Sr Staff Engineer Systems Test

We are seeking a Senior Staff Test Lead to join our team in San Diego, CA. This senior technical leader will serve as the definitive authority for integration, verification, and validation (IV&V) across multiple complex programs.

In this role, you will spearhead digital transformation within test engineering. You will be directly responsible for driving technical rigor into our verification methodologies, establishing robust, repeatable test processes, and architecting strategies to optimize and share high-value, common lab test assets. The ideal candidate thrives on continuous learning, team empowerment, and system-level innovation to deliver a decisive advantage to the warfighter.

What You’ll Get to Do

The Consulting Test Lead is responsible for the strategic direction, execution, and oversight of all integration and test efforts across multiple development programs.

Key duties include:

• Strategic Leadership: Work alongside Department Managers and Portfolio Leads to establish technological test roadmaps, test architecture strategies, and lab modernization plans.
• Technical Oversight: Oversee, direct, and mentor program-level Test Leads and IV&V technical teams within the department to ensure unified execution.
• Talent Development: Supervise, mentor, and coach program-level Integration & Test (I&T) leads to build technical leadership pipelines and ensure organizational excellence.
• Process Modernization: Design, deploy, and enforce rigorous, standardized test processes and continuous improvement initiatives to enhance verification depth and product quality.
• Asset Optimization: Formulate and execute strategies for efficient scheduling, sharing, and cross-utilization of common laboratory hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) and software test assets.
• Definitive Test Authority: Serve as technical authority for verification and validation activities, solving complex system-level test anomalies via definitive Root Cause Corrective Action (RCCA).
• Customer & Program Interface: Develop trusted technical relationships with internal and external customers. Provide risk-adjusted test status, schedule impacts, and cost assessments to executive leadership.
• Production Transition: Ensure all test architectures and configurations facilitate a seamless transition from development testing to high-rate Production and Sustainment testing.

• Bachelor’s degree in a STEM field with 14+ years of related technical experience; OR a Master’s degree in a STEM field with 12+ years of experience; OR a PhD in a STEM field with 110+ years of experience.
• Proven track record as a Subject Matter Expert (SME), Test IPT Lead, SEIT Lead or Chief Engineer directly and successfully managing/leading large, multi-disciplinary engineering teams.
• Extensive experience architecting system-level integration, verification, and validation (IV&V) strategies for complex aerospace/defense systems.
• Expert understanding of automated test methodologies, trade studies, and formal Root Cause Investigation and Corrective Action Development.
• Deep understanding of the DoD design and verification lifecycle.
• Active US Government Secret clearance with the explicit ability to obtain and maintain Special Access Program clearances., * Post-graduate degree in a STEM field or Technical Management.
• Demonstrated success leading integration and test efforts for complex, RF-based electronic systems, communications, navigation, or identification (CNI) subsystems.
• Experience implementing agile test frameworks, digital engineering/model-based test practices, or hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) lab environments.
• Proficiency with Earned Value Management Systems (EVMS) for tracking test scope, schedule, and cost.

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.

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 Mission Systems is a trusted provider of mission-enabling solutions for global security. Our organization is chartered with providing the skills, innovative technologies to develop, design, produce and sustain optimized product lines across the sector while providing a decisive advantage to the warfighter.