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Northrop Grumman

Staff Retrofit Project Lead Engineer

United States-California-San Diego

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hirly's read of this role

Seniority
Lead / management
Stated salary
$161,000 per year
Country
US
Work mode
On-site / unstated
First seen by hirly
3 Oct 2026

Derived automatically from the posting. Upload your resume above to see how the role scores against it.

the posting

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available

CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes

CLEARANCE TYPE: Secret

TRAVEL: Yes, 75% 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 Aerospace Sector is seeking a Staff Engineer to be our Retrofit Project Lead Engineer joining our team of qualified, diverse individuals within our Product Support organization in Rancho Bernardo, CA.

The Retrofit Project Lead Engineer will perform long range retrofit planning, individual configuration change, and field level retrofit installation management, with focus of work effort on aircraft modifications. Responsibilities include but are not limited to: working closely with the customer, program level scheduling, and Integrated Product Teams for weapon system development; functioning as the Product Support representative for the preparation and execution of aircraft, ground station, support equipment and spares modifications; developing and administering long range retrofit plan; acting as focal point for pending weapon system upgrades, by reviewing proposed modifications and providing cost and effort descriptions. Responsibilities also include management of assigned retrofit efforts, which consists of providing contract work estimates, tracking rotatable assets, expediting repairs, performing kitting, and facilitating asset replacement. Position is also expected to assist in the training and development of junior team members.

  • Essential Functions Retrofit Project Lead Engineer:
  • Manage and drive retrofit completion in the field by working with the local customer, the company Contractor Field Team, Engineering and other entities required to complete retrofits on or ahead of contractual scheduling requirements
  • Resolve any challenges that arise in the field during the course of a retrofit; develop strategies/actions with the appropriate entities to mitigate and resolve any issues that may negatively impact the schedule or retrofit completion
  • General responsibilities include but are not limited to: working closely with the customer, engineering, program level scheduling, and Integrated Product Teams for weapon system development; functioning as the Product Support representative for the preparation and execution of aircraft, ground station, support equipment and spares modifications; developing and administering long range retrofit plan; acting as the individual who drives and completes weapon system upgrades, by reviewing proposed modifications and providing cost and effort descriptions
  • Coordinate with the remainder Retrofit Team for any requirements to execute retrofits during the planning, scheduling and execution phases of the retrofit evolution
  • Provide observations and suggestions to Engineering which would positively impact retrofit completion during the development of and execution of retrofits
  • Ensure that quality of the work remains a priority in the field for all work performed by contractors involved with the retrofit evolution
  • Ensure that industry, company and customer safety requirements are met in the field and the health and wellness considerations of contractors and customers involved with retrofits are adhered to
  • Keep company leadership and the customer(s) informed during the retrofit planning and execution stages
  • Basic Qualifications:
  • Bachelor's Degree in STEM field and at least 12 years of experience in engineering ; OR Master's Degree in STEM field and 10 years; or PhD in STEM and 8 years of relevant experience
  • Background which consists of time working in the field for retrofits or aircraft sortie production
  • Proficient in Windows, MS Word, Excel, Access and Power Point.
  • Willing to travel 75% of the time to various domestic and international locations
  • Current active US Government Secret Clearance and the ability to obtain a special program access
  • Preferred Qualifications:
  • Experience with reading and translating engineering drawing
  • Experience on aircraft production line, performing aircraft retrofits or driving aircraft sortie production
  • Strong social skills for interfacing daily with other programmers, customers, users, and other support personnel to ensure system goals are met
  • Verbal, writing, presentation, and leadership skills.
  • Current Active Secret Clearance

Primary Level Salary Range: $161,000.00 - $241,400.00

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.

Original posting on Northrop Grumman's site ↗

Listed on hirly, a job board. hirly is not the employer: Northrop Grumman is hiring for this role.

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