Stephanie is a Systems Test Engineer with Northrop Grumman. She graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 2009 as a Marine Corps Officer with a Bachelor of Science Degree in applied mathematics. After two and a half years of flight training, she became appointed as Naval Aviator in 2012. She was then deployed with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) from 2014-2015 and a Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force-Crisis Response-AFRICOM in 2016. Her roles in active duty included Operations Officer, Training and Evaluating, and Executive Officer. After transitioning from active duty in August 2020, Stephanie joined Northrop Grumman.
How long have you been with Northrop Grumman? How did you hear about us?
I began my SkillBridge internship in May, and was hired on at the beginning of August. Coming from a military family, I was exposed to Northrop Grumman early in my life. My dad had an opportunity to help set up security for the B-2 at one of the bases where we were stationed. After retiring from the military, one of the various places he had contractual work was with Northrop Grumman. Knowing that Northrop Grumman is at the forefront of aeronautics, I was deeply interested in the company during my transition from active duty.
What is your military background? How did your military background set you up for the role you are in now?
Commissioned in 2009, I spent 11 years with the Marine Corps as a pilot. I was fortunate to be selected to fly the MV-22B and achieved everything I wanted to in the technical, tactical, and leadership application of the aircraft. As a former crew resource management instructor, weapons and tactics instructor, as well as having held other positions within the squadron and in supporting the squadrons, I bring a level of dedication and passion for military aviation.
The technical training I received in my aviation training has given me a solid foundation to quickly pick up and understand the aspects of my job. I believe that my experience will enable me to seamlessly transition to my role as a test\conductor as I have the technical knowledge and understanding of the application of the platform with the end user in mind. In addition, my dedication to mission accomplishment and drive for success will enable me to work with the same passion I did in the military.
What was your experience transitioning into Northrop Grumman as a veteran?
I am very fortunate to have found the SkillBridge Department of Defense program, which allowed me to intern with the Global Hawk HALE (High Altitude Long Endurance) program at Northrop Grumman’s Palmdale Aircraft Integration Center of Excellence. This allowed me to see and understand the various roles within the company. As I learned more, I became eager to contribute as an employee. I am very grateful for individuals on my team who supported my transition to the company and allowed me to pick their brains regarding various roles and programs. In addition, after hearing employees speak highly of their roles and relationships in the company, it made me realize that Northrop Grumman truly cares for its people.
What do you hope to gain from your new role?
In my role, I hope to gain experience and new connections so that one day I may be able to help future veterans transition into a civilian career at Northrop Grumman. While I hope to grow and develop within the company, I also hope to share my knowledge and expertise to affect positive change. I am excited to be part of a company where there is opportunity to impact the aviation community in such a unique way.
What advice would you give to other veterans interested in a career in Northrop Grumman?
Go for it!
Explore the company as much as you can and don’t limit yourself to a narrow search for positions. Northrop Grumman is very veteran-friendly, and everyone I have met understands and appreciates the military. Although having never met in person yet, my coworkers and I are all working towards the same goal. The dynamic we have and the trust we continue to build reminds me of my time within the military. I know that as we begin to charge ahead at full steam, we will be able to build upon our shared experiences and make our individual contributions that much stronger. The team mentality that I see in my program is exactly what I was looking for as I was transitioning from active duty.
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