Director of Chief Engineering I

Company: Northrop Grumman
Location: Northridge
Posted on: April 2, 2026

Job Description:

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes CLEARANCE TYPE: Secret TRAVEL: Yes, 10% 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. Northrop Grumman Defense Systems is seeking a Director of Engineering to lead the Chief Engineering functional organization for the Advanced Weapons Business Unit (AW BU) in Northridge, CA . Reporting to the AW BU Senior Director of Engineering, this role is instrumental in driving program engineering excellence across all programs. Key Responsibilities: Oversee engineering execution across the Advanced Weapons portfolio as the functional lead for all Chief Engineering activities. Lead and develop a unified governance framework by aligning Chief Engineers across AW programs. Institute rigorous performance metrics, proactive issue tracking, and standardized processes to ensure consistent engineering excellence. Establish and chair a cross–Business Unit Engineering Review Board to drive collaboration and alignment across programs. Provide technical leadership by ensuring the delivery of engineering commitments related to cost, schedule, and technical quality. Offer visibility into project status and risks to both AW BU leadership and discipline engineering leadership. Champion technical excellence and innovation while balancing mission-critical timelines and cost constraints. Serve as a primary resource for Chief Engineers and Architects to elevate issues and secure sector-wide support. Maintain an awareness of engineering challenges across multiple programs and ensure robust risk mitigation plans are in place. Guide the development of flight–critical and/or safety–critical software and lead hardware/software integration efforts. Basic Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or a related STEM discipline. Minimum of 15 years of progressive engineering experience within the aerospace, defense, or related industries. Minimum 5 years of experience directing multi–function engineering teams to achieve common goals, including planning, risk management, and project performance. Proven ability to manage budgets, schedules, and complex technical programs. Demonstrated expertise in complex systems development, advanced digital engineering, and data–driven process improvement. Excellent strategic planning, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills. Current active Secret or Top-Secret clearance, or the ability to obtain one. Preferred Qualifications: Master’s degree in Engineering or a STEM field. Experience in missile design, integration, and test. Proven background in developing flight–critical and/or safety–critical software. Experience with hardware/software integration in large-scale engineering programs. Familiarity with modern digital engineering tools and agile methodologies. Primary Level Salary Range: $203,900.00 - $305,900.00 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.

Keywords: Northrop Grumman, Pomona , Director of Chief Engineering I, Engineering , Northridge, California