Staff Engineer, Systems

Northrop Grumman

Staff Systems Engineer leading a cross functional team providing technical reachback support for test organization at Northrop Grumman. Ensuring alignment of engineering products with test objectives, schedule, and cost.

Posted 7/9/2026full-timePalmdale • California • 🇺🇸 United StatesLead💰 $177,000 - $265,600 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

Use this summary to align your resume positioning with the role.

Demonstrates expertise in project management practices, including Control Account Management (CAM) and Earned Value Management (EVM), while leading cross-functional teams to achieve technical objectives and compliance with regulatory requirements.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Project ManagementControl Account Management (CAM)Earned Value Management (EVM)Cross-Functional Team LeadershipU.S. Government Top Secret Clearance

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Project PlanningSchedulingTechnical Performance ManagementRisk ManagementTechnical Issue Resolution

Soft Skills

LeadershipCollaborationCommunicationAccountabilityProblem-Solving

Certifications & Qualifications

U.S. Government Top Secret ClearanceSpecial Access Program (SAP) Clearance

Industry Keywords

STEM DisciplineMilitary ExperienceEngineeringTechnical ObjectivesProgram Reviews

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Serve as Reachback IPT Lead and primary interface between the Test team and engineering functional organizations.
Own budget, scope, and schedule for the IPT’s engineering work; apply CAM/EVM practices to manage performance.
Act as technical authority for test related objectives within your scope, ensuring technical accuracy and compliance with program and regulatory requirements.
Coordinate, prioritize, and track engineering reachback requests to provide timely resolution of technical issues and troubleshooting needs.
Lead the IPT through changes to requirements, test plans, and procedures; assess impacts to cost, schedule, and technical performance and drive approval and documentation.
Maintain regular communication with Test, Engineering Homeroom Organization, and other stakeholders; prepare concise updates, reports, and briefings for program reviews and technical interchange meetings.
Use metrics to monitor IPT performance, demonstrate progress to commitments, and define/recover to plans when needed.
Provide day to day leadership to a cross functional team of 10+ engineers, fostering collaboration, accountability, and high performance.

Requirements

What you’ll need

Bachelor of Science degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) discipline with 12 years of relevant military/professional experience; OR Master of Science degree in a STEM discipline with 10 years of relevant military/professional experience; OR PhD with 8 years of relevant military/professional experience.
Must have an active U.S. Government Top Secret Clearance or higher.
Must have the ability to obtain and maintain Special Access Program (SAP) clearance, within a reasonable amount of time as determined by business needs.
Experience leading cross functional technical teams of 10 or more individuals.
Experience with project/program management practices, including: Control Account Management (CAM) and Earned Value Management (EVM) Risks–Issues–Opportunities (RIO) management Project planning, scheduling, staffing, and coordination of technical work.

Benefits

Comp & perks

Health insurance coverage
Life and disability insurance
Savings plan
Company paid holidays
Paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business
Annual bonuses designed to reward individual contributions and allow employees to share in company results