Northrop Grumman’s Space Sector is seeking a Sr. Engineering Design Manager – 3 to join the Mission Enabling Products (MEP) Business Unit in San Diego, CA, supporting the PASS operating unit. This position is 100% onsite and reports to the Director of Engineering.

The MEP Business Unit designs, builds, and delivers space, defense, and aviation‑related systems for customers worldwide. Our products include satellites and associated space components and services, launch vehicles and propulsion systems, missile products and subsystems, defense electronics, precision weapons, armament systems, and advanced aerospace structures.

As Sr. Engineering Design Manager – 3, you will provide both technical and programmatic leadership for a multi‑disciplined Design Engineering and Configuration Management team, with responsibility for product performance, quality, technical execution, schedule, and cost. You will lead a team of Mechanical Design Engineers, Tool Engineers, and Configuration Management professionals, ensuring the team has the people, tools, skills, and culture needed to support current programs and enable future growth.

Job Responsibilities include (but are not limited to) the following:       

People Leadership & Culture

• Lead a multi‑discipline engineering team (Mechanical Design, Tooling, Configuration Management) supporting critical PASS programs.

• Manage staffing, resource allocation, and development plans; conduct regular 1:1s, performance reviews, and career development discussions.

• Foster a positive, inclusive, high‑trust culture where team members can do their best work and collaborate effectively across disciplines.

• Drive employee engagement, retention, and talent development through clear expectations, feedback, and coaching.

• Implement succession and talent development plans, building a strong leadership bench across Mechanical Design, Tooling, and Configuration Management.

• Lead the team through evolving priorities and growth, setting clear direction, communicating transparently, and helping engineers navigate shifting demands while maintaining engagement and focus.

Engineering Operations & Execution

• Provide technical oversight and guidance to design activities across multiple programs, ensuring robust product definition and design/verification practices.

• Review product and tooling designs, drawings, and design review packages (PDR, CDR, MRR) to support successful execution of flight hardware and ground support equipment.

• Partner closely with Configuration Management to ensure robust control of product baselines, engineering changes, and documentation throughout the product lifecycle.

• Coordinate cross‑functionally with analysis, manufacturing, quality, program management, and chief engineers to manage workload and priorities.

• Support daily management of design activities and issues (technical, schedule, financial), including appropriate escalation and cross‑functional coordination.

• Track and drive improvements in First Pass Yield (FPY) and On‑Time Delivery (OTD),

• Generate proposal Bases of Estimates (BOEs) for design labor and tooling costs.

• Ensure consistent execution of standard practices, methods, and design software (e.g., Siemens NX, Teamcenter) within the Design and Configuration Management organization.

• Lead continuous improvement initiatives in design technology, capability, and efficiency, including DFMA and mistake‑proofing, and promote knowledge sharing across disciplines.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a STEM discipline with 8 years of experience in mechanical, structural, or related engineering disciplines (e.g., aerospace, space, or other mission‑critical hardware domains).

• Demonstrated leadership experience managing an engineering team on structural or mechanical design efforts.

• Aerospace experience with product definition (specifications, SOWs, drawings, ICD compliance) and design and verification processes.

• Understanding of aerospace composite tooling, including layup molds, assembly fixtures, test fixtures, and Ground Support Equipment (GSE).

• Experience with composite manufacturing processes and applications.

• Proficiency in CAD and PLM systems (e.g., Siemens NX and Teamcenter) and in drawing generation, including GD&T.

• Demonstrated experience with Design for Manufacturability (DFMA) principles and mistake‑proofing.

• Demonstrated ability to build engagement and foster a positive, inclusive team culture.

• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• 5 years of management experience leading structural or mechanical design efforts.

• Extensive experience with composite/metallic assemblies and associated materials, adhesives, and fasteners.

• Extensive experience in the design of composite structures and associated manufacturing tooling.

• Experience with end‑item test design and support, including static and dynamic testing.

• Demonstrated success driving continuous improvement across design and configuration management.

• Broad understanding of engineering, manufacturing, cost and schedule execution, scope management, and risk management.

• Experience leading or partnering with Configuration Management teams and processes.

• Active U.S. Government TS/SCI clearance.

Curious about all the exciting developments with the Northrop Grumman Space Sector? Click the link below:

Working at Northrop Grumman is more than just a paycheck. We offer a comprehensive Total Rewards and benefits package designed to help you thrive at work and in life. For more information on our Total Rewards package, please visit our Total Rewards site.