Job Information
Northrop Grumman Corporation Chief Engineer in Keyser, West Virginia
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 Fellows are recognized experts in their fields who solve the hardest technical problems while ensuring we retain the hard-won insights needed to perform complex tasks successfully.
These leaders define possible in our most important technical capability areas while identifying and cultivating essential people, processes, and tools.
They are deployed against critical programs and captures, aligned with our sector
s top business priorities, and advance our products and solutions to meet customers missions every day.
We are seeking a highly experienced Subject Matter Expert with experience in defense industry overall engineering discipline who has extensive experience in the role of a Chief Engineer on a major defense program. This position demands extensive technical leadership, strategic insight, and a thorough understanding of the complex engineering and contractual challenges on defense programs. The candidate will serve as a key technical advisor and mentor, providing guidance on system engineering, systems architecture, integration, subcontractor management, scope and configuration management, technical risk and opportunity management, and overall engineering execution for high-priority defense projects. The ideal candidate will have demonstrated experience leading large-scale, multi-disciplinary engineering teams in the development of defense systems, with a focus on delivering innovative, mission-critical solutions. As an NG Fellow, the candidate is expected to provide scientific, technical, intellectual leadership, as well as analytical support contributing to the advancement of sector growth goals and engineering excellence. The candidate must also have a strong grasp of campaign execution, networking strategy, and possess the skills, drive, and judgement to successfully interface with senior leaders/technologists across the company and the customer community. Understanding of defense regulations and compliance requirements, including ITAR, DFARS, and cybersecurity mandates.
Key Responsibilities:
Technical Leadership: The ideal candidate will set and drive strategy for a broad set of technical initiatives and be empowered to make decisions that significantly impact the DS sectors program performance. They will provide consultation and independent review leadership as the senior technical authority and subject matter expertise in engineering, providing guidance and recommendations for overall system architectures, engineering execution, and technical decision-making processes across complex, multi-disciplinary teams. Deep expertise in defense program execution, including experience with DoD acquisition processes, working with government customers, and navigating defense contracting environments. Proven track record of leading complex programs through all phases, from concept development through to production and sustainment. Experience conducting technical reviews (PDR, CDR, TRR) and acting as the technical authority in milestone decision-making processes.
Understanding of how to balance technical excellence with cost, schedule, and risk considerations to meet program objectives. Experienc in driving the adoption of new technologies, and leading technical teams in solving complex, mission-critical challenges.
Chief Engineer Role Modeling: Provide mentorship and coaching to engineering teams and emerging leaders on what it means to serve as a Chief Engineer, emphasizing systems thinking, risk management, and cross-discipline integration to meet program goals.
Strategic Technical Oversight: Review and provide guidance on technical roadmaps and engineering strategy for key defense programs, ensuring alignment with customer requirements, regulatory standards, and mission objectives. Offer solutions to complex technical challenges and trade-offs.
Systems Engineering Expertise: Provide guidance in the development of system architectures, technical designs, and integration efforts, ensuring all components meet performance, safety, reliability, and regulatory requirements. In-depth knowledge of systems engineering principles and practices, particularly in the context of defense programs, including systems integration, requirements management, verification and validation, and lifecycle management.
Cross-functional Collaboration: Work closely with program management, operations, and business development teams to ensure technical solutions are aligned with business objectives and customer needs.
Risk Management: Help programs to better identify, assess, and mitigate technical risks across engineering efforts, developing strategies to address potential risks early in the development process. Ensure robust risk management practices are ingrained in the engineering teams approach.
Innovation and Digital Engineering Champion: Drive innovation by staying up to date on emerging technologies, methodologies, and trends in defense engineering. Champion the adoption of digital engineering solutions to enhance program outcomes.
Mentorship and Talent Development: Serve as a mentor to junior and mid-level chief engineers, helping to cultivate the next generation of technical leaders within the organization. Share expertise and provide guidance on technical career development and the role of a Chief Engineer in large defense programs.
Compliance and Standards: Ensure that all technical efforts adhere to relevant defense industry standards, including DoD regulations, cybersecurity requirements, and safety protocols. Ensure programs meet stringent defense compliance standards, including MIL-STD, ITAR, and DFARS.
Key Qualifications:
Bachelor's Degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics) discipline and 20+ years of engineering experience OR Master's Degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics) discipline and 18+ years of engineering experience OR PhD in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics) discipline and 15+ years of engineering experience
Extensive experience (5+ years) as a Chief/Lead/Head Engineer on a program with over $100M total contract cost within the defense industry, with proven success leading multi-disciplinary engineering teams across different program lifecycle phases.
Previous experience with large-scale defense platforms such as aircraft, naval vessels, ground vehicles, or missile systems.
Demonstrated leadership of technology development that had a strategic impact on the business growth and performance.
Demonstrated ability having created a community of practice or similar forum designed to mentor and develop next generation technical