Director of Engineering II

Northrop Grumman; Plymouth (MN); On-site; USD 231,000 - 347,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Life insurance

Disability insurance

Savings plan

Paid holidays

Paid time off

Job summary

Northrop Grumman seeks a Senior Director of Engineering for the Armament Systems Business Unit (AS BU) in Plymouth, MN. You will lead the ASBU Engineering team responsible for systems engineering, integration, and test, plus production engineering support for armament products.

The role requires 20+ years in engineering with senior leadership in aerospace/defense, strong strategic vision, and current clearance.

Qualifications

• 20+ years of professional experience (BS)
• 15+ years of leadership experience in functional/ program/ technical leadership within aerospace/defense
• Aerospace/Munitions/Armaments systems background
• Proven ability to set strategic direction and drive accountability
• Experience building and leading high-performing engineering teams
• Expertise in product development, roadmaps and technology execution
• Strong critical thinking and decision-making skills
• Experience presenting to C-suite and senior leadership
• Current active Secret or Top Secret clearance
• Ability to obtain SAP accesses

Responsibilities

• Oversee engineering execution across the Armament Systems (AS) portfolio
• Lead and develop a cohesive engineering organization aligned with the unit’s strategic goals
• Drive innovation and best practices leveraging digital engineering and corporate expertise
• Provide mentorship to senior engineering leadership and foster career development
• Execute workforce planning including recruiting, retention and competency development
• Identify and develop new engineering capabilities to support future opportunities
• Ensure staffing, tools, processes, and infrastructure for current and growth
• Define and implement engineering processes and performance metrics
• Establish partnerships with Engineering, Program Management, Global Supply Chain, Mission Assurance/QA, and Operations
• Provide technical leadership in risk identification and mitigation
• Drive technology advancements to meet business objectives
• Support business development with technical expertise
• Foster cross-functional collaboration across units to achieve goals

Skills

Leadership experience

Aerospace/defense background

Strategic direction

Engineering leadership

Stakeholder engagement

C-suite communication

Clearance knowledge

Presentation to executives

Education

BS

MS

PhD

Tools

SAP

Job description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available

CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes

CLEARANCE TYPE: Secret

TRAVEL: Yes, 10% of the Time

Description

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 Defense Systems is seeking a Senior Director of Engineering to lead the Engineering function for the Armament Systems Business Unit (AS BU) in Plymouth, MN. Reporting to the Weapon Systems Division Engineering Director and matrixed to the BU Vice President, this role is instrumental in shaping the vision, strategy, and growth of the organization while fostering a culture of execution excellence, innovation, and continuous improvement.

The Senior Director of Engineering provides overall leadership to the ASBU Engineering team, which is responsible for all aspects of systems engineering, integration, and test; system design and development activities; as well as production/product engineering support for the Armament Systems business unit products.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee engineering execution across the Armament Systems (AS) portfolio


• Lead and develop a cohesive engineering organization aligned with the unit’s strategic goals


• Drive innovation and best practices, leveraging digital engineering advancements and corporate-wide expertise


• Provide guidance and mentorship to senior engineering leadership, fostering talent engagement and career development


• Execute workforce planning, including recruiting, retention, talent management, and competency development


• Identify and develop new engineering capabilities to support future business opportunities


• Ensure adequate staffing, tools, processes, and infrastructure to support both current execution and business growth


• Define and implement clear engineering processes, procedures, and performance metrics to ensure successful program execution


• Establish strong partnerships between Engineering, Program Management, Global Supply Chain, Mission Assurance/Quality Assurance, and Operations to enhance efficiency and delivery


• Provide technical leadership in identifying and mitigating risks while serving as the top escalation point for engineering concerns


• Drive technology advancements to enhance business objectives and competitive positioning


• Support business development efforts, contributing technical expertise to capture and execution strategies


• Foster cross-functional collaboration across business units, divisions, and sectors to achieve strategic goals

Basic Qualifications

• 20+ years of professional experience (BS); 18+ years (MS); 15+ years (PhD)


• 15+ years of leadership experience in functional management, program management, or technical leadership within the aerospace/defense industry


• Aerospace/Munitions/Armaments systems background


• Proven ability to set strategic direction, establish priorities, and drive accountability


• Experience building and leading high-performing engineering teams


• Expertise in product development, technology roadmaps, and strategic technology execution


• Strong critical thinking, decision-making, and priority-setting skills


• Demonstrated ability to engage and influence stakeholders, including senior executives and cross-functional teams


• Experience presenting to C-suite and senior leadership


• Excellent written and verbal communication skills


• Current active Secret or Top Secret clearance


• Most recent clearance investigation, or admittance into the Continuous Evaluation Program (CEP), within the last 5 years


• Ability to obtain SAP accesses

Preferred Qualifications

• Understanding of munitions/armaments/missile systems


• Background in implementing and managing large-scale programs and managing many diverse programs simultaneously


• Experience leading programs with complex engineering challenges

With annual revenues of nearly 1.4 billion dollars, 1000 plus employees, and operations in 4 states, Armament Systems is growing and has many opportunities. ASBU mission is to create superior products to enable customers to accomplish their mission — whether it’s a technological breakthrough, or protecting our nation with legacy/proven products. Armament system is world leading supplier of many defense products such medium caliber ammunition and guns, large caliber tank ammunition, the precision guidance kit for artillery ammunition, terrain shaping obstacles, proximity ammunition for defeating unmanned aerial systems, and much more.

Primary Level Salary Range: $231,100.00 - $346,700.00

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.

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.