Principal / Senior Principal Engineer Systems Test - Aviation Safety Official

About the role

Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems has an opening for a Principal / Senior Principal Engineer Systems Test - Aviation Safety Official to join the team of qualified individuals on our Test and Evaluation team. This role is located onsite in Palmdale and Edwards AFB, CA. This role may be filled at the Principal OR Senior Principal level based on the qualifications listed below.

In this role, the successful candidate will be assigned to the Flight Test team and Program Depot Maintenance, with primary responsibility for developing and administering the aviation safety program elements of the contractor's SMS.

Responsibilities

• Deliver all the required safety products to comply with DCMA 8210-1D
• Act as principal advisor to the program on all aviation safety matters
• Develop and maintain a comprehensive, site-specific Mishap Response Plan to handle ground accidents, in-flight emergencies, and hazardous material spills
• Maintain site/program aviation mishap statistics
• Support investigations of site/program hazards, incidents, and mishaps
• Represent the company's operational side during consolidated Aviation Safety Council meetings and cross-team risk assessment reviews
• Coordinate semi-annual Safety audits/assessments
• Provide Safety publications
• Facilitate annual execution of a mandatory aviation Mishap Response Drill to visually prove emergency compliance to the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA)
• Address airfield hazards such as obstructions, ATC facilities and procedures, Hazardous Air Traffic Reports (HATRs) and BASH
• Chair monthly safety meetings, maintain and distribute minutes to the site/program
• Support flight/ground incident reporting and documentation
• Lead SMSPT to facilitate Safety Risk Management (SRM), and Safety Assurance (SA)
• Oversee SMS promotion, workshops and required training (instructs SMS and SMS-related courses; identifies scheduling and/or scope shortfalls through Program Test Lead / T&E EI&E Lead/Program Lead to request augmentation from internal or external instructors)
• Program representative for Sector sponsored Aviation Safety meetings and training events, e.g. T&E monthly safety meeting
• Provide data to the SMS Council Aviation Safety Executive and/or the NGAS SMS Administrator to facilitate sector-level risk management, sharing lessons learned, etc.
• Comply with Corporate and Sector Aviation SMS requirements and support Corporate and Sector Aviation SMS objectives
• Author and maintain the program's written flight and ground operating procedures to align directly with DCMA 8210.1D requirements
• Use the standard Attachment 10 checklist to ensure each required safety procedure is explicitly documented or marked "N/A"
• Develop and update the localized Safety Management System (SMS) framework to collect risk data and handle non-compliance
• Continuously monitor the airfield, hangars, and flight lines for unsafe conditions, Tool Control compliance, and Foreign Object Debris (FOD) mitigation
• Develop specialized safety boundaries and risk mitigations for inherently dangerous tasks
• Manage physical aircraft movement profiles, tie-down requirements, and hangar evacuations during emergencies
• Serve as a point of contact for the Government Flight Representative (GFR) and the broader Aviation Program Team (APT) regarding safety-related data
• Assist with responses to Corrective Action Requests (CARs) issued internally, or by DCMA, proving that systemic issues have been resolved within the mandated 30-day window
• Funnel military aviation safety publications and company mishap data into actionable safety briefings for ground crews and aircrew
• Monitor the flight line environment to ensure that external production pressures or strict schedule milestones do not override safe maintenance practices or flight criteria

Basic Qualifications (Principal)

• Bachelor of Science degree in a Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math (STEM) discipline AND 5 years of related professional/military experience OR a Master of Science degree in a STEM discipline AND 3 years of related professional/military experience, OR a STEM Ph.D. AND 1 year of related professional/military experience
• Active US Government Secret (or higher) clearance (with a background investigation within the past 6 years or enrolled into Continuous Evaluation)
• Ability to obtain and maintain Special Access Program (SAP) clearance, within a reasonable amount of time as determined by business needs
• Background in aviation (flight or ground) operations dealing with aircraft
• Experience with DCMA 8210
• Experience with any of the following: Aviation Safety, Aviation Safety Management System, and/or Aviation Safety Official
• Ability to be proactive and collaborative with ability to speak directly to peers and superiors to address safety related issues
• Experience in developing training material and/or instructing formal courses

Basic Qualifications (Senior Principal)

• Bachelor of Science degree in a Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math (STEM) discipline AND 8 years of related professional/military experience OR a Master of Science degree in a STEM discipline AND 6 years of related professional/military experience, OR a STEM Ph.D. AND 4 years of related professional/military experience
• Active US Government Secret (or higher) clearance (with a background investigation within the past 6 years or enrolled into Continuous Evaluation)
• Ability to obtain and maintain Special Access Program (SAP) clearance, within a reasonable amount of time as determined by business needs
• Background in aviation (flight or ground) operations dealing with aircraft
• Experience with DCMA 8210
• Experience with any of the following: Aviation Safety, Aviation Safety Management System, and/or Aviation Safety Official
• Ability to be proactive and collaborative with ability to speak directly to peers and superiors to address safety related issues
• Experience in developing training material and/or instructing formal courses

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with SM-0001/14 CFR part 5/ICAO Annex 19
• Familiarity with Air Force processes for mishap prevention, notification, investigation, and reporting (DoDI 6055.07, AFI 91-202, AFMAN 91-223)
• Leadership experience; successful performance leading through influence more than direct authority
• Active Top Secret clearance

Pay

• Primary Level Salary Range: $103,600.00 - $155,400.00
• Secondary Level Salary Range: $129,300.00 - $193,900.00

CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes (Secret) | TRAVEL: Yes, 10% of the Time | RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: No