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Systems Engineer Level 4 Technical Lead (AHT)

Northridge, California, United States
Full Time On-site

Summary

Job Description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available

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 is seeking a Senior Principal Systems Engineer (Technical Lead – Guidance & Control Sections, Level 4) for the Anti‑Radiation Guided Missile‑Extended Range (AARGM‑ER) Production program within our Advanced Weapons team.  This role is  full‑time, onsite at our Northridge, CA facility.  Relocation assistance may be available but is not guaranteed.

The technical lead will provide overarching engineering leadership for both the Guidance and Control sections of the AARGM‑ER program. The role works directly with the program’s Systems‑Engineering Integrated Product Team (IPT) Lead to sustain the production cadence, manage technical risks, and deliver mission‑critical capabilities.

Core Responsibilities (not limited to)

·       Provide technical leadership for the Guidance and Control sections, directing engineering effort across hardware, software, sensors, radar, mechanical, electrical, and material domains.

·       Partner with the Integrated Product Team Lead (IPTL) by providing technical insight and guidance to ensure that technical risks, trade‑offs, and performance data are incorporated into program‑level decisions on cost, schedule, resource allocation, and overall execution.

·       Develop and deliver engineering solutions to a wide range of technical problems and projects affecting both sections.

·       Oversee the creation, updating, and maintenance of requirements, test plans, and test procedures that support Production Engineering initiatives for guidance and control functions.

·       Perform data mining of the failure database (TipQA) and Acceptance Test Procedure (ATP) data to identify variability and trends.

·       Lead Failure Trend Analysis, Root‑Cause, and Corrective‑Action investigations on RF/electronics sensor systems and control subsystems, interfacing with hardware, software, and related applications.

·       Generate and present analysis results in visual graphs for internal and external meetings.

·       Interface methodically with team members, supervisors, project leads, and external customers to deliver technical briefings.

·       Support systems‑engineering metrics and technical‑performance‑measurement tracking for guidance and control section activities.

·       Provide Technical support to the IPTL as they partner with Global Supply Chain to manage the technical, schedule, cost, and quality of missile components from subcontractors for both sections

Basic Qualifications – Senior Principal Systems Engineer (Level 4)

·       Bachelor of Science in an engineering discipline + 8 years of systems‑engineering or related experience, or MS in an engineering discipline + 6 years of systems‑engineering or related experience, or PhD in an engineering discipline + 4 years of systems‑engineering or related experience.

·       Expertise performing in a production process/environment.

·       Experience with root‑cause‑correction‑action processes and execution.

·       Demonstrated ability to lead a technical team to complete engineering efforts.

·       Experience with configuration management and product‑life‑cycle‑management tools.

·       Proven ability to communicate methodically, in detail, and in a process‑oriented fashion with peers and stakeholders.

·       Active DoD Secret Clearance.

Preferred Qualifications (T04)

·       Experience with Model‑Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) approaches.

·       Background in the defense industry or weapon‑systems development.

·       Expertise in systems‑requirements development and management.

·       Experience in system verification and validation activities.

·       Proficiency with systems‑engineering tools such as DOORS or CAMEO.

·       Experience establishing and maintaining the product technical baseline for a production‑phase program.

Primary Level Salary Range: $142,200.00 - $213,400.00

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.

About Northrop Grumman

Northrop Grumman

Northrop Grumman is one of the largest aerospace and defense companies in the United States, building advanced systems across space, air, land, sea, and cyber domains. The company is known for some of the most complex defense programs in the world, including stealth aircraft, autonomous systems, missile defense technologies, satellites, and space-based intelligence platforms that support U.S. national security operations.

For job seekers, Northrop Grumman offers careers across a wide range of high-impact fields including aerospace engineering, software development, cybersecurity, systems engineering, manufacturing, program management, and intelligence support. The company is especially attractive to veterans, cleared professionals, and engineers who want to work on mission-critical systems that directly support the Department of Defense and intelligence community. Many roles involve long-term programs with significant technical depth and real-world operational impact.

Unlike smaller defense startups focused on narrow capabilities, Northrop Grumman operates across multiple major mission areas, giving employees exposure to highly advanced programs such as stealth platforms, space systems, autonomous vehicles, and next-generation command-and-control systems. The company is also a major leader in classified space and intelligence systems, where cutting-edge engineering and secure infrastructure play a critical role in national defense.

As global competition in space, cyber, and advanced military systems continues to intensify, Northrop Grumman remains one of the most strategically important employers in the defense industry. For professionals seeking stable, highly technical careers with long-term impact on national security, Northrop Grumman continues to stand out as a leading destination in aerospace and defense.

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