Chief Engineer/Manager Aeronautical Engineering

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.

NG Space Systems – Propulsion Systems is currently seeking Chief Engineer/Manager, Aeronautical Engineering for our Sentinel Propulsion team supporting the Promontory, UT facility.

Role description & Responsibilities:

The Sentinel SRM Chief Engineer will be responsible for all aspects of the technical execution in the development, qualification and production of the solid rocket motors (SRM) for the Sentinel program. This position will include the overall final technical authority and oversight of the solid rocket motors and will be an integral part of the Program Management team to continue the design and development phase through qualification and into production for the program.

Job Duties:    

• Serve as final design authority for the solid rocket motors (SRM) developed and produced for the Sentinel program.

• Act as a technical focal point for the customer ensuring customer satisfaction with all SRM technical efforts including participation in customer and government review boards

• Plan and manage engineering development and qualification test efforts to ensure a technically sound product according to program IMS and other directed scope

• Provide work definition, division of roles and responsibilities, execution, and priorities to each of the IPTs as well as to functional areas from a technical perspective

• Support efficient cross functional teams to execute plans across all IPTs and overall team communications

• Coordination and implementation of all engineering activities, ensuring all individual IPT plans are sufficient quality, completeness, and detail (technical, cost, schedule)

• Definition of product, process, review content, expectations, and acceptability

• Emergent technical issue assessment, guidance, and plans for resolution

• Identification of risks/mitigations and tracking to closure

• Technical review lead

• Chairman for Engineering Review Boards (ERB) and Configuration Control Boards (CCB)

• Direct problem and failure investigations

• Program level technical interface - both internal and external

• EVMS review and oversight

• Performance expectations and personnel development

• Drive timely and clearly communicated decisions and recommendations

• Provide technical direction on contract changes and Statement of Work negotiations

Experience Requirements:  

• Candidate must have a minimum of 5 years of solid rocket motor experience.

• Strong understanding of solid rocket motor design, development, and test/qualification processes

• Demonstrated ability to deploy a strong risk based decision-making process in executing technical efforts for the program

• Supervisory: Candidate must have a minimum of 2 years of formal or informal supervisory/ management/ team management/ leadership experience

• Capable of working across organizations internally

• Candidate must have demonstrated ability to:

  • Plan and execute complex, fast paced projects

  • Communicate technically complex topics and scenarios clearly and concisely

  • Build relationships necessary to function efficient teams

• Be capable of actively and efficiently working multiple projects

• Have the ability to get work done through others

• Ability to travel:  Travel expectation of 5% – 10%

Experience Preferred: 

• Candidates should have a minimum of 10 years in solid rocket motor design and manufacture experience.

• Project Engineering experience in a development/qualification/test environment

• Experience or strong understanding of System Engineering principles, disciplines, and tools

• Strong understanding of solid rocket motor system design, development, and manufacture

• Demonstrated experience with problem solving, problem investigation teams and critical decision making skills

• Strong understanding and broad application of engineering systems (engineering standards, configuration management, material review board, process control, tooling, facilities, software, etc.)

• Demonstrated experience in generating technical solutions in the absence of complete customer requirements

• Management of engineering scope as it pertains to budgeting and participation in EAC reviews

• Strong verbal and written communication skills including demonstrated experience with high value customer presentations

• Demonstrated team leadership skills - leader of significant technical projects or investigations and management of multiple program tasks to schedule and budget experience with the proposal process

• Knowledge of lean manufacturing and design for manufacturability

Education/Certifications

• BS degree in Engineering or related field is required and PhD with 9 years experience, MS degree with 12 yrs experience, or BS degree with 14 years experience

• Ability to work with energetic materials as a U. S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, firearms and explosives; “Employee Possessor” – desired

• DOD secret clearance required to start

Salary Range: $152,100 USD - $228,100 USD

Employees may be eligible for 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 health and safety of our employees and their families is a top priority. The company encourages employees to remain up-to-date on their COVID-19 vaccinations. U.S. Northrop Grumman employees may be required, in the future, to be vaccinated or have an approved disability/medical or religious accommodation, pursuant to future court decisions and/or government action on the currently stayed federal contractor vaccine mandate under Executive Order 14042 https://www.saferfederalworkforce.gov/contractors/.

Northrop Grumman is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action 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/AA and Pay Transparency statement, please visit http://www.northropgrumman.com/EEO. U.S. Citizenship is required for most positions.