Space Vehicle Chief Engineer – Staff Systems Engineer

Northrop Grumman; Virginia; On-site; USD 170,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Competitive benefits

Bonus potential

Job summary

Northrop Grumman Space Systems Sector seeks a qualified Chief Engineer to lead a Space Vehicle development program. You will direct a multi-disciplinary team, serve as primary technical advisor to the program manager, and coordinate engineering activities across spacecraft, payload, and mission operations.

The role requires self-direction, strong communication to executive and customer leadership, and hands-on leadership of design, analysis, and execution activities to ensure mission success.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s in STEM with 12+ years of experience; Master’s with 10; PhD with 8.
• Active Top Secret clearance at time of application.
• Experience with spacecraft design, space missions, or space systems.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• Strong communication with executive and customer leadership.

Responsibilities

• Lead spacecraft and mission engineering teams across disciplines.
• Advise program manager and coordinate with customer stakeholders.
• Coordinate activities across spacecraft, payload, GNC, software, comms, ground, and operations.
• Identify and resolve technical risks affecting capability, cost, or schedule.
• Support integration, test, readiness, launch prep, and on‑orbit activities.
• Develop and present engineering content at reviews and milestones.
• Brief senior leadership on major program decisions.
• Ensure engineering teams follow company processes and standards.
• Oversee integration of complex payloads and mentor junior staff.

Skills

Leadership

Systems Eng

Space Systems

Program Mgmt

Communication

Risk Management

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in STEM

Master’s Degree

Job description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available

CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes

CLEARANCE TYPE: Top 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 Space Systems Sector seeks a qualified Systems Engineer to serve as the Chief Engineer for a Space Vehicle development program within Space Superiority Division. The qualified candidate will lead a multi-disciplinary engineering team executing the design and development of a Space Vehicle and its associated Mission, as well as support related capture efforts.

In this leadership level role, the Chief Engineer is expected to be self-directed using previous experience to lead design, analysis, and execution efforts, while also recognizing and mitigating technical issues/risks that may impact capability, cost, or schedule. Regular interaction with senior business leadership and the Customer is expected, meaning that presentation skills and particularly the ability to communicate complex technical concepts to either technical or nontechnical audiences is required.

The Chief Engineer has technical oversight for the program, and primary duties include:

• 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.

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.