
Staff Pilot Test
Compensation
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Job Description
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 โ 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 Grummanโs Test and Evaluation (T&E) organization is seeking a Staff Test Pilot for developmental test of military aircraft. Candidate may conduct demonstration flights with customers, government officials or other personnel to exhibit vehicle performance, flying qualities and system capabilities.
Responsibilities include developing test techniques, assisting in cockpit/workstation design, working with flight test engineers creating test plans, developing test products, evaluating systems in the laboratory environment, simulation, ground test, flight test, and reporting on test results. Selected candidate must successfully complete initial and recurrent training and qualifications as a basis for continued employment. Travel may be required up to 10% of the time.
This position is located 100% on-site at Edwards AFB, CA
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Provides test pilot expertise to assigned programs; technology/research efforts to ensure man-machine interface issues and requirements are identified for new or modified aircraft designs
- Plan, develop and execute test flights on aircraft to verify airworthiness and performance capability; validate and verify compliance with specifications and to determine operational effectiveness and/or suitability
- Partners with Flight Ops Manager and Engineering team to ensure test team is conducting safe and effective ground and flight test operations
- Collaborates with customer pilots
- Engage with program IPTs and REs to ensure air vehicle and ground station designs/modifications are effective and suitable
- Provides test pilot inputs at FRR, TRRs and SRBs ensuring safe conduct of all NGAS flight test missions
- Ensures best practices and lessons learned are shared with other program pilots
- Provides engineering test pilot expertise and safety guidance to flight test engineers for design definition, simulator flights, test planning, flight test techniques, test conduct, test reporting and proposal preparation
- Provide test pilot inputs to System Safety to ensure safe conduct of flight test missions
- Provides pilot inputs into development of preliminary flight manuals and aircrew checklists
- Maintain proficiencies and currencies
- Promotes active involvement in flight test professional societies and industry forums; fully supports Test Communities of Practice (CoPs) and Flight Test Safety Summit
Basic Qualifications:
- Bachelor degree plus 12 years of related experience OR Masterโs plus 10 years of related experience OR PhD plus 9 years of related experience.
- FAA commercial Multi Engine instrument rated pilot
- Minimum of 1,500 hours of flight experience as Pilot in Command
- Current FAA Class II Medical or higher
- Military Test Pilot School (TPS) Graduate
- Current DoD Secret clearance with investigation in last 2 years or Continuous Evaluation; ability to obtain and maintain Special Access Program (SAP) clearance
- Experience in flight testing, with ability to work with engineering to develop solutions to integration issues, and to bridge between the customer users and Northrop Grumman designers
Preferred Qualifications:
- Current, proficient, and qualified in military aircraft
- Current DoD Top Secret clearance
- Strong interpersonal and leadership skills
- Excellent communications skills, including the ability to brief test results to executive leadership
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Job Details
- Category
- Business & Finance
- Employment Type
- Full time
- Location
- Edwards AFB, CA 93535, United States
- Posted
- Dec 14, 2025, 07:00 PM
- Listed
- Jan 5, 2026, 12:36 AM
- Last updated
- Jan 6, 2026, 03:11 PM
- Compensation
- $214,200 - $321,200 per year
About Northrop Grumman
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