Industrial Controls, Electrical Engineer
Description:
Northrop Grumman's Mission Systems is seeking an Electrical Controls Engineer for Advanced Manufacturing. This position focuses on automation control and robotic systems used in electronics and mechanical manufacturing, assembly, and packaging.
Researches, develops, designs, and tests electrical components, equipment, systems, and networks. Designs electrical equipment, facilities, components, products, and systems for commercial, industrial, and domestic purposes.
Architect, implement, and harden the digital backbone that connects PLCs, HMIs, edge gateways, and data analytics across our global manufacturing footprint. The job blends classic control engineering with industrial networking, AI enabled optimization, edge computing, and DevSecOps to create resilient, observable, and secure automation ecosystems.
What's Great About This Job:
You will be part of the Manufacturing Automation and Controls team that is pursuing sector Automation and Industry 4.0/Digital Thread efforts. This includes interfacing with the teams developing the Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) system, Manufacturing Execution System (MES) and our Plant Connectivity and Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) infrastructure.
You will use your innovation and creativity to design automation solutions that will revolutionize manufacturing execution and have a sector level impact.
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the tasks outlined below:
- Lead troubleshooting, repair, and maintenance activities on PLC, material handling equipment, and robotics
- Troubleshooting & editing Siemens Step 7 (Siemens PLC’s), OMRON, Beckhoff, and Allen Bradley controllers and (Tag) architecture
- Programming Improvements in FANUC Robotics hardware/software systems
- Execute modernizations, extensions, and modifications according to specifications and/or sketches of electrical drawings. If necessary, adjust PLC programming and utilize PLC to troubleshoot issues (IEC 61131-3)
- Reviews installation layouts, mechanical prints and electrical schematic drawings.
- Design of control/electrical panel layouts with tight integrations to custom equipment, conveyors and robotics.
- Performs in-house testing on control components and systems. Performs equipment tests at vendor site as needed.
- Assists with panel wiring and mechanical assembly to meet project schedules
- Provides manager and lead project engineer with timely status reports of projects.
- Identify and analyze errors and malfunctions as they relate to the items below:
Intermittent/inconsistent electrical and mechanical failures on production equipment
PLC’s, 24v control circuits, 480v 3phase systems, 4-20ma circuits, VFD’s, PC controllers, and fieldbus technology/control technology
- Developing and evaluating vendor equipment statement of work, quotes, design, installation, and facility testing to meet Mission Systems Automation and Enterprise Software Platform (PLM/ERP/MES/Mfg. Bus) requirements
- Review of machine vision systems (Equip. And Software) in multiple configurations in production environments for higher volume products to identify and implement automation opportunities
Factory Support
- Maintain equipment-monitoring systems for machine uptime, efficiency, quality, process stability and capability.
- Recommend and implement controls, sensors, electromechanical and/or automation improvements for manufacturing & Machine Vision automation systems.
- Development, validation, and maintenance of automation and controls systems equipment, programming, and data transfer systems
- Creating new training materials and teaching new personnel on training materials
- Solving manufacturing problems related to sensors, robots, motion, vision, equipment, data in a timely manner
- Working with vendors, managing electrical Controls projects, and ensuring systems meet safety standards and regulations
- Supporting/Cross Training factory technicians and maintenance personnel with the troubleshooting and repair of process equipment.
The chosen candidate must have excellent verbal and written communication skills; be able to multi-task in a fast-paced, dynamic, and high visibility environment; and work well as part of a team.
This requisition may be filled as an Industrial Controls Engineer or a Principal Industrial Controls Engineer based on the qualifications listed below.
Basic Qualifications for an Industrial Controls Engineer (level 2):
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering or other related STEM area and at least 2+ years of relevant professional experience- OR - a Master's degree in a STEM area and at least 1 year of relevant professional experience .
Experience with programming PLC’s per IEC 61131-3 (Examples: ladder logic, function block diagram and structured text)
- Experience with machine vision systems and barcode readers (Cognex/Keyence)
- Experience with Fanuc robotics systems and Fanuc Vision applications
- Experience with varying process sensors for environment, motion, measurement and presence (Banner, Sick, Allen-Bradley, Keyence, Omron)
- Experience with programming and hardware architecture of Siemens Controls, HMI environments.
- Experience with building and implementing Manufacturing Dashboards (data digestion) to improve production performance and efficiency
- Experience with RIA TR R15.406-2014 and OSHA equipment safety standards
- Experience with Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications
- Experience with Programming: Python 3.x (pandas, NumPy, async), C++ (14/17), JavaScript/Node for edge services, Bash/PowerShell, MATLAB/Simulink for algorithm prototyping
- Electrical Design: AutoCAD electrical, Panel Wiring, IO
- Fluency in MS Office software applications
- Ability to obtain and maintain a US Secret Security Clearance
- US Citizenship is required
Basic Qualifications for an Principal Industrial Controls Engineer (level 3):
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering or other related STEM area and at least 5+ years of relevant professional experience- OR - a Master's degree in a STEM area and at least 3+ year of relevant professional experience .
Experience with programming PLC’s per IEC 61131-3 (Examples: ladder logic, function block diagram and structured text)
- Experience with machine vision systems and barcode readers (Cognex/Keyence)
- Experience with Fanuc robotics systems and Fanuc Vision applications
- Experience with varying process sensors for environment, motion, measurement and presence (Banner, Sick, Allen-Bradley, Keyence, Omron)
- Experience with programming and hardware architecture of Siemens Controls, HMI environments.
- Experience with building and implementing Manufacturing Dashboards (data digestion) to improve production performance and efficiency
- Experience with RIA TR R15.406-2014 and OSHA equipment safety standards
- Experience with Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications
- Experience with Programming: Python 3.x (pandas, NumPy, async), C++ (14/17), JavaScript/Node for edge services, Bash/PowerShell, MATLAB/Simulink for algorithm prototyping
- Electrical Design: AutoCAD electrical, Panel Wiring, IO
- Fluency in MS Office software applications
- Ability to obtain and maintain a US Secret Security Clearance
- US Citizenship is required
Preferred Qualifications for both levels:
- Experience with RIA TR R15.406-2014 and OSHA equipment safety standards
- Experience with electronic electrostatic discharge (ESD) and contamination damage
- Experience with networking supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), controllers and servers via Ethernet/IP, EtherCAT, Modbus or equivalent Fieldbus protocols
- Experience with programming and hardware architecture of networking processes such as Manufacturing Service Bus Integration (Kepware, PAC), MES integration, IIoT 4.0 communications (CFX) and/or “Edge Computing”
- Experience with Ignition SCADA experience
- Experience with RF TEST systems automation using MATLAB
- Cybersecurity: IEC 62443, NIST 80053, TLS/PKI, VPN/IPSec, firewalls, IDS/IPS, firmware integrity checking, security audit tools.
- Data & SCADA: Historian (OSIsoft PI, Wonderware Historian), realtime analytics, OPCUA server/client development.
- Electronic component manufacturing
- Experience with materials removal and dispense automation systems
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering or a related STEM field with at least 2 years of relevant professional experience, or a master's degree with at least 1 year of relevant experience.
- For the Principal level: bachelor's degree with at least 5 years of relevant professional experience, or master's degree with at least 3 years of relevant experience.
- Experience programming PLCs according to IEC 61131-3, including ladder logic, function block diagrams, or structured text.
- Experience with machine vision systems and barcode readers, including Cognex or Keyence.
- Experience with FANUC robotics systems and FANUC Vision applications.
- Experience with process sensors for environment, motion, measurement, and presence.
- Experience programming and architecting Siemens controls and HMI environments.
- Experience building and implementing manufacturing dashboards to improve production performance and efficiency.
- Experience with RIA TR R15.406-2014 and OSHA equipment safety standards.
- Experience with artificial intelligence applications.
- Programming experience with Python, C++, JavaScript/Node, Bash or PowerShell, and MATLAB/Simulink.
- Electrical design experience with AutoCAD Electrical, panel wiring, and I/O.
- Fluency in Microsoft Office software applications.
- Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Secret security clearance.
- U.S. citizenship.
- Experience with electronic electrostatic discharge and contamination damage.
- Experience networking SCADA, controllers, and servers using Ethernet/IP, EtherCAT, Modbus, or equivalent fieldbus protocols.
- Experience with Manufacturing Service Bus, Kepware, PAC, MES integration, IIoT communications, or edge computing.
- Experience with Ignition SCADA.
- Experience with RF test systems automation using MATLAB.
- Experience with industrial cybersecurity technologies including IEC 62443, NIST 800-53, TLS/PKI, VPN/IPSec, firewalls, IDS/IPS, and firmware integrity checking.
- Experience with historians, real-time analytics, and OPC UA server/client development.
- Experience in electronic component manufacturing.
- Experience with materials removal and dispense automation systems.
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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Healthcare Strength — Health coverage offers multiple medical plan options by region alongside dental, vision, mental‑health resources, and wellness programs. Recent materials also highlight added family‑building support, including a dedicated fertility benefit.
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Retirement Support — The 401(k) savings plan is positioned as competitive with a company match, auto‑escalation features, and access to an employee stock fund/ESPP. Official filings and benefits guides emphasize retirement as a core element of the Total Rewards package.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Many sites offer a 9/80 schedule, generous PTO, paid holidays, and flexible/telework options where program needs allow. Paid parental and caregiver leave are prominently featured, with recent enhancements for the delivering parent.
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.
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