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Director 2 - Systems Engineering Discipline Lead

Northrop Grumman
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Redondo Beach, CA, USA
Sep 24, 2026
RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be availableCLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: YesCLEARANCE TYPE: Top SecretTRAVEL: Yes, 25% 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 Space Systems is seeking a Director 2 - Systems Engineering Discipline Lead. This position will be located in Redondo Beach, CA and will report to the Vice President of Western Region Engineering.


In this role, you will lead a growing Systems Engineering organization across our Western Region locations: Redondo Beach and Manhattan Beach, CA; Azusa, CA; Commerce, CA; Goleta, CA; Oxnard, CA; San Diego, CA; and Gilbert, AZ. You will be responsible for strategic leadership, people management, and day-to-day operational oversight. The Systems Engineering organization spans the following disciplines: Communication Systems Engineering, Mission Payload Systems Engineering, Space Vehicle Systems Engineering, Specialty Engineering (including Radiation and Reliability), Mission Systems Engineering, Modeling and Simulation, Cyber Systems Engineering, Requirements & Verification, and Flight Operations.


You will drive both strategic and operational initiatives, ensuring the directorate’s technical capabilities align with program requirements, long-range sector priorities, and corporate objectives. You will bring deep Systems Engineering expertise (including system architecture, SEIT leadership, integration and test, verification and validation) and a demonstrated track record of functionally leading large, complex organizations.


Job Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Provide technical and people leadership, strategic direction, and oversight of all major disciplines/functions within the Systems Engineering organization.
  • Drive long‑range strategic planning, ensuring organizational alignment with sector goals, program needs, future technology requirements, and the continued critical skill/infrastructure build‑up for the Western Systems Engineering organization.
  • Lead efforts to optimize people, processes, and tools to support successful captures and program execution activities across the full lifecycle, including development, qualification, manufacturing, integration, test, and flight operations.
  • Provide ownership for the people, processes, and tools that support SE recruiting, employee development and engagement, skills development, NCTA efforts, staffing, and process and product development.
  • Ensure application of sound System Engineering processes during capture, conceptual, design, qualification, manufacturing, integration and test of systems in the Space Systems portfolio.
  • Oversee program/project reviews, including leading Independent Review Teams for key customer milestones such as SRR, SDR, PDR, CDR, and drive SE process improvement plans, proposal review, and commitment authority for SE scope of work.
  • Quickly engage to identify and diagnose program challenges across their full lifecycle, including development, hardware/software integration, production, and test phases, enabling decisive resolution.
  • Oversee special assignments such as proposal development, independent technical reviews, program standup reviews, anomaly resolution, and technical audits.
  • Drive innovation and support advanced research and technology development in systems engineering disciplines to align with long‑range sector priorities (LRSP) and Space Systems strategic roadmaps.
  • Champion risk, issue, and opportunity management strategies to ensure operational success and proactively mitigate technical and execution risks.
  • Manage and optimize budgets, including direct, indirect, NCTA, and capital resources, to achieve organizational objectives efficiently and support sector and corporate priorities.
  • Foster a culture of high performance, inclusion, continuous improvement, and disciplined execution, with an emphasis on communication, collaboration, and employee engagement.

Basic Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s Degree in a Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math (STEM) discipline.
  • Twelve (12) years of engineering, project management, and/or functional management experience.
  • Demonstrated experience in Systems Engineering, including system architecture, SEIT leadership, and development programs through system integration and test, verification and validation.
  • Experience in leading large SEIT teams
  • Proven ability to lead and develop high‑performing teams and collaborate across organizations to achieve shared objectives.
  • Active Top Secret and SCI clearance at time of application, with a recent Single Scope Background Investigation (SSBI).
  • Ability to travel 25%

Preferred Qualifications

  • Advanced degree in Engineering or another STEM field.
  • Fifteen (15) years of experience in engineering, project management, and/or functional management roles.
  • Significant experience leading a large functional or program organization (on the order of 1,000+ personnel) and successfully implementing strategic goals.
  • Exceptional oral and written communication skills with experience preparing and delivering executive‑level presentations and briefings.

As a leader with integrity, you ensure ethical conduct, balanced results, and partner satisfaction. You respect and nurture growth, fostering a culture of excellence. Skilled in building collaborative teams and customer trust, you communicate well, foster strong teams, and embrace change.  

Curious about all the exciting developments with the Northrop Grumman Space Sector? Click the link below:

Primary Level Salary Range: $266,300.00 - $399,500.00The 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.

Job ID

R10252393

Security Clearance

Top Secret
About Northrop Grumman

Northrop Grumman solves the toughest problems in space, aeronautics, defense and cyberspace to meet the ever-evolving needs of our customers worldwide. Our 90,000 employees are Defining Possible every day to create and deliver advanced systems, products and services. Northrop Grumman careers and internships are as varied as your interests, with a lifetime of potential that will allow you to work together with people from many backgrounds, personal passions and disciplines.

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