Flight Test Engineering Manager

Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems has an exciting career opportunity for a Flight Test Engineering Manager 2 to join our highly skilled team supporting SCS test and evaluation activities. This is a full-time work onsite position, located in Melbourne Fl.

Our Leaders at Northrop Grumman live our values daily and encourage our teams to do the same. We do the right thing: upholding the highest ethical standards and facilitating a safe and respectful environment that attracts, retains, and inspires a diverse and engaged team. We do what we promise: holding yourself and others accountable to meet predictable and balanced results. We commit to shared success: operating as OneNG and removing barriers for our teams. Finally, We pioneer: setting a vision that shapes the future and inspires others.

The SCS program requires a Flight Test Engineering and Functional Manager to lead a team of Flight Test Engineers supporting the Ground and Flight Test Team as well as the Integrated Test Team (ITT). This position requires knowledge of Flight Test operations in support of developmental air vehicle testing. Role responsibilities include leading and participating in all facets of flight test planning and execution in multiple areas including requirements development, test planning, test event preparation, and test coordination.

Specific positional responsibilities include:

• Lead and engage with capability update working groups to include collaboration with the customer and the Northrop Grumman Corporation (NGC) Development Triton Lead

• Track and report detailed test metrics to NGC leadership and ensure unified ITT metrics.  Maintain cognizance of test points per event and results following data review 

• Identify and coordinate remote engineering test execution support, as required

• Review all ITT test plans for content and efficiencies.

• Participate and attend Systems Engineering Technical Review (SETR) events as the NGC Flight Test representative 

• Participate in weekly Delayed Action Board (DAB) / Limitations Review Board (LRB) as the NGC Flight Test Lead representative

• Test execution responsibilities may include conduct of ground and flight test in the role of a Test Director in the mission control room

Candidates must fully understand the role of flight test engineering, and the requisite organizational support in executing flight test programs. Candidates must be able to provide leadership and managerial direction to the NGC Flight Test and System Test Engineering Team on a tactical and strategic basis.

Additionally, candidates must be able to perform Flight Test Engineering functional duties and responsibilities. The selected candidate should have excellent interpersonal and organizational skills as well as oral and written communication skills. 

Functional Manager responsibilities include working closely with the Flight Test Engineering Department Manager and fellow section managers to implement department and center initiatives, ensuring successful planning and execution of program test engineering activities, collaborating with programs to satisfy staffing needs and provide operations support (incident investigations, metrics collection and analysis, etc.), setting Talent + goals and providing regular performance feedback to 10-15 employees, supporting the annual salary review and promotion process, mentoring and developing the next generation of technical and project leadership, and improving and implementing test engineering processes and procedures. The Section Manager duties will require 10-20% of the manager’s time.

Basic Qualifications:

• Must have a Bachelor of Science degree in a STEM discipline AND 9 years of related professional experience OR a Master’s Degree in STEM discipline AND 7 years of related professional experience

• Minimum of 3 years in lead position

• Minimum of 5 years combined experience in manned or unmanned air vehicle flight test

• Must have the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government Top Secret Clearance

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in manned air vehicle flight test execution

• Previous experience working in an Integrated Test Team

• Previously qualified Test Director with control room experience

• Experience and working knowledge of NAVINST 3960 test planning process

• Experience leading a flight test engineering team

• Experience with Earned Value Management

• Active U.S. Government Top Secret clearance