Design Manager Jobs in Maryland
Design Manager jobs in Maryland are concentrated in the Baltimore metro, the Washington D.C. suburbs of Montgomery and Prince George's counties, and Annapolis, where government contracting, defense technology, and healthcare anchor consistent demand. Employers like Northrop Grumman, Johns Hopkins Medicine, and Leidos maintain long-standing design leadership teams in the state, hiring at every level from senior individual contributor to director-track manager. The most in-demand specialties are UX and product design management, brand and creative direction, and design systems leadership for software and federal platforms. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
Find Design Manager JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 27+ Design Manager jobs











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.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 Space Systems is a trusted provider of mission-enabling solutions for global security. Our organization pushes the boundaries of innovation, redefines engineering capabilities, and drives advances in various sciences. Our team is chartered with providing the skills, innovative technologies to develop, design, produce and sustain optimized product lines across the sector while providing a decisive advantage to the warfighter. Come be a part of our mission!
The Eastern Region Electronics & Payloads Space team is seeking a leader for the Electrical Design & Technology department to lead a functionally diverse engineering organization supporting Radio Frequency, Digital, and Power design products in Linthicum, MD.
We are seeking a leader that understands the legacy space design processes but seeks ways to move faster to delivery for our customers while balancing risk and maintaining high-quality products. We have early success by prototyping and spiral development but we need to lean further forward toward early prototype demonstrations in space.
The leader we seek is a dual threat technical and people leader. The successful candidate will clearly demonstrate strong leadership skills and will have a track record as an effective communicator and problem solver. He/she has a history of establishing and maintaining good working relationships with internal and external stakeholders. This candidate will demonstrate a broad skill set that is balanced between interpersonal, business, and technical capabilities. He / she will have the ability to operate independently based on strategic objectives, work in a team environment, and collaborate across the organization, Division, and Sectors as required to accomplish team goals.
The role encompasses both people and project/technical leadership requiring strong program experience, design development experience, and ability to learn and adapt to changing situations. Roles and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
- Lead a functional group of 60+ engineers including performance management, career development, staffing, and strategic thrust implementation.
- Provide project and technical oversight for activities performed by the department
- Create, maintain and ensure application of processes and guidelines used in the department
- Develop proposal inputs and review proposal content for both internal and external customers
- Collaborate with peer managers to ensure consistency across multiple work groups
- Support department initiatives, recruiting, hiring, technology roadmap creation, cross-campus/sector involvement, and internally funded projects
Basic Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree with 12 years of applicable experience or a Master’s degree with10 years of applicable experience.
- Current, active Top Secret Security clearance with the ability to obtain TS/SCI clearance level.
- Minimum of 3 years experience in a management role either in a functional or program management role
- undefined
- Must have strong organizational and interpersonal skills to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, with all levels of management, individual contributors, and customers.
- Demonstrated success in leading, collaborating, and developing cross functional teams of varying degrees of skillsets.
- Experience as a technical lead role for product development
- Prior board design experience and familiarity with design documentation and processes for at least one of the following: Digital board Design, RF board design, or power board designs.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience testing, debugging, and integrating hardware.
- Experience with hardware configuration and impacts of changes to production hardware
- Cost Account Management (CAM) certification/training
- Active TS/SCI Security Clearance
Why Join Us?
You will play a critical role in shaping future space and defense technologies, while developing your leadership skills in a high‑growth, strategically important business. Bring your bold ideas, curiosity, and authenticity to a culture that values learning, diversity, and innovation.
Curious about all the exciting developments with the Northrop Grumman Space Sector? Click the link below:
https://www.northropgrumman.com/space
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.
Northrop Grumman Total Rewards
#SpaceEngJobs
#BaltimoreSpace
Primary Level Salary Range: $184,300.00 - $276,500.00 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.See All 27 Design Manager Jobs in Maryland
Find roles in Maryland that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Design Manager JobsDesign Manager Jobs by City in Maryland
Where Maryland roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Design Manager Job Market in Maryland
A snapshot from current Maryland openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring



Top Industries Hiring
- Education
- Construction & Real Estate
- Consulting & Professional Services
What Maryland Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in design manager jobs across Maryland.
- Bachelor's degree in design, human-computer interaction, or a related field required
- Five or more years of experience leading design teams or creative departments
- Demonstrated ability to manage cross-functional projects from concept to delivery
- Proficiency in Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, or equivalent design tooling
- Experience presenting design strategy and rationale to senior stakeholders
- Familiarity with agile product development processes and design sprint facilitation
Design Manager Jobs in Maryland: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a design manager in Maryland?
Most design manager roles in Maryland require a bachelor's degree in graphic design, interaction design, or a related discipline, followed by several years of hands-on design work before moving into people management. Maryland does not issue a state license for design managers, so progression typically depends on building a strong portfolio, leading projects within an organization, and demonstrating cross-functional leadership. Employers in the federal contracting corridor often value candidates who have experience with government UX standards or Section 508 accessibility compliance.
How much do design managers make in Maryland?
Design managers in Maryland earn a median of about $98,400 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $61,160 for the lowest 10% to over $175,690 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire design managers in Maryland?
Maryland design manager roles are posted by Johns Hopkins University, AECOM, and Northrop Grumman and others right now, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Maryland's concentration of defense contractors, healthcare systems, and federal technology agencies means design leadership openings appear consistently across both private industry and government-adjacent organizations.
Which Maryland cities have the most design manager jobs?
Baltimore, Columbia, and Annapolis have the most design manager openings in Maryland. Baltimore drives demand through its anchor healthcare and university institutions, while the D.C. suburban corridor, including Bethesda and Rockville, generates strong volume from federal contractors and technology firms that maintain large Maryland campuses.
Are there remote design manager jobs in Maryland?
Yes, and more than many management fields, since design leadership work is largely screen-based and collaborative tools make distributed teams practical. About 93% of design manager openings tied to Maryland are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting the broad shift in creative and product organizations toward flexible arrangements. Strategic and UX-focused roles tend to offer the most remote flexibility, while brand and in-house studio positions more often require on-site presence.
How can I get hired as a design manager in Maryland with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is to move from a senior individual contributor design role into a team lead or design lead position before pursuing a formal manager title. Large Maryland employers like Johns Hopkins Health System and Leidos hire associate-level and junior designers who grow into leadership over time. Building experience with Section 508 accessibility standards, which federal contractors must meet, gives Maryland candidates a concrete edge. A portfolio demonstrating cross-functional project ownership, even on small teams, matters more than a management credential at the entry level.
Where can I find and apply to design manager jobs in Maryland?
You can find and apply to design manager jobs in Maryland on Migrate Mate, which lists current Maryland openings. Search the listings, find the roles that match your background and experience level, and apply directly to the ones that fit.
See All 27 Design Manager Jobs in Maryland
Find roles in Maryland that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Design Manager Jobs