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, but they’re also making history.
Northrop Grumman’s Mission Systems sector is seeking a Principal Mechanical Engineer/Sr. Principal Mechanical Engineer. This position is in Woodland Hills, CA.
What You’ll Get To Do:
As a Mechanical Engineer at Northrop Grumman, you will have a challenging and rewarding opportunity to be a part of our Enterprise-wide digital transformation. Using model-based engineering we continue to evolve how we deliver critical national defense products and capabilities for the warfighter. Our success is grounded in our ability to embrace change, move quickly and continuously drive innovation.
This position will support senior mechanical engineers in the design of military avionics including inertial navigation and measurement systems for various defense platforms. This position is for an individual contributor with experience in mechanical engineering design, development, testing, production support, and lifecycle sustainment preferred.
This position is not eligible for remote work. This position will be 100% on-site.
Key Responsibilities:
- Develop mechanical/aerospace products for aircraft, spacecraft, launch vehicles, missiles, ground vehicles and associated ground and test equipment
- Develop CAD models and 3D model based drawings using Solidworks
- Verify specifications and designs through modeling and simulation, test data processing, and performance analysis
- Support all phases of the systems lifecycle including design, drawings, fabrication, test, installation, operation and maintenance
- Design of components/systems, and preliminary/sizing analysis for both stress and dynamic analysis of aerospace structures.
- Preparation and presentation of reports, briefings, design documents (drawings and specifications).
- Attend internal program meetings, customer technical exchanges, and supplier briefings; present design status during formal milestone reviews
- This positions 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.
This position can be filled as a Principal Engineer (Level 3) or Senior Principal Engineer (Level 4) depending on experience and qualifications.
Basic Qualifications for Principal Mechanical Engineer:
- Bachelor’s degree in a STEM field (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) with 5 years of experience; or Master's degree with 3 years of experience; or Ph.D. with 1 year of experience
- Great attention to detail, follow-through, and time management skills
- Familiar with common engineering standards (ISO, ASME, Mil Spec, NAS, etc.)
- Ability to operate independently with minimal supervision, function in a dynamic environment, and be flexible to changing direction
- Proficient written and verbal communication skills when conveying technical content
- Knowledge of GD&T, materials selection, and manufacturing processes
- Demonstrated ability to lead design teams and drive technical decisions
- U.S. Citizenship is required
- Ability to obtain and maintain an active U.S Government security clearance
- Ability to work on site full-time in Woodland Hills, Ca as required by this role
Basic Qualifications for Senior Principal Mechanical Engineer
- Sr. Principal Mechanical Engineer: Bachelor’s degree in a STEM field (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) with 8 years of experience; 6 years’ experience with a Master’s degree; or Ph.D. with 4 year of experience
- Great attention to detail, follow-through, and time management skills
- Familiar with common engineering standards (ISO, ASME, Mil Spec, NAS, etc.)
- Ability to operate independently with minimal supervision, function in a dynamic environment, and be flexible to changing direction
- Proficient written and verbal communication skills when conveying technical content
- Knowledge of GD&T, materials selection, and manufacturing processes
- Demonstrated ability to lead design teams and drive technical decisions
- U.S. Citizenship is required
- Ability to obtain and maintain an active U.S Government security clearance
- Ability to work on site full-time in Woodland Hills, Ca as required by this role
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience with creating 3D models in Computer Aided Design (CAD) systems (Solidworks, etc.)
- Experience using an industry-standard Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) System such as MPLM (preferred)
- Experience performing structural and thermal analysis
- Experience performing dynamic and static analysis (NX Motion or ANSYS preferred)
- Experience designing to Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T) Standards
- Experience as a Control Account Management (CAM)
- Active Secret clearance
Position Benefits:
As a full-time employee of Northrop Grumman, 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
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.
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.
Primary Level Salary Range: $103,600.00 - $155,400.00Secondary Level Salary Range: $129,300.00 - $193,900.00The 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 in a STEM field with 5 years experience (Master's with 3 years or Ph.D. with 1 year acceptable)
- U.S. Citizenship
- Ability to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Government security clearance
- Ability to work on site full-time in Woodland Hills, CA
- Proficient written and verbal communication skills for conveying technical content
- Familiarity with engineering standards (ISO, ASME, Mil Spec, NAS)
- Knowledge of GD&T, materials selection, and manufacturing processes
- Demonstrated ability to lead design teams and drive technical decisions
- Experience creating 3D models in CAD systems (Solidworks)
- Experience using Product Lifecycle Management systems (e.g., MPLM)
- Experience performing structural, thermal, dynamic and static analysis (NX Motion or ANSYS preferred)
- Experience designing to Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T) standards
- Experience as a Control Account Manager (CAM)
- Active Secret clearance
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.






