Sr Staff Lead Test Engineer

Company: Northrop Grumman
Location: San Diego
Posted on: April 4, 2026

Job Description:

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes CLEARANCE TYPE: Top 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. Join Northrop Grumman on our continued mission to push the boundaries of possible across land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace. Enjoy a culture where your voice is valued and start contributing to our team of passionate professionals providing real-life solutions to our world’s biggest challenges. We take pride in creating purposeful work and allowing our employees to grow and achieve their goals every day by Defining Possible. With our competitive pay and comprehensive benefits, we have the right opportunities to fit your life and launch your career today. Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems has an opening for a Staff / Sr. Staff Lead Test Engineer to join our team of highly qualified, mission-oriented, diverse individuals within Test and Evaluation Organization. This leadership role is located in San Diego, CA, and will be leading test engineering teams between Palmdale, CA and San Diego, CA in support of Restricted Program ADD. The preferred candidate will be able to demonstrate a thorough understanding of program lifecycle execution, the various levels of Test (Lab, Ground, Flight, surrogate, etc.), has experience leading diverse teams through change, and has a vision for how they will promote team engagement within this department. Roles & Responsibilities: Manage the execution of all Test & Evaluation tasks Support technical reviews such as System Requirements Review (SRR) and Preliminary Design Review (PDR) Maintain and update Test & Evaluation program process documentation Supports Program Management in new business pursuits to include: capture, SOW shaping, technology evaluations, authoring white papers, trade studies, process improvement, and bidding & proposals. Manage the baseline of new engineering projects to include labor & non-labor planning & earned value management (EVM) Responsible for the successful development and execution of test plans and procedures to support program. Perform resource planning in collaboration with Program and Enterprise. Thrive in a fast-paced work environment with high expectations, significantly diverse assignments and collaborative/team settings across all levels. Perform CAM duties for T&E cost accounts. Support Proposal development for all activities. Coordinating with supporting EI&E and providing timely resource forecasts to ensure proper staffing is in place to execute the SOW(s) Managing cost, schedule, and technical performance across program SOW Lead a team of test engineers to in multiple work environments to drive efficiencies and testing with integration Resolve integrated technical or operational problems, and meet established schedules Tracking leading indicator metrics to detect and prevent issues Risk, Issue, and Opportunity Management Continually coordinate issues and solutions with the IPT and across IPTs Continually seek to improve our integration & test engineering efficiency Support the program office with process improvement, implementation, and opportunities. Lead the implementation of test automation utilizing industry standardized framework and tools Build and maintain a culture that empowers employees, establishes personal and team accountability, motivates team performance, encourages development, and supports innovation Conduct business travel up to 25% of the time ? Basic Qualifications for Staff Flight Test Engineer Bachelor’s Degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics) discipline with 14 years of relevant experience; OR a Master’s degree in a STEM discipline with 12 years of relevant experience OR a PhD degree in a STEM discipline with 10 years of relevant experience Must have an active DoD Top Secret or higher clearance (with a background investigation completed within the last 6 years or currently enrolled into Continuous Evaluation) Must have the ability to obtain and maintain Special Access Program (SAP) clearance within a reasonable period of time, as determined by the company Experience in leading multidisciplinary engineering teams to deliver complex technical solutions, within cost and schedule constraints, across the test phase or various phases of the engineering lifecycle Preferred Qualifications: Master’s or Ph.D. in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math (STEM). Current program SAP clearances Experience with Earned Value Management Techniques (EVMS) / Control Account Management (CAM), Integrated Master Schedules (IMS), Basis of Estimates (BOEs) and cost-schedule-risk trade off management Excellent leadership, motivational, and communications skills Experience managing large budgets of both labor and material Primary Level Salary Range: $175,300.00 - $262,900.00 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.

Keywords: Northrop Grumman, Aliso Viejo , Sr Staff Lead Test Engineer, Engineering , San Diego, California