and battle management. We seek curious, adaptable people who thrive on turning intuition into breakthrough solutions. If you’re driven to invent the future, build what’s next, and shape the landscape of national security, this is where you belong.

This team is part of the Research and Advanced Design division working on exciting next generation technologies. In this role, you will be responsible for all facets of the test program, including lab and flight test staffing, planning, execution, and reporting.

Success in this role will be attained by being highly motivated and self-starting, with relevant test experience, supporting test activities in the System Integration Lab (SIL) in Rancho Bernardo and ground and flight tests.

Responsibilities:

• Orchestrate lab, ground and flight integration and developmental testing for NGAS.
• Ensure engineering tests serve developmental objectives and mechanisms are in place to execute the tests.
• Review status of test requirements, manage schedules, prepare test plans and test reports.
• Identify all test and test program risks, issues, and pressures and develop mitigation and closure plans.
• Coordinate ground test engineering and operations, aircraft modifications for testing, frequent interaction with Engineering in Rancho Bernardo, Space Park, El Segundo, and Palmdale, ensuring cost and schedule performance targets are met.
• Provide program leadership with test site employee staffing forecasts and provide timely resource forecasts to program management, assuring that proper staffing is in place to execute the Test Statement of Work.
• Excellent communication skills, experience leading test engineering personnel, and be capable of working in a matrix environment with multiple sources of management guidance.

You may be required to support extended shifts and occasional weekends as required to maintain program schedules.

Basic Qualifications:

• Must have a Bachelors of Science degree in a STEM field and at least 8 years of relevant Ground and Flight test military / professional experience, OR a Master's Degree in a STEM field and at least 6 years of relevant Ground and Flight test military / professional experience, OR a PhD and at least 4 years of relevant Ground and Flight test military / professional experience
• Must have experience leading flight test programs
• Must have experience with program risk, opportunity and issue management processes
• Must have the ability to obtain and maintain a US Government Top Secret or higher clearance
• Must have the ability to obtain and maintain Special Access Program (SAP) clearance within a reasonable amount of time as determined by business needs.
• Must have the ability to travel up to 25% of your time

Preferred Qualifications:

• An additional 2 years experience to those listed in the basic qualifications
• Experience leading a Test team in a dynamic work environment
• Excellent organizational and written communication skills, as well as project management planning and presentation skills
• Proficient with MS Project, Excel, Power Point, Word
• Demonstrated ability to create trusted relationships
• Experience with Jira and Confluence tools
• An active US Government Top Secret clearance (with a background investigation completed within the last 6 years or currently enrolled into Continuous Evaluation).
• Prior clearance to a Special Access Program (SAP) or Special Compartmentalized Information (SCI)

Primary Level Salary Range: $129,300.00 - $193,900.00

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.