Senior Principal Engineering Program Manager Airborne Navigation Systems

ngc; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 142,000 - 213,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Life insurance

Disability insurance

Savings plan

Company holidays

PTO

Job summary

Northrop Grumman Mission Systems in Woodland Hills, CA is seeking a Senior Principal Engineering Program Manager (EPM) to lead engineering execution for airborne navigation systems, including safety-critical capabilities. This full-time, on-site role partners with Program Managers, Chief Engineers, and functional teams to deliver on cost, schedule, and technical commitments. The role requires 8+ years in engineering PM, U.S.

Citizenship, and ability to obtain a U.S. Government Secret clearance.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of related engineering program management experience.
• U.S. Citizenship required.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government Secret security clearance.
• Experience leading multi-disciplinary engineering teams on complex development programs.
• Experience with hardware, software, and firmware across the program lifecycle.
• Experience with earned value management (EVM) and cost accounts/schedules.
• Strong written and verbal communication with technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead engineering execution across full program lifecycle for airborne navigation systems.
• Ensure engineering rigor and compliance with MIL-STD-810, DO-178, MIL-STD-882, DO-229.
• Serve as primary engineering interface to Program Manager and Chief Engineer.
• Develop and defend engineering proposal estimates and BOEs.
• Oversee CAM responsibilities, IMS maintenance, and cost-to-complete estimates.
• Support schedule and financial updates, lead P&L reviews, and data-driven decisions.
• Develop staffing plans and resource forecasts with functional managers.
• Identify and mitigate program execution risks across IPTs.

Skills

Engineering leadership

EVM

Cost & schedule management

Multi-disciplinary teams

Safety-critical systems

Clearance readiness

Education

Bachelor’s degree in STEM

Master’s degree

PhD

Job description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be availableCLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: NoCLEARANCE TYPE: SecretTRAVEL: 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.

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. Northrop Grumman Mission Systems inWoodland Hills, CAhas been providingnavigation and inertial measurement technology for over 60 years. Our solutions are deployed fromundersea to deep space, including onJames Webb Space Telescopeand missions onMars. We look for people with bold 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.

Northrop Grumman Mission Systems is seeking aSenior Principal Engineering Program Manager (EPM)inWoodland Hills, CA. This role leads engineering execution forairborne navigation systemswith strong emphasis ondeveloping safety‑critical capabilities. You will partner closely with Program Managers, Chief Engineers, discipline functional engineering management, and other support organizations to deliver on cost, schedule, and technical commitments.

This is afull‑time, on‑siterole in Woodland Hills, CA.

What You’ll Get to Do

The EPM is accountable forcost, schedule, and execution of all engineering scopeon the program and ensures work is completed within approved budget and contractual boundaries across all IPTs.

Key responsibilities:

• Engineering execution across the full program lifecycle(capture through delivery) for airborne navigation systems.
• Ensure engineering execution meets the applicable level of rigor and aligns with standards includingMIL‑STD‑810for environmental qualification,DO‑178andMIL‑STD‑882for safety‑critical software development, andDO‑229for GPS integrity certification.
• Serve as theprimary engineering interfaceto the Program Manager, Chief Engineer, and functional organizations (Systems, Software, Hardware, Test, Manufacturing, Supply Chain).
• Develop, review, and defendengineering proposal estimates and BOEs;
• OverseeCAMresponsibilities for engineering scope, rolling wave planning, budget allocation, Integrated Master Schedule (IMS) maintenance, earned value status, and estimating total costs to complete efforts.
• Supportschedule and financial updates, lead engineeringPage and Line (P&L) reviews, and drivedata‑informed decisionsusing program metrics.
• Developstaffing plans and Work Load Forecasts (WLF)and partner with functional managers to project and secure resources.
• Proactivelyidentify, communicate, and burn down program execution risk, driving risk/issue/opportunity handling plans across IPTs.
• Develop and execute risk mitigation plans and return‑to‑green plans for efforts on the program at risk of not meeting their baseline cost, schedule, or technical targets.
• Ensure adherence toNorthrop Grumman and customer engineering processes, configuration management, and rigorous entry/exit criteria for major reviews (e.g., SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR).

Basic Qualifications – Senior Principal EPM

• Bachelor’s degree in a STEM or related technical field with8+ yearsof related experience; or Master’s with6+ years; or PhD with4+ years
• U.S. Citizenship.
• Ability to obtainand maintain aU.S. Government Secret security clearance.
• Experience leadingmulti‑disciplinary engineering teamson complex development programs.
• Experience insystems development, integration, and testacross the program lifecycle, preferably for safety‑critical or mission‑critical systems.
• Experience working on projects that includehardware, software, and firmware.
• Experience withearned value management (EVM)and management of cost accounts and schedules.
• Strongwritten and verbal communicationskills with technical and non‑technical stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in a STEM or related technical field.
• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification or equivalent
• ActiveU.S. GovernmentSecret or Top Secret clearance.
• Experience withairborne navigation systems, avionics, or safety‑critical aerospace systems, including:
  • MIL‑STD‑810environmental qualification.
  • DO‑178andMIL‑STD‑882for safety‑critical software development and safety analyses.
  • DO‑229GPS integrity certification and performance requirements.
• Domain expertise indefense electronic systems(RF, EW, communications, sensors, or avionics).
• Working knowledge ofDoD systems engineering standards and lifecycle processes.
• Prior experience as anEPM, IPT Lead, or similar engineering leadership role.
• CAM certification and experience withETCs, CEACs, and IBRs.
• Familiarity withNorthrop Grumman processesand demonstrated success through proposals, BOE generation, program start‑up, and major reviews.

Primary Level Salary Range: $142,200.00 - $213,400.00The 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.