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, they’re making history.
At the Northrop Grumman Radford, VA location, also known as New River Energetics, our Medium Caliber Ammunition facility produces 25MM, LW30, 30MM and 50MM ammunition for the US Armed Forces and allies. Our production lines require driven and knowledgeable people to maintain throughput efficiency, reduce scrap, and ensure on time delivery of high-quality product. The quality engineer’s responsibility is to understand and manage customer requirements from receipt of contract to submission of final product.
Production Planning (Plan):
- Reviews of customer requirements to generate quality plans. Identify and act upon risk areas. Lead readiness reviews prior to production start.
Production Support (Do):
- Work with cross functional team to implement quality plans and address production concerns.
- Assess quality concerns on the line. Provide disposition either individually or as team based on
specification and drawing requirements.
- Create and maintain technical documentation, reviewed by internal and external customers.
- Draft Certificates of Conformance
Assess Quality Performance (Check):
- Track Key Performance Indicators and conduct internal audits
Quality Improvement (Act):
- Conduct Root Cause Failure Analysis
- Identify and implement improvement projects
Job Summary
- Develops, modifies, applies, and maintains quality evaluation and control systems and protocols for processing materials into partially finished or finished materials product.
- Collaborates with engineering and manufacturing functions to ensure quality standards are in place.
- Manage contract and production readiness reviews to drive customer satisfaction.
- Devises and implements methods and procedures for inspecting, testing, and evaluating the precision and accuracy of products and production equipment.
- Designs and analyzes inspection and testing processes, mechanisms, and equipment; conducts quality assurance tests; and performs statistical analysis to assess the cost of and determine the responsibility for, products or materials that do not meet required standards and specifications.
- Audits quality systems for deficiency identification and correction.
- Conduct Root Cause investigations and ensures that corrective measures meet acceptable reliability standards, and that documentation is compliant with requirements.
- Identify and communicate customer requirements through understanding technical data packages, such as specifications and drawings.
- Work with customers to complete technical documentation, equipment prove-outs and escalate product escapes.
- May specialize in the areas of design, incoming material, production control, product evaluation and reliability, inventory control and/or research and development as they apply to product or process quality.
Basic Qualifications:
- A bachelor’s degree in a STEM field with 2 years’ experience OR a master’s degree in a STEM field.
- Ability to solve complex problems by evaluating information and data.
- Attention to details and the ability to multi-task.
- Ability to prioritize and manage time effectively.
What to Expect:
If you are a dynamic and motivated professional, Northrop Grumman is the company that will help further your experience and career growth. We offer highly competitive salaries, an array of benefits to give you the support you need, and the opportunity to connect with coworkers in an environment that is professional, creative and flexible. Join our team and Work On What Matters.
This position falls under a Federal Explosives License issued by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) for this location. Candidates hired into this role will be required to complete and submit an Employee Possessor Questionnaire to ATF for approval to be a possessor.
Northrop Grumman is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action 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/AA and Pay Transparency statement, please visit www.northropgrumman.com/EEO. U.S. Citizenship is required for most positions.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in a STEM field with 2 years' experience OR a Master's degree in a STEM field
- Ability to solve complex problems by evaluating information and data (analytical skills)
- Attention to detail, ability to multi-task, prioritize and manage time effectively
- Conduct Root Cause Failure Analysis and implement corrective actions
- Audit quality systems, track KPIs, and perform statistical analysis on quality data
- Prepare and maintain technical documentation and Certificates of Conformance
- Complete and submit Employee Possessor Questionnaire to ATF (must meet ATF requirements)
- U.S. Citizenship required for most positions / restricted positions at this employer
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.








