Director of Chief Engineering I

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.