Northrop Grumman Mission Systems Sector is seeking a motivated and leadership-oriented individual to join the Power/Control Systems (PCS) team as a Principal or Senior Principal Manufacturing Engineer at our Sykesville, MD facility. Our Manufacturing Team is a leading innovator, developer, manufacturer, integrator, and supporter of a variety of advanced electronics for national security and non-defense applications.
The ideal candidate will have the ability to effectively communicate and work with a variety of internal personnel from manufacturing, test engineering, and design engineering. They should also be self-directed, organized, and team oriented.
The Manufacturing Engineer has responsibilities that include, but are not limited to, the tasks outlined below:
Process Development:
- Developing new and maintaining, or improving, existing manufacturing processes with a focus on affordability
- Leading Manufacturing Readiness Review for new design efforts to ensure that production can begin in accordance with the overall manufacturing plan
- Providing ROI justification for process improvements
- Creating and managing project plans (tasks, resources and schedules) for process development activities
- Creating and documenting designs for custom tooling using CAD and PLM Software
- Specifying, identifying and procuring new manufacturing equipment for production readiness and preparing equipment for production using Process Readiness Reviews
- Developing and optimizing process parameters
- Developing/revising process documentation and work instructions
Factory Support:
- Monitoring process yields and cost in order to recommend and implement improvements to drive improved metrics
- Solving manufacturing problems (related to materials, designs, equipment and tooling, training and instructions) to support production
- Assisting with the training of new personnel and participation in the design of operations training materials
- Supporting factory maintenance personnel with the troubleshooting and repair of process equipment
Design and Engineering Support:
- Recommending product design improvements required to produce advanced electro-mechanical assemblies
- Documenting novel process capabilities and guidelines for product designers
- Participating in design readiness and producibility reviews for new products
Miscellaneous:
- Providing supplier support, as needed, to resolve issues within supply base
- Providing Request for Proposal (RFP) input specifically as it relates to Non-Recurring Engineering (NRE) requirements such as tooling, capital equipment and/or new process development
This requisition may be filled as either a Principal Engineer or a Senior Principal Engineer based on qualifications listed below.
Basic Qualifications for the Principal Manufacturing Engineer:
- Principal Engineer: Bachelor of Science degree in a STEM area and at least 5 years of experience in Manufacturing/Process Engineering, Production, or related area - OR - a Master's degree in a STEM area and 3 or more years of experience in the same area.
- Must have experience in MS Office software applications
- Experience in a manufacturing environment in an engineering support role
- Experience with developing new processes in a cross-functional team
- 3D Solid Modeling experience using a CAD software
- Candidate must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret security clearance
- US Citizenship is required.
Basic Qualifications for the Sr Principal Manufacturing Engineer:
- Senior Principal Engineer: Bachelor of Science degree in a STEM and at least 8 years of experience in Manufacturing/Process Engineering, Production, or related area - OR - a Master's degree in a STEM area and 6 or more years of experience in the same area.
- Must have experience in MS Office software applications
- Experience in a manufacturing environment in an engineering support role
- Experience with developing new processes in a cross-functional team
- 3D Solid Modeling experience using a CAD software
- Candidate must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret security clearance
- US Citizenship is required.
Preferred Qualifications for both levels:
- Familiarity with J-STD and MIL-STD requirements
- 3D modeling experience in Unigraphics/NX
- 3D modeling experience with assembly tooling, concept development, and tool creation
- Experience with naval systems/products/programs
- Experience with Siemens PLM and SAP MES software
- Experience with rapid prototyping in an ESD Sensitive environment
MANUMS
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Primary Level Salary Range: $98,900.00 - $148,300.00Secondary Level Salary Range: $123,400.00 - $185,000.00The 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 of Science degree in a STEM field and at least 5 years of manufacturing/process engineering, production, or related experience; alternatively, a STEM master's degree and at least 3 years of experience for the Principal level.
- Bachelor of Science degree in a STEM field and at least 8 years of manufacturing/process engineering, production, or related experience; alternatively, a STEM master's degree and at least 6 years of experience for the Senior Principal level.
- Experience with MS Office software applications.
- Experience in a manufacturing environment in an engineering support role.
- Experience developing new processes in a cross-functional team.
- 3D solid modeling experience using CAD software.
- Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret security clearance.
- U.S. citizenship.
- Familiarity with J-STD and MIL-STD requirements.
- 3D modeling experience using Unigraphics/NX.
- 3D modeling experience with assembly tooling, concept development, and tool creation.
- Experience with naval systems, products, or programs.
- Experience with Siemens PLM and SAP MES software.
- Experience with rapid prototyping in an ESD-sensitive 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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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
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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.
