Manager Propulsion Engineering 3

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available
CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes
CLEARANCE TYPE: Secret
TRAVEL: 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 is seeking Manager 3 of Propulsion Engineering to join our team of qualified, diverse individuals. 

Northrop Grumman Defense Systems is seeking a highly qualified candidate with outstanding technical and leadership skills to support the Tactical Propulsion Engineering Department at the Allegany Ballistics Laboratory in Rocket Center, WV.  Propulsion Engineering Manager 3 provides strategic and day‑to‑day leadership for the Propulsion Engineering Service Group. This group delivers end‑to‑end technical expertise across Ballistic Engineering, Analysis Engineering, System Engineering, Test Engineering, and Design Modeling. The incumbent will drive technical excellence, ensure alignment with program objectives, and foster an innovative, safety‑focused culture that delivers high‑performance propulsion solutions on schedule and within budget.

Key Responsibilities:

• Leadership & Functional Management
  • Directly supervise functional managers and oversee ~80 engineers/technicians.
  • Mentor, coach, and develop staff; conduct performance reviews and succession planning.
  • Champion a collaborative, inclusive environment that emphasizes continuous improvement.
  • Enforce adherence to safety regulations, export control requirements, and applicable aerospace standards (e.g., AS9100, ISO‑9001)
  • Develop and manage the annual budget for the service group (personnel, tools, external services).
  • Allocate staffing and equipment to meet project milestones; track cost performance and implement corrective actions as needed.
• Technical Oversite
  • Set technical direction and priorities for all five sub‑domains (Ballistic, Analysis, System, Test, Design Modeling).
  • Ensure rigorous application of engineering standards, verification & validation (V&V) processes, and configuration management.
  • Review critical design documents, test plans, and analysis reports; approve key technical deliverables.
  • Serve as a voting member on design and testing engineering review boards.
  • Publish and disseminate lessons learned, best practices, and technical papers within the enterprise
  • Lead initiatives on advanced modeling tools, high‑fidelity simulations, and data‑driven test methodologies
• Program Integration
  • Provide accurate technical status, risk assessments, and resource forecasts for senior leadership.
  • Coordinate cross‑functional interfaces to resolve technical risks.
  • Partner with Program Management to translate mission requirements into propulsion system architectures.
  • Present technical briefings to customers, government agencies, and partner organizations

Basic Qualifications:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, or a closely related field.
• Experience: Minimum 15 years of solid propulsion engineering experience, with minimum 5 years in a supervisory/leadership role
• Technical Skills: Deep knowledge of ballistics, fluid/thermal analysis, system integration, test planning, and design modeling tools.
• Management Skills: Demonstrated ability to lead multi‑disciplinary teams, manage budgets, and influence senior stakeholders
• Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to convey complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
• Travel: Willingness to travel up to 15% of the time for customer site visits, testing, conferences, and onsite reviews.
• Security Clearance: Minimum Secret Clearance

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience: Minimum 18 years of solid propulsion engineering experience, with minimum 8 years in a supervisory/leadership role
• Prior involvement in technology transition from R&D to production.

Primary Level Salary Range: $166,700.00 - $250,100.00
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.