Space Vehicle Chief Engineer – Staff Systems Engineer

0909 SP - Orbital Space Systems; United States; On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Northrop Grumman is seeking a Chief Engineer to lead the spacecraft and mission engineering team, acting as the primary technical advisor to the program manager. You will coordinate across spacecraft, payload, GNC, software, and ground segments to resolve risks and ensure mission success.

Responsibilities include integrating complex payloads, guiding test and launch activities, and presenting at major reviews.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in STEM and 12+ years of applicable experience; Master’s or PhD may adjust years required.
• Active Top Secret clearance at time of application.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary engineering teams or complex technical efforts.
• Strong communication with technical teams, program leadership, customers, or mission partners.

Responsibilities

• Lead spacecraft and mission engineering teams and serve as primary technical advisor to the program manager.
• Coordinate engineering activities across spacecraft, payload, GNC, software, comms, ground, and mission operations.
• Identify and resolve technical issues and risks affecting capability, cost, or schedule.
• Support spacecraft integration, test, launch prep, commissioning, and on-orbit execution.
• Develop and present engineering content at major technical reviews and program milestones.
• Coordinate responses to cross-segment issues and brief senior leadership on major decisions.
• Ensure adherence to engineering processes per company policies and standards.
• Manage integration of complex payloads and mentor junior staff.

Skills

Top Secret Clearance

Spacecraft Design

Mission Architecture

Leadership

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in STEM

Master’s Degree

PhD

Job description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE

Relocation assistance may be available. CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes. CLEARANCE TYPE: Top 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.

Chief Engineer Responsibilities

• Leading and supporting the spacecraft and mission engineering team.
• Serving as the primary technical advisor to the program manager and being a trusted technical point of contact for the Customer.
• Coordinating engineering activities across spacecraft, payload, GNC, software, communications, ground, and mission-operations teams.
• Identifying and resolving technical issues and risks that could affect mission capability, cost, or schedule.
• Supporting spacecraft integration and test, mission-readiness activities, launch preparation, commissioning, and on-orbit execution.
• Developing and presenting engineering content at major technical reviews and program milestones.
• Coordinating internal responses to cross-segment issues and providing high level briefings on major decision points to senior leadership.
• Ensuring that all engineering teams adhere to sound engineering processes, in accordance with company policies, procedures, and quality standards.
• Managing the integration of complex payloads.
• Mentoring, training, and directing junior staff.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) or related technical field, and 12 years of applicable experience; a Master’s Degree and 10 years of applicable experience; or a PhD and 8 years of applicable experience.
• Must have active Top Secret Clearance at time of application.
• Experience with spacecraft design, space mission architectures, or space systems development, integration, test, or operations.
• Demonstrated experience leading multidisciplinary engineering teams or complex technical efforts.
• Demonstrated ability to identify and resolve complex technical issues and communicate effectively with technical teams, program leadership, customers, or mission partners.
• Demonstrated strong communication skills (verbal and written) with experience briefing executive and customer leadership.

Preferred Qualifications

• An active or current TS/SCI Clearance.
• Extensive experience with spacecraft development, integration and test, launch, commissioning, or on-orbit operations.
• Experience in the Space Security Domain.
• Experience with Class B, C or D Space Programs.
• Knowledge of aerospace environmental testing standards.
• CAM / engineering project management experience.

#NoVASpace #SpaceSysEngJobs #SpaceEngJobs #SPEnhancedERAP

Primary Level Salary Range

$0.00 - $0.00. 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.

• health insurance coverage
• life and disability insurance
• savings plan
• Company paid holidays
• 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.

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.