Consulting Chief Engineers

Job Title

Consulting Chief Engineer – RQ4 FMS and RQ4-USAF Business Area Programs

Location

San Diego, CA – Onsite full-time, no remote or hybrid available.

Job Summary

Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems is hiring Consulting Chief Engineers to provide technical leadership for the RQ4 FMS and RQ4-USAF Business Area Programs, managing the technical baseline for platforms and leading engineering teams across the program lifecycle.

Responsibilities

• Maintain the technical baseline of all platforms and exercise technical authority for system changes.
• Provide technical leadership and direction to the Business Area engineering team across the entire program lifecycle.
• Lead and oversee a portfolio of 100+ engineers in the FMS portfolio or 200+ in the USAF portfolio for sustainment, improvement, and development of new capabilities for the ROK and Japan platforms.
• Oversee all major technical reviews (SRR, SFR, PDR, CDR, TRR, FRR, etc.) to ensure quality deliverables on time and within budget.
• Serve as the principal technical interface with the customer.
• Demonstrate experience and understanding of software development, avionics integration, systems engineering (requirements analysis, modeling and simulation, verification), and integration and test in laboratory and flight test environments.
• Track and ensure Key Performance Parameters and Technical Performance Measures, including First Time Quality, are met and satisfy customer and program requirements.
• Provide technical leadership to identify, review, and manage risks, issues, and opportunities.
• Ensure Systems Safety and Airworthiness compliance throughout development programs.
• Make critical decisions to halt and correct planned test events if system safety is compromised.
• Escalate significant technical issues to the Enterprise CE and VP of Engineering as appropriate.
• Apply robust systems engineering practices for proposal and ECP bid establishment and review.
• Approve proposals and ECPs for technical adequacy and executability.
• Provide input to IPTs and functional home room leadership on Engineering personnel performance and deliverables.
• Offer constructive feedback and improvement recommendations regarding people, processes, and tools.
• Develop, implement, and maintain technical product roadmaps for a program.

Core Technical Competencies

• Strong technical judgment and risk management capability, including risk acceptance decisions under uncertainty.
• Demonstrated technical leadership as chief/lead engineer or equivalent authority on complex, multidisciplinary systems.
• Strong systems engineering and systems thinking skills covering requirements development, architecture, integration, and verification/validation.
• Experience leading system architecture and design trades, balancing performance, cost, schedule, safety, and producibility/supportability.
• Deep expertise in at least one relevant technical discipline with broad knowledge across hardware, software, networks, integration, and test.
• Experience driving cross-functional technical integration across IPTs, suppliers, and specialty engineering (safety, reliability, RAM, etc.).

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in STEM and 16 years of experience on manned or unmanned aircraft systems, OR Master’s in STEM and 14 years of experience, OR Ph.D. and 11 years of experience.
• Subject Matter Expert in at least two of the following core technical competency areas: technical judgment and risk management; demonstrated technical leadership; systems engineering and systems thinking; leading system architecture and design trades; deep expertise in one technical discipline; cross-functional technical integration.
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience of aircraft systems, including air vehicle, mission computing, communications, and sensors.
• Familiarity with leading large technical proposals and ability to guide customers through technical performance reviews.
• Active DoD Top Secret (or higher) clearance.
• Ability to obtain and maintain Special Access Program (SAP) clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Active TS/SCI clearance.
• Advanced degree (MS or Ph.D.) in a relevant field.
• Experience with Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV) systems.
• Experience with radar systems and satellite communication.
• Experience with airworthiness certification / MIL-HDBK 516.
• Experience with product lifecycle through sustainment and operations.

Salary & Benefits

Primary Level salary range: $212,100.00 – $318,100.00 (based on scope, responsibilities, experience, education, skills, and market conditions). In addition, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, discretionary bonus, and long-term incentives for VP or Director levels. Benefits include health insurance, life and disability insurance, savings plan, company-paid holidays, and paid time off for vacation and personal business.

Additional Information

Relocation assistance may be available. Clearance required to start: Yes (Top Secret). Travel: Yes, 50 percent of the time.

Northrop Grumman is an Equal Opportunity Employer. For the full EEO and pay transparency statement, visit U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.