Staff Chief Engineer

Northrop Grumman; Chantilly (VA); On-site; USD 177,000 - 266,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Secret clearance

Travel 25%

Job summary

Northrop Grumman in Chantilly, VA is seeking a Staff Chief Engineer to lead the Mission System’s Engineering team on a USAF EW LRIP program. The role demands technical authority over the system baseline, strong leadership of a multi‑discipline group, and proven experience delivering RF/EW hardware in DoD programs.

You will chair technical reviews, guide design trades, ensure traceability from requirements to verification, and communicate clearly with the customer and prime contractor.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or equivalent STEM discipline from an accredited institution.
• Secret clearance to start; Top Secret/SAP eligibility desired.
• Minimum 2 years as Chief Engineer/Lead Systems Engineer on RF/EW or radar programs.
• Experience on USAF/DoD programs with LRIP or late development.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the program’s technical authority and owner of the system baseline for the USAF EW LRIP program.
• Direct all engineering activities (design, development, integration, test, and delivery) to meet technical, cost, and schedule objectives.
• Lead RF/EW architecture and design trades, balancing mission performance and manufacturability.
• Chair the Technical Review Board and support CCBs; lead technical content for major reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR, SVR).
• Oversee system integration and test, including lab integration and environmental qualification.
• Apply structured, data‑driven decisions and lead multi‑discipline trade studies under LRIP-like constraints.
• Identify, own, and mitigate technical risks; coordinate with EPM/SEIT and IPT Leads.
• Serve as the primary technical interface to the prime contractor and USAF customer.

Skills

RF/EW systems

Leadership

Technical authority

DOORS tracing

Technical reviews

System integration

Cross-IPT leadership

LRIP program experience

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering

Tools

DOORS

Job description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available

CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes

CLEARANCE TYPE: Secret

TRAVEL: Yes, 25% 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. Join Northrop Grumman on our continued mission to push the boundaries of possible across land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace. Enjoy a culture where your voice is valued and start contributing to our team of passionate professionals providing real-life solutions to our world’s biggest challenges. We take pride in creating purposeful work and allowing our employees to grow and achieve their goals every day by Defining Possible. With our competitive pay and comprehensive benefits, we have the right opportunities to fit your life and launch your career today. At the heart of Defining Possible is our commitment to missions. In rapidly changing global security environments, Northrop Grumman brings informed insights and software-secure technology to enable strategic planning.We’relooking for innovators who can help us keep building on our wide portfolio of secure, affordable, integrated, and multi-domain systems and technologies that fuel those missions. By joining in our shared mission,we’llsupport expanding your personal network and developing skills, whether you are new to the field, or an industry thought leader. At Northrop Grumman,you’llhave the resources, support, and team to do some of the best work of your career.

Northrop Grumman is seeking a Staff Chief Engineer to join Mission System’s Business Execution Engineering Organization. This position will be located in Chantilly, VA.

The Chief Engineer will serve as the technical authority for a USAF Electronic Warfare (EW) low‑rate initial production (LRIP) program. This role is responsible for managing the technical development and direction for all aspects of engineering, ensuring the integrity and executability of the technical baseline, and delivering a mission‑effective EW hardware solution that meets USAF requirements and contract commitments. The Chief Engineer will lead architecture and design trades, oversee integration and verification activities, chair technical review boards, and provide clear, authoritative technical communication to Program Management, the prime contractor, and the customer. This position requires broad technical depth in RF/EW systems and strong leadership capabilities across a small, multi‑discipline engineering team.

Primary Responsibilities Of a Candidate Will Include

• Serve as the program’s technical authority and owner of the system technical baseline for a USAF EW LRIP program.
• Direct all engineering activities (design, development, integration, test, and delivery) to meet technical, cost, and schedule objectives.
• Lead RF/EW architecture and design trades, balancing mission performance, SWaP‑C, manufacturability, testability, and schedule.
• Ensure requirements are clear, verifiable, properly decomposed, and fully traced in DOORS or similar tools, with alignment to architecture, design, V&V, and the IMS.
• Chair the Technical Review Board and support CCBs; lead technical content for SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR, SVR, and related reviews.
• Oversee system integration and test, including lab integration, EMI/EMC and environmental qualification, and field/flight test of EW performance.
• Apply sound engineering practices, peer reviews, and formal trade studies to ensure technical quality and structured, data‑driven decisions.
• Lead RCCA for complex technical issues, ensuring robust corrective actions that protect performance and production.
• Identify, own, and manage technical risks and opportunities; coordinate mitigation and capture plans with EPM/SEIT and IPT Leads.
• Serve as the primary technical interface to the prime contractor and USAF customer, providing clear communication on performance, risks, and issues.
• Lead and mentor a small, multi‑discipline engineering team, resolving cross‑IPT technical conflicts and driving continuous improvement and affordability.
• Ensure adherence to company engineering processes and quality standards across development, production, test, and sustainment.

Basic Qualifications

• Education
• Must have a Bachelor’s degree in engineering or an equivalent STEM related discipline from an accredited institution.
• Bachelor’s degree with12 yearsof relevant experience;10 yearswith a Master’s degree;8 years with a PhD.
• Security Clearance
• An active Secret clearance to be considered and required to start.
• Willing and able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret / SCI /SAP security clearance.
• Experience
• Minimum 2 years in roles such as Chief Engineer, Lead Systems Engineer, or equivalent technical authority on complex RF/EW or radar hardware programs.
• Experience on USAF or other DoD programs with significant RF/EW or radar hardware content, including LRIP or late development/early production phases (configuration control and manufacturability).
• Strong RF/EW technical background in one or more areas: RF/microwave hardware (e.g., high‑power transmitters/receivers, front ends, filters, frequency generation), EW system architectures (ES/EA, DRFM, DSP for EW), and antenna/aperture integration.
• Ability to translate mission needs and CONOPS into KPPs/KSAs and MOEs/MOPs/MOSs, and then into clear, verifiable system and subsystem requirements.
• Understanding of EMI/EMC and environmental requirements (e.g., MIL‑STD‑461/464, MIL‑STD‑810) and their implications for RF/EW design, integration, and test.
• Proven ownership of a program technical baseline, maintaining consistency across requirements, architecture, design, implementation, and V&V, including use of DOORS or similar tools for requirements and traceability.
• Experience chairing or leading technical review boards and contributing to CCB decisions with clear technical tradeoffs; leading technical content for major reviews (SRR/PDR/CDR/TRR/SVR) and TIMs.
• Hands‑on experience planning and overseeing system integration and test for RF/EW or radar systems (lab and subsystem/system‑level), including leadership of root cause and corrective action for complex technical issues.
• Demonstrated ability to make structured, data‑driven technical decisions and lead multi‑discipline trade studies (technical, cost, schedule, risk) under LRIP‑like cost and schedule constraints, including rapid triage of test anomalies, production issues, and field test findings.
• Experience serving as the primary technical interface to a prime contractor and/or Government customer, effectively communicating technical risks, mitigation plans, performance status, and recovery plans.
• Demonstrated leadership of small, multi‑discipline engineering teams (~10–20 engineers across systems, RF, digital/FPGA, software, mechanical/thermal, test, and specialty engineering), aligning direction across IPTs and suppliers and balancing rigor with rapid execution.
• Working knowledge of Northrop Grumman engineering processes (E‑series, D‑series, NGPro) or equivalent large defense‑contractor standards, and familiarity with DoD/USAF acquisition practices and technical standards relevant to EW/RF systems.

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct experience as Chief Engineer or Lead Systems Engineer on a USAF EW or radar LRIP or late-EMD program.
• Experience working with test ranges, spectrum management, and RF safety for EW/RF testing.
• Experience driving reuse and affordability in RF/EW designs (common modules, shared architectures, test approaches) while preserving performance and reliability.
• Experience leading cross-company technical integration as a subcontractor to a prime contractor.
• Experience supporting LRIP or late development/early production phases, including managing design changes, configuration baselines, and production impacts.

Primary Level Salary Range: $177,000.00 - $265,600.00

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.