Environmental Lab Lead

About the role

• RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available
• CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: No
• CLEARANCE TYPE: Secret
• TRAVEL: No

About the role

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 Aeronautics Systems is seeking an Environmental Laboratory Lead to support the Common Products Test Engineering organization in Rancho Bernardo, CA. Selected candidate must be within commutable distance from site.

The Environmental Laboratory Lead oversees the planning, direction, and day-to-day operation of the environmental testing laboratory. The role is accountable for maintaining regulatory compliance, ensuring data integrity, promoting safe work practices, and providing timely analytical support for site environmental monitoring, production, and engineering needs.

Essential Functions

• Lead the Environmental Testing team responsible for thermal vacuum (TVAC), thermal cycling, random vibration, and shock testing of flight hardware.
• Own and coordinate environmental test campaign schedules across programs, aligning chamber and facility capacity with production and qualification milestones.
• Develop, review, and maintain test plans, procedures, and acceptance criteria that meet program requirements and applicable industry standards.
• Collaborate with design and systems engineering teams to define and refine environmental test requirements at the component, subsystem, and vehicle levels.
• Oversee the calibration, maintenance, and qualification of environmental test equipment, chambers, and related facilities.
• Work closely with quality assurance to ensure test data is fully traceable, accurately documented, and compliant with program and regulatory expectations.
• Support failure analysis and root cause investigations for anomalies identified during environmental testing, driving corrective and preventive actions.
• Partner with suppliers and external test laboratories when environmental test demand or capability exceeds in house resources.
• Drive continuous improvement in test throughput, facility utilization, and overall data quality.
• Consistently meet production and qualification schedules while adapting to evolving program priorities and constraints.
• Good communication, computer, documentation, presentation, and interpersonal skills are required, as well as the ability to work both independently and as part of a team.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a STEM discipline with 8 years of related engineering experience; OR Master’s degree in a STEM discipline with 6 years of related experience; OR PhD in a STEM discipline with 4 years of related experience
• Minimum 7 years of experience in environmental testing (TVAC, vibration and shock)
• Minimum 1 year of experience managing, mentoring, and developing a team
• Experience debugging, troubleshooting and verifying test stations
• Ability to apply technical knowledge to analyze, investigate and resolve production line faults during acceptance testing
• Ability to obtain and maintain a US Government Secret clearance and or Special Program Access within a reasonable amount of time as determined by business needs
• undefined

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong understanding of MIL-STD-810 and/or RTCA DO-160 (equipment-level environmental test methods) and MIL-HDBK-516 (airworthiness / system-level criteria)
• Hands-on experience operating TVAC chambers, shaker tables, and shock test equipment
• Experience with test automation and data acquisition systems
• Familiarity with structural and thermal analysis as it relates to test correlation
• Strong root-cause problem-solving skills
• Experience supporting cleanroom integration and test operations
• Knowledge of lean manufacturing / Six Sigma

Primary Level Salary Range

$142,200.00 - $213,400.00

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.