Senior Staff Product Line Engineering Architect

Posted Yesterday
Be an Early Applicant
2 Locations
In-Office
184K-289K Annually
Senior level
Aerospace • Logistics • Security • Software • Cybersecurity
The Role
Leads adoption of Product Line Engineering across Mission Systems by coaching technical and business leaders, shaping product-line strategies, and supporting organizational change. Uses systems architecture, software architecture, MBSE, Cameo, IBM Rhapsody Architect, and Pure::Variants to manage product variation and strategic reuse. Develops training materials, conducts education sessions, documents processes in Confluence, and aligns PLE initiatives with digital transformation. Requires extensive technical leadership, systems engineering experience, and active U.S. Government Secret clearance.
Summary Generated by Built In
RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: No relocation assistance available

CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes

CLEARANCE TYPE: Secret

TRAVEL: Yes, 10% 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 Mission Systems is a trusted provider of mission-enabling solutions for global security. We have a wide portfolio of secure, affordable, integrated, and multi-domain systems and technologies. Our differentiated battle management and cyber solutions deliver timely, mission-enabling information and provide superior situational awareness and understanding to protect the U.S. and its global allies.


Northrop Grumman Mission Systems is looking for you to join our team as a Senior Staff Product Line Engineering Architect  based out of San Diego, CA or Baltimore, MD.

What You’ll Get to Do:

Join the PLA (Product Line Architectures) team within the Engineering and Science (E&S) Sector Engineering organization. Product Line Engineering (PLE) is a way to engineer a family of related products in an efficient manner, taking full advantage of the products’ similarities while respecting and managing their differences. The mission of the PLA team is to foster the adoption of product lines across the Mission Systems organization through coaching, training, guidance, best practices, tools, and metrics for measuring success. This position will support the Navigation, Intelligence & Connectivity (NIC) division.


This highly visible role will support teams that are both already executing Product Line organizational change and teams that are new to the process by helping them implement successful product lines. In this role you will:

  • Build relationships with senior technical and business leaders at the division level across Missions Systems to provide guidance on their role in the PLA adoption process and ensure successful transition to PLE for their teams.
  • Adapt Systems and Product or Software Architecture Experience to Increase Product Line efficiency and adoption from Development and Production through the Sustainment.
  • Be persistent in organizational change to Increase Product Line Adoption across Mission Systems.
  • Use existing knowledge of software architecture and Model-Based System Engineering (MBSE) tools to help define and shape the PL adoption strategy for PL teams and at the division level across the NGMS sector.
  • Provide coaching on PL principles, practices, and the adoption process and work with the product line team and division leadership to identify where the process needs to be tailored to meet individual organization requirements.
  • Create new coaching materials including tools, templates, techniques, and processes.
  • Help teams create and modify their product lines using MBSE tools like Cameo, IBM Rhapsody Architect and Pure::Variants to track product line variation.
  • Schedule and conduct PLE focused education and awareness sessions, surveys, technology demonstrations, and other training events.
  • Ensure our product line engineering strategy is aligned with NG digital transformation strategy.
  • Use Confluence to document status and new processes.

Basic Qualifications:

  • Bachelor's Degree in a STEM discipline (Science, Technology, Engineering or Math) and a minimum of 14 years of related experience; or Master's Degree in a STEM discipline and 12 years of related experience; or PhD in a STEM discipline and 10 years of related experience.
  • Experience leading technical teams, demonstrating technical leadership skills, decisiveness, and ability to make sound technical judgments with limited information.
  • Experience with the technical development and direction for all aspects of engineering on a program, including design, development, implementation, testing, and delivery of product to a customer.
  • Systems Engineering experience including requirements management, systems architecture development, and model-based engineering/systems engineering (MBE/MBSE) using tools such as, IBM Rhapsody and Cameo.
  • Exposure to traceability across the systems engineering lifecycle, engineering processes and governance, family of systems/products, model-based architectures, and strategic reuse or variant management.
  • U.S. Citizenship and current/active U.S. Government Secret Clearance required. Must have the ability to obtain/maintain U.S. Government Top Secret Clearance and Special Program Access (SAP).

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Active U.S. Government Top Secret Clearance or higher. 
  • Experience working with Systems Architecture, Software architecture, Product Architecture or Chief Engineering roles
  • Software development tools, methods, and best practices
  • Experience with Sensor System Development, including RF and/or Electro-optical and Infrared
  • Product line engineering experience internal or external to Northrop Grumman
  • Systems, and/or software or hardware architecture derivation and development experience
  • Active in the PLE Community of Practice (CoP) or presented PLE content at relevant industry conferences or NG Symposiums
  • Leading organizational change, in partnership with executive management and technical leadership
  • Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification
  • Certified Systems Engineering Professional (CSEP)

Primary Level Salary Range: $184,100.00 - $289,200.00

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.

Skills Required

  • Bachelor's degree in a STEM discipline and 14 years of related experience
  • Master's degree in a STEM discipline and 12 years of related experience
  • PhD in a STEM discipline and 10 years of related experience
  • Experience leading technical teams and making sound technical judgments
  • Experience directing engineering design, development, implementation, testing, and product delivery
  • Systems Engineering experience, including requirements management and systems architecture development
  • Model-based engineering or systems engineering experience using IBM Rhapsody and Cameo
  • Experience with lifecycle traceability, engineering governance, product families, model-based architectures, strategic reuse, or variant management
  • U.S. citizenship
  • Current and active U.S. Government Secret Clearance
  • Ability to obtain and maintain U.S. Government Top Secret Clearance and Special Program Access
  • Active U.S. Government Top Secret Clearance or higher
  • Systems, software, product architecture, or chief engineering experience
  • Software development tools, methods, and best practices
  • Sensor system development experience, including RF or electro-optical and infrared systems
  • Product Line Engineering experience
  • Organizational change leadership experience with executive and technical leadership
  • Project Management Professional certification
  • Certified Systems Engineering Professional certification

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.

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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

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The Company
HQ: Charlotte, North Carolina
85,636 Employees

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.

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