Northrop Grumman’s Space Sector is seeking a Manufacturing Engineer Manager – Level 1 to join our team in Dulles, VA. This position is 100% onsite and cannot accommodate telecommute work.
This Manager position will lead a team of ten Manufacturing Engineers supporting avionic circuit card production. The role arises from recent growth and will combine functional management with hands on engineering leadership.
This position will work a 9/80 schedule, with every other Friday off.
In this job, you will:
Act as a hands‑on Manufacturing Engineer for assigned programs, drafting and reviewing work instructions, managing non‑conformance dispositions and engineering change requests, and conducting peer reviews to meet daily operational needs.
Process Leadership: Collaborates with cross‑functional teams to develop, validate, and continuously improve electromechanical assembly methods, emphasizing DFM, shift‑left, manufacturing readiness, cost‑effectiveness, and quality.
Automation & Tooling: Champion technical innovations, from business case through pilot testing to production deployment.Project & Capital Management: Plan, budget, and execute equipment and process‑development projects, ensuring schedule and cost targets are met.
Team Development: Mentor engineers, coordinate training, and foster cross‑functional expertise (design‑for‑test, test readiness, triage).
Operational Support: Troubleshoot assembly issues with suppliers, area management, and subject‑matter experts; oversee qualification of new equipment.
Performance Oversight: Conduct staffing, performance reviews, knowledge‑management activities, and report progress to senior leadership and customers.
Basic Qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree with 5 years of professional experience – OR – Master’s degree with 3 years of professional experience.
No clearance required to start
People or project‑leadership experience.
Demonstrated background in manufacturing engineering, process control, and control‑plan development, preferably in electromechanical assemblies.
Proficiency with scheduling, earned‑value tracking, and budgeting tools (e.g., Microsoft Project).
Knowledge of surface‑mount technology, selective soldering, stencil design, vapor‑phase reflow, cleaning, and test processes; experience designing mechanical tooling for both manual and automated assembly.
Preferred Qualifications:
5 + years developing electronic/mechanical products and manufacturing processes.
Hands‑on experience in a represented manufacturing workforce environment.
As a leader with integrity, you ensure ethical conduct, balanced results, and partner satisfaction. You respect and nurture growth, fostering a culture of excellence. Skilled in building collaborative teams and customer trust, you communicate well, foster strong teams, and embrace change.
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
Primary Level Salary Range: $110,000.00 - $165,000.00The 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.Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree with 5 years of professional experience OR Master's degree with 3 years of professional experience.
- People or project-leadership experience.
- Background in manufacturing engineering, process control, and control-plan development, preferably in electromechanical assemblies.
- Proficiency with scheduling, earned-value tracking, and budgeting tools (e.g., Microsoft Project).
- Knowledge of surface-mount technology, selective soldering, stencil design, vapor-phase reflow, cleaning, and test processes; experience designing mechanical tooling for manual and automated assembly.
- 5+ years developing electronic/mechanical products and manufacturing processes.
- Hands-on experience in a represented manufacturing workforce environment.
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.









