Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems has an opening for a first shift Principal/Sr. Principal Manufacturing Engineer Level 3/4 to join our team of qualified, diverse individuals. The position will be located in Iuka, MS. This position supports a (B-Shift) Monday – Thursday 5:30pm to 4:00am schedule.
The selected candidate will provide critical support in a high-volume high-mix production environment, working closely with Operations, Quality, Industrial Engineering, Scheduling and Maintenance. Our goal is to minimize downtime on the production line by troubleshooting, problem solving, and proactively identifying areas of concern. Our engineers work to continuously improve their processes, eliminating process variation and waste while building in quality. Join us in the team effort to meet our production goals!
Work closely with manufacturing personnel to tackle production issues in hand layup, automated fiber placement, autoclave cure, paint and assembly processesMaintain and distribute daily shift issue logs, documenting both resolved and pending production issues for enhanced communication and transfers of information between shifts
Author, modify, and audit shop floor procedures and electronic work instructions (EWIs)
Perform root cause and corrective action (RCCA) activities to permanently eliminate defects
Troubleshoot production/equipment/program/tooling issues and implement robust improvements and solutions
Work with the quality engineering team to interpret drawings and specifications to process discrepant hardware.
The ideal candidate is a self-starter seeking autonomy and possesses both strong written and verbal communication skills. He/she should enjoy collaborating with others of varying backgrounds and roles, including but not limited to Production, Maintenance, and Quality, in a fast-paced environment to solve time-sensitive problems. We are a tight-knit team, and we enjoy working together to reach our mutual goals.
Basic Qualifications:
Principal Manufacturing Engineer (T03):
Bachelor degree with 4 years of experience in the following fields; Manufacturing, Aeronautics, Aerospace, Production, Industrial, Mechanical, Design, Tooling OR Masters Degree with 3 years of experience in mentioned fields; OR PhD with 0 years of experience.
Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security Clearance
Ability to obtain and maintain Special Program Access (PAR)
Must have U.S. citizenship
Sr. Principal Manufacturing Engineer (T04)
Bachelor degree with 8 years of experience in the following fields; Manufacturing, Aeronautics, Aerospace, Production, Industrial, Mechanical, Design, Tooling OR Masters Degree with 6 years of experience in mentioned fields; OR PhD with 4 years of experience.
Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security Clearance
Ability to obtain and maintain Special Program Access (PAR)
Must have U.S. citizenship
Preferred Qualifications:
Degree in Manufacturing, Aerospace, Mechanical, or Composite Engineering
Solid understanding of root cause / corrective action (RCCA) processes and techniques
Knowledge of composite part manufacturing
Experience in computer-aided design software (NX preferred)
Experience drafting, maintaining, and modifying work instructions and/or process specifications
Experience reviewing and interpreting engineering drawings and specifications
Experience with Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T)
Familiarization with Process Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (PFMEA)
Active Secret or Top-Secret clearance
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in Manufacturing, Aeronautics, Aerospace, Production, Industrial, Mechanical, Design, or Tooling with 4 (Principal) or 8 (Sr Principal) years of experience; OR Master's degree with 3 (Principal) or 6 (Sr Principal) years; OR PhD with 0 (Principal) or 4 (Sr Principal) years of experience.
- Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance
- Ability to obtain and maintain Special Program Access (PAR)
- Must have U.S. citizenship
- Experience with root cause/corrective action (RCCA) processes and techniques
- Knowledge of composite part manufacturing and processes (hand layup, AFP, autoclave cure)
- Experience with computer-aided design software (NX preferred)
- Experience drafting, maintaining, and modifying work instructions and/or process specifications (EWIs)
- Experience reviewing and interpreting engineering drawings and specifications
- Experience with Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T) and familiarity with PFMEA
- Active Secret or Top-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.
