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Senior Principal Engineering Program Manager Airborne Navigation Systems

Northrop Grumman · Los Angeles, CA · 1 mo ago
On-siteProject Management$142k–$213k/yrFull-time

Relocation assistance may be available. U.S. Citizenship required. Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government Secret security clearance. Travel: 10% of the time.

About the role

Northrop Grumman Mission Systems in Woodland Hills, CA is seeking a Senior Principal Engineering Program Manager (EPM) to lead engineering execution for airborne navigation systems with a strong emphasis on developing safety-critical capabilities. This full-time, on-site role partners closely with Program Managers, Chief Engineers, discipline functional engineering management, and other support organizations to deliver on cost, schedule, and technical commitments.

Responsibilities

  • Accountable for cost, schedule, and execution of all engineering scope on the program, ensuring work is completed within approved budget and contractual boundaries across all IPTs.
  • Engineering execution across the full program lifecycle (capture through delivery) for airborne navigation systems.
  • Ensure engineering execution meets applicable rigor and aligns with standards including MIL-STD-810 for environmental qualification, DO-178 and MIL-STD-882 for safety-critical software development, and DO-229 for GPS integrity certification.
  • Serve as the primary engineering interface to the Program Manager, Chief Engineer, and functional organizations (Systems, Software, Hardware, Test, Manufacturing, Supply Chain).
  • Develop, review, and defend engineering proposal estimates and Basis of Estimates (BOEs).
  • Oversee CAM responsibilities for engineering scope, including rolling wave planning, budget allocation, Integrated Master Schedule (IMS) maintenance, earned value status, and estimating total costs to complete efforts.
  • Support schedule and financial updates, lead engineering Page and Line (P&L) reviews, and drive data-informed decisions using program metrics.
  • Develop staffing plans and Work Load Forecasts (WLF) and partner with functional managers to project and secure resources.
  • Proactively identify, communicate, and burn down program execution risk, driving risk/issue/opportunity handling plans across IPTs.
  • Develop and execute risk mitigation plans and return-to-green plans for efforts on the program at risk of not meeting baseline cost, schedule, or technical targets.
  • Ensure adherence to Northrop Grumman and customer engineering processes, configuration management, and rigorous entry/exit criteria for major reviews (e.g., SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR).

Requirements

  • Bachelor’s degree in a STEM or related technical field with 8+ years of related experience; or Master’s with 6+ years; or PhD with 4+ years.
  • U.S. Citizenship.
  • Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government Secret security clearance.
  • Experience leading multi-disciplinary engineering teams on complex development programs.
  • Experience in systems development, integration, and test across the program lifecycle, preferably for safety-critical or mission-critical systems.
  • Experience working on projects that include hardware, software, and firmware.
  • Experience with earned value management (EVM) and management of cost accounts and schedules.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills with technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Advanced degree in a STEM or related technical field.
  • Project Management Professional (PMP) certification or equivalent.
  • Active U.S. Government Secret or Top Secret clearance.
  • Experience with airborne navigation systems, avionics, or safety-critical aerospace systems, including:
    • MIL-STD-810 environmental qualification.
    • DO-178 and MIL-STD-882 for safety-critical software development and safety analyses.
    • DO-229 GPS integrity certification and performance requirements.
  • Domain expertise in defense electronic systems (RF, EW, communications, sensors, or avionics).
  • Working knowledge of DoD systems engineering standards and lifecycle processes.
  • Prior experience as an EPM, IPT Lead, or similar engineering leadership role.
  • CAM certification and experience with ETCs, CEACs, and IBRs.
  • Familiarity with Northrop Grumman processes and demonstrated success through proposals, BOE generation, program start-up, and major reviews.

Pay

Primary level salary range: $142,200.00 - $213,400.00. The above salary range represents a general guideline; Northrop Grumman considers factors such as scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's experience, education, skills, and current market conditions when determining base salary offers. 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.

Benefits

  • Health insurance coverage.
  • Life and disability insurance.
  • Savings plan.
  • Company-paid holidays and paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business.

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