New Northrop Grumman facility opens in Gunbarrel

On March 24, Northrop Grumman Corporation opened its newest facility in the Longbow Office Park in Gunbarrel with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The facility includes a radio frequency research lab, which will launch more career opportunities in the enterprise. The expansion includes 23,680 square feet of space in the Longbow II building, bringing the total to 82,815 square feet in three buildings on the Boulder campus, housing more than 400 employees.

"This is the opening of our third building here in Colorado," Calvin Pennamon, director of OPIR Exploitation Systems Operating Unit (OESOU) of Northrop Grumman said. The new facility has space for approximately 75 employees, he continued, and will eventually house up to 110, bringing the total number of employees in Boulder to nearly 500.

"We are proud of this new facility and the green initiatives we have implemented such as energy-efficiency measures, recycling and composting throughout the facility, and electric charging stations for both cars and bikes," he said.

The ribbon-cutting brought out government officials as well as company personnel, including Colorado Lt .Gov. Dianne Primavera, who spoke of the state's growing aerospace industry.

"The aerospace ecosystem plays a critical role in Colorado's economy," she said. "And from day one, our administration has been committed to nurturing this dynamic, collaborative, and innovative industry. Throughout the pandemic, the aerospace community has been a key partner for the state and we act quickly to ensure that the aerospace businesses of all sizes were deemed to be essential, so that they could continue their important work... Across Colorado, our neighbors are turning out critical missions every day, to ensure our national security."

Other speakers included Tom Wilson, president of Northrop Grumman's Space Systems sector, who discussed the company's presence in Colorado, and its close connections to defense and government agencies, such as the Air Force.

"Our purpose for this new beautiful facility is to enhance our ability to provide innovative and critical mission warning and defense solutions," he said. "Here in Boulder, the key program we support is the US Space Force overhead, persistent, infrared space-based missile warning mission, also known as OPR. OPR is critical to our national defense and our regional partners around the world, offering our military the ability to monitor areas around the globe."

He also noted that the expansion would translate into new jobs in the region and even more highly skilled opportunities in Colorado.

"In Colorado, we have the significant defense space infrastructure, but we also have an innovative and thriving aerospace business ecosystem...making Colorado the number one aerospace employer on a per capita basis," said Jeff Craft, the deputy director of the Office of Economic Development and International Trade.

To learn more about Northrop Grumman's career opportunities, visit: https://www.northropgrumman.com/careers/.