Embark on a career putting innovative, reliable, and agile products and ideas into orbit, and beyond. Northrop Grumman has opportunities waiting for you that play a vital role in human space exploration, national defense, and scientific discovery, supporting multiple programs across the universe. With us, you’ll discover a culture of curiosity and collaboration that will have you Defining Possible from the day you start. Our space systems connect and protect millions of people on earth every day, now and for the future. Explore your future and launch your career today.
Space Systems is an industry-leading provider for prime satellite and payload capabilities and directed energy and electronics solutions for national security, military, and civil customers. We are built on a heritage of providing innovative, affordable and reliable aerospace and defense products that our customers rely on to achieve mission success. Join the Space revolution and make the impossible, possible.
Northrop Grumman, Western Region Manufacturing and Operations, Integration and Test Dept, has an opening for a Engineer Mechanical/Principal Engineer Mechanical (Level 2/3) to join our team of highly qualified and diverse individuals. This position will be located in Gilbert, AZ.
In this position, you will perform duties contributing to Integration and Test (I&T) activities for space vehicle systems and their supporting hardware. I&T Mechanical Engineers coordinate and oversee mechanical build and production operations performed by the technical staff. You could support and/or be responsible for developing test procedures, processes, support hardware designs, etc. that adhere to the requirements for the space vehicle being tested. Tasks may include testing space flight hardware where it is expected that the systems under test are well understood and the test constraints and hazards identified to always ensure the safety of the space flight hardware. Test results will be analyzed and determinations made by the operator to ensure that the space flight hardware is both healthy and operating as expected. You must be knowledgeable in aerospace systems, spacecraft subsystems design, or mission operations. You will be working in a team environment where the team will be responsible for all I&T activities for the space vehicle being tested.
As a full-time employee of Northrop Grumman Space Systems, you are eligible for our robust benefits package including:
Medical, Dental & Vision coverage
401k
Educational Assistance
Life Insurance
Employee Assistance Programs & Work/Life Solutions
Paid Time Off
Health & Wellness Resources
Employee Discounts
This position’s standard work schedule is a 9/80. The 9/80 schedule allows employees who work a nine-hour day Monday through Thursday to take every other Friday off.
Basic Qualifications (Level 2):
Bachelor’s Degree in STEM - Science, Technology, Engineering, Math or related area and 2 years of related experience OR Master’s Degree and 0 years of experience
Experience in one or more of the following areas; integration, test, mechanical operations, or manufacturing
Must have an active DoD Top Secret clearance required at time of application and a background investigation within the scope of six years with the ability to obtain and retain SCI and/or SAP clearances.
Basic Qualifications (Level 3):
Bachelor’s Degree in STEM - Science, Technology, Engineering, Math or related area and 5 years of related experience OR Master’s Degree and 3 years of experience
Experience in one or more of the following areas; integration, test, mechanical operations, or manufacturing
Must have an active DoD Top Secret clearance required at time of application and a background investigation within the scope of six years with the ability to obtain and retain SCI and/or SAP clearances.
Preferred Qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree or higher in Mechanical or Manufacturing Engineering
Previous experience in space vehicle I&T
Demonstrated ability/desire to lead a team of less experienced engineers
Practical experience with 5S/FOD, ESD and Six Sigma and/or Lean manufacturing techniques
Experience with design modeling and drawing efforts using 3-D modeling tools
Experience with flight spacecraft testing
Skills Required
- Bachelor's Degree in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) with 2-5 years experience or Master's Degree with equivalent experience (Level 2/3)
- Experience in integration, test, mechanical operations, or manufacturing
- Active DoD Top Secret clearance required at time of application
- Background investigation within the scope of six years
- Ability to obtain and retain SCI and/or SAP clearances
- U.S. Citizenship required for positions with a government clearance
- Bachelor's degree or higher in Mechanical or Manufacturing Engineering
- Previous experience in space vehicle integration and test (I&T)
- Demonstrated ability or desire to lead a team of less experienced engineers
- Practical experience with 5S/FOD, ESD and Six Sigma and/or Lean manufacturing techniques
- Experience with design modeling and drawing using 3-D modeling tools
- Experience with flight spacecraft testing
Northrop Grumman Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Northrop Grumman and has not been reviewed or approved by Northrop Grumman.
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Retirement Support — 401(k) matching is considered strong, with additional defined-benefit coverage for certain cohorts and options like catch-up contributions. Retirement programs are repeatedly highlighted as a core strength of the total rewards.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — PTO, company-paid holidays, and compressed work schedules (such as 9/80) provide meaningful time away and flexibility. These scheduling options are cited as a major quality-of-life benefit across many locations.
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Parental & Family Support — Paid parental leave alongside caregiver leave, adoption assistance, and back-up care supports a range of family needs. These programs have been expanded recently, signaling continued investment in family support.
Northrop Grumman Insights
What We Do
We are a close-knit community of big thinkers collaborating to keep the world safe. Our passion, creativity and expertise bring next-level technology solutions to life in autonomous systems, cyber, C4ISR, strike, space, and logistics and modernization for our customers around the globe. On the Northrop Grumman team, you’ll join our pursuit of excellence immersed in a dynamic culture of innovation and respect. Your unique perspective will help achieve our shared vision for the future of global security. Every step of the way, you'll be supported by world-class training, employee resource groups and a comprehensive benefits package that enables greater health and happiness for you and your family. Worldwide and across disciplines, we’re challenging what’s possible for technology to protect people and places from undersea to outer space and into cyberspace. And we see the impact of our performance every day. We are Northrop Grumman, and we work on what matters—now, you too can make a difference. Explore opportunities in engineering, IT, manufacturing, business management, cybersecurity and more with us. Northrop Grumman is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.








