Chief Engineer - Level 6

Northrop Grumman; Chandler (AZ); On-site; USD 166,500 - 249,700; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive Total Rewards package

Health insurance

Life and disability insurance

Paid time off

Job summary

Northrop Grumman in Chandler, AZ is seeking a Chief Engineer - Level 6 to lead the engineering team for missile defense systems. This role requires extensive engineering leadership experience and an active Secret clearance. The Chief Engineer will ensure mission success and oversee technical aspects across all lifecycle phases from design to flight tests.

Qualifications include a relevant degree and experience interfacing with customers. Northrop Grumman offers a comprehensive benefits package and opportunities for growth.

Qualifications

• Active Secret security clearance.
• U.S. Citizen with ability to travel 10–20%.
• Experience interfacing with internal and external customers.

Responsibilities

• Lead the engineering team to achieve 100% mission success.
• Provide oversight across a multi-discipline team.
• Own and manage the technical baseline.

Skills

Engineering leadership experience

Verbal and written communication skills

Multi-disciplinary engineering background

Proven ability to motivate teams

Education

Bachelor's degree with 14 years experience

Master's degree with 12 years experience

PhD with 10 years experience

Job description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: No relocation assistance available

CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes

CLEARANCE TYPE: Secret

TRAVEL: Yes, 10% of the Time

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 Space Systems is seeking a Chief Engineer - Level 6 to join the Program Engineering Management team within the Launch Vehicles business unit in support of the Targets Operating Unit in Chandler, AZ.

The Targets Operating Unit, with annual revenue in excess of $275M, supports multiple missile defense systems for U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, and MDA customers. Missions are executed in a campaign style from numerous launch facilities around the world. The Chief Engineer will provide technical leadership for design, integration, system test, and flight test activities to ensure safe, reliable, and successful mission performance.

This position reports to the Targets Chief Engineer and has overall technical responsibility for assigned target programs and vehicles.

Role Description & Responsibilities

• Lead the engineering team to achieve 100% mission success for assigned target systems.
• Provide oversight, technical direction, and guidance across a multi-discipline team including engineering, manufacturing, integration, and test.
• Own and manage the technical baseline; ensure design integrity across all life‑cycle phases (design, build, integration, test, flight, and post‑flight).
• Manage, control, and administer the successful performance of technical tasks in alignment with cost, schedule, and performance objectives.
• Identify, assess, and help resolve programmatic and technical issues that could impact cost, schedule, and system performance.
• Chair the Configuration Control Board (CCB) and Risk Review Board (RRB); ensure robust configuration management and proactive risk/opportunity management.
• Lead and manage the resolution of component and supplier issues affecting assigned target vehicles, coordinating with Supply Chain, Quality, and functional engineering.
• Represent the program in technical forums, reviews, and management boards with internal and external stakeholders, including customers and suppliers.
• Prepare and deliver briefings to senior management and customers on technical status, readiness, anomalies/failures, and investigation results.
• Support flight test planning and execution, including readiness reviews, mission rehearsals, and post‑flight data review as required.
• Perform other duties, as necessary, commensurate with the role of a Chief Engineer.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with 14 years of professional experience – OR – Master’s degree with 12 years of professional experience – OR – PhD with 10 years of professional experience
• Minimum 7 years of directly related engineering leadership experience.
• Active Secret security clearance.
• U.S. Citizen.
• Ability to travel 10–20% (including to launch/test sites and customer locations).
• Demonstrated experience interfacing directly with internal and external customers.
• Proven verbal and written communication skills with customers and all levels of management.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and motivate a multi‑disciplined engineering team.
• Thorough understanding of design standards, procurement processes, and configuration management practices.
• Ability to work under limited supervision and successfully complete projects on time and within budget.
• Multi-disciplinary engineering background and/or systems engineering experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience leading or participating in failure investigations, including root cause and corrective action (RCCA).
• Missile system flight test experience (range operations, pre‑flight readiness, telemetry/data review, or anomaly resolution).

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: $166,500.00 - $249,700.00

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.

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.