Manager Test Pilot Engineering 2

0090 CORP-Corporate Office; United States; On-site; USD 161,000 - 242,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Overtime pay

Discretionary bonus

Long term incentives

Health insurance

Job summary

Northrop Grumman seeks a Manager Test Pilot Engineering 2 to lead the Flight Test team on a program at Edwards AFB, CA. The role emphasizes leading test pilots and engineers, ensuring safety and compliance across ground and flight tests, and coordinating with PM, systems engineering, and customer representatives.

Requirements include 9+ years in engineering with a STEM degree, 10+ years in aviation flight test, DoD clearance, and strong leadership and communication skills.

Qualifications

• Minimum 9 years of engineering experience with a related bachelor's degree.
• Minimum 10 years of combined aviation flight test experience.
• Active DoD Secret clearance or ability to obtain/maintain program access.
• Ability to obtain and maintain PAR within reasonable time.
• Knowledge of Earned Value Management.
• Prior test pilot/experimental/test experience.
• Proven leadership in planning, hazard analyses, and risk mitigation.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day operations of test pilot engineering for Strike.
• Plan, brief, execute, and debrief flight and ground tests.
• Document test results and manage discrepancies.
• Mentor test pilots and flight test engineers.
• Interface with customer test organizations and range authorities.
• Support proposals with test inputs to cost, schedule, and risk.

Skills

Leadership

Flight Test

Hazard Analysis

Communication

Program Management

Education

Bachelor's degree in STEM

Tools

Earned Value Management (EVM)

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 is seeking a highly qualified Manager Test Pilot Engineering 2 to lead the Flight Test team on a program at Edwards AFB, CA. 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, but they're also making history.

The role is required to: Lead a team of test pilots, flight test engineers, and flight support personnel executing ground and flight test activities in accordance with sector and company test and evaluation processes (e.g., configuration control, safety reviews, discrepancy reporting, and formal test reporting). Ensure safe, disciplined, and compliant execution of developmental and operational test events in alignment with airworthiness, range, and customer requirements. Coordinate test plans, hazard analyses, and risk mitigations with Program Management, Systems Engineering, Flight Test, Safety, Airworthiness, and Configuration/Data Management. Provide technical leadership in evaluating aircraft/vehicle performance, handling qualities, and system behavior; synthesize pilot feedback and test data into clear recommendations for design improvements and risk reduction. Own schedule and resource planning for test pilot engineering work scope, including crew assignment, training currency, simulator/aircraft availability, and integration of external resources as required. Represent the test pilot engineering function in design reviews, safety reviews, customer technical interchange meetings, and formal test readiness reviews. Drive continuous improvement in test conduct, reporting, and discrepancy resolution, ensuring timely closure of flight test findings and supporting formal test reports. This position is critical to meeting EMD milestones and to maintaining compliance with customer, contractual, and internal flight test safety and reporting requirements.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day operations of test pilot engineering for Strike.
• Plan, brief, execute, and debrief flight and ground test events in accordance with approved test plans and safety processes.
• Ensure rigorous documentation of test results, pilot flight reports, quick-look reports, and formal test reports; track and help resolve discrepancies.
• Mentor and develop test pilots and flight test engineers; enforce standards for test discipline, professionalism, and safety.
• Interface with customer test organizations and range authorities regarding test objectives, profiles, and safety constraints.
• Support proposals and new business by providing test pilot engineering inputs to cost, schedule, and risk assessments.

Required Basic Qualifications

• A minimum of 9 years of Engineering experience with a Bachelors degree in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (7 years w/ Masters)
• A minimum of 10 years of combined aviation flight test experience
• Active DoD Secret clearance or ability to obtain and maintain, as required by program.
• Ability to obtain and maintain Program Access (PAR) within reasonable time
• Knowledge of Earned Value Management
• Prior test pilot / experimental / developmental test experience or military pilot experience
• Demonstrated experience leading flight or ground test activities, including planning, hazard analysis, and risk mitigation.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for customer and internal leadership engagements.
• Demonstrated leadership experience (e.g., leading crews, teams, or projects).

Preferred Qualifications

• Graduate of an accredited Test Pilot School and/or extensive developmental test experience.
• Experience with mission systems testing, and/or weapons integration testing.
• Prior people-leadership experience (performance management, staffing, career development).
• Experience with Northrop Grumman test and evaluation procedures and configuration/data management processes.
• Significant experience in a developmental/operational test maintenance environment
• Experience in a US Air Force Combined Test Force
• Experience leading an aircraft operation under DCMA Instruction 8210 oversight
• Strong ability to communicate complex technical issues and solutions

We offer

• Employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay.
• Annual bonuses are designed to award 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.
• We also offer exceptional benefits, a 9/80 schedule, and a great 401K matching program.

Primary Level Salary Range: $161,100.00 - $241,700.00 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.

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.

We are a pioneering company. With careers across all areas: air, cyber, land, sea and space - our 90,000 employees work as one to defend and define the future. Northrop Grumman careers and internships are as varied as your interests, with a lifetime of potential that will give you every opportunity to do your best work. Working together with people from many backgrounds, personal passions and disciplines, we share a drive to push the boundaries of science, technology and engineering to meet the ever evolving needs of our customers worldwide.