
Section Manager 1 – Thermal Systems
Redondo Beach, CAJob$133–200K/yrSeen todaySeen in employer's feed today
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Job overview
Northrop Grumman’s Space Sector seeks a Section Manager 1 for Thermal Systems in Redondo Beach, California. The manager will lead a group of approximately 15–20 engineers and support spacecraft programs involving thermal, cryocooler, and propulsion engineering. The role combines people management with thermal engineering work, including spacecraft thermal-control design, analysis, testing, verification, and requirements management. An active Secret clearance is required at application.
Skills & qualifications
Skills
Qualifications
Benefits
Full job description
RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available
CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes
CLEARANCE TYPE: Secret
TRAVEL: Yes, 10% 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’s Space Sector is seeking a Section Manager 1– Thermal Systems to join our team in Redondo Beach, California . This position will report to the Department Manager of Thermal, Propulsion, and Cryocooler Systems in the Vehicle Engineering Directorate (Western Region Engineering).
Job responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:
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Provide support in maintaining and evolving thermal technologies that will continue to enable innovative solutions for programs.
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Lead a group of approximately 15 - 20 engineers responsible for thermal design, analysis, and test, as well as other fluid/thermal systems.
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Spend approximately 20% of your time performing leadership, people management, and supervisory duties such as management of personnel, program design reviews, coordination of job assignments, staffing, recruiting, performance management, and enforcement of common tools and processes used by section members across programs.
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Support spacecraft programs performing thermal engineering, cryocooler engineering, and/or propulsion engineering.
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Have prior experience with the design, analysis, assembly, and test of flight hardware.
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Work with the vehicle engineering team to analyze, design, test, and verify spacecraft thermal control systems.
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Responsible for requirements review, definition, assessment, verification, validation, and flow down during all program phases.
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Responsible for initiation, preparation, coordination, archival, and submittal of deliverable items.
As a leader with integrity, you ensure ethical conduct, balanced results, and partner satisfaction. You respect and nurture growth, fostering a culture of excellence. Skilled in building collaborative teams and customer trust, you communicate well, foster strong teams, and embrace change.
Basic Qualifications:
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Bachelor’s degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math) discipline with 5+ years of engineering experience focused on the design, analysis, or test of thermal components or systems
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Must currently have an active U.S. Government Secret Clearance at the time of application and be able and willing to obtain and maintain a TS/SCI clearance.
Preferred Qualifications:
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Prior functional management experience OR engineering team lead experience
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Master’s Degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering
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An active U.S. Government TS/SCI clearance
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Experience with thermal system design and architectural development
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Experience managing the build and test of flight hardware
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Experience with thermal analysis tools TSS, SINDA, Thermal Desktop software
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Strong communication and presentation skills
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Experience with negotiating requirements with customers, flowing down requirements, and creating verification plans.
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Experience leading the creation of design review packages
#SPEnhancedERAP
Primary Level Salary Range: $133,000.00 - $199,600.00
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.
Job Category: Engineering
How this job compares
Set against the 2,454 open Engineering Management jobs on Olive Jobs, counted November 13, 2026.
- Pay
- This posting$133–200K/yr
- California median$179–292K/yr332 salary ranges
- US median$146–264K/yr2,007 salary ranges
This range's midpoint, $166K, is 29% below the California median midpoint ($235K) — in the lowest quarter of Engineering Management salary ranges in California.
- Openings
- Olive Jobs lists 386 open Engineering Management jobs in California and 2,454 across the US. 7% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
- Experience
- This posting asks for at least 5 years of experience; Engineering Management postings that state a minimum ask for 8 years at the median (2,078 postings).
- Education
- This posting asks for a bachelor's degree; 877 of the 2,454 open Engineering Management jobs (36%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.
Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on November 13, 2026. Figures based on too few postings are left out.
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