Software Product Line lead Fellow 1

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be availableCLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: YesCLEARANCE TYPE: SecretTRAVEL: 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 Defense Systems is seeking a Software Product Line lead, NG Fellow 1 to provide visionary technical leadership for the Advanced Weapons Business Unit (AW BU) for our location in Northridge, CA. This influential role will be the authoritative owner of the AW BU software technical baseline, driving technical rigor by empowering the right technical leaders to focus on the most critical software challenges. This position will ensure a rigorous, traceable software foundation that delivers predictable performance, rapid integration, and secure, maintainable code throughout the product lifecycle.
General Responsibilities:

Define, maintain, and evolve the baseline software architecture and roadmap for the Advanced Weapons business unit, including critical interfaces and performance specifications.

Establish and modernize integrated development environment standards that promote efficiency and technical excellence.

Develop and enforce rigorous software-quality metrics, govern configuration management of source code and binaries, and oversee verification and validation activities to ensure compliance with the established architecture.

Drive technical rigor by coordinating with senior technical leaders and focusing on resolving the most demanding software challenges.

Collaborate closely with program Chief Engineers and program software leads to enforce software release quality and drive continuous process improvement.

Serve as the strategic owner for the software technical baseline, ensuring that the software architecture remains current, secure, and aligned with long-term organizational goals.

Provide technical guidance, mentorship, and thought leadership to software teams across the Advanced Weapons portfolio.

Partner with AW engineering functional and product line leaders to ensure alignment of technical strategies and to drive integrated solutions that support both software and hardware objectives.

Influence annual operating plans (AOP), long-range strategic plans (LRSP), and the Technology Roadmap through data-driven insights and strategic vision.

Leadership Skills:

Demonstrated ability to lead, influence, and inspire cross-functional teams while maintaining a focus on resolving critical technical challenges.

Proven track record of strategic planning, effective resource allocation, and driving organizational change in complex, technology-driven environments.

Exceptional interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills, with a talent for articulating technical strategy and gaining buy-in from key stakeholders.

Strong mentorship skills, with the ability to build, develop, and lead high-performing teams that consistently deliver engineering excellence.

Technical Skills and Core Competencies:

Deep expertise in software architecture, configuration management, and modern integrated development environments.

Proven experience in establishing and implementing rigorous software-quality metrics and verification and validation practices.

Strong analytical skills with the ability to leverage data-driven insights to drive innovation and ensure quality.

Extensive knowledge of advanced software engineering methodologies, agile practices,

DevSecOps principles, and digital transformation initiatives in complex, mission-critical environments.

Ability to work in collaboration with stakeholders focused on both software and hardware to deliver integrated, secure solutions.

Basic Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related technical field with 20+ years of relevant experience; 18+ years with a Master's degree; or 15+ years with a PhD.

Demonstrated experience in software engineering leadership within defense or aerospace environments, with a proven track record in defining and managing software technical baselines.

Active Secret or Top-Secret Security Clearance.

Extensive experience driving large-scale, complex software initiatives from conception through deployment, ensuring secure and maintainable solutions.

Preferred Qualifications:

Master's degree or PhD in Software Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field.

Prior experience serving as a Software Chief Engineer or in a similar leadership role in the defense or aerospace industry.

Proven success in establishing independent test and verification authorities to ensure compliance with architectural standards.

Familiarity with emerging trends in digital engineering, agile transformation, and DevSecOps practices.

The ability to obtain and maintain Special Access Program (SAP) clearance, as required by the role.