Northrop Grumman Mission Systems is seeking a talented Senior Principal Engineer Quality to join our team in Sunnyvale, CA. This role supports production activities for marine propulsion and power generation equipment. This is a 100% on-site role.
What you'll get to do:
Devises and implements methods and procedures for inspecting, testing and evaluating the precision and accuracy of products and production equipment.
The Quality Engineer 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 issues are addressed through MRB and that production is supported.
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.
Ensures that corrective measures meet acceptable reliability standards and that documentation is compliant with requirements.
Applies lean and six-sigma quality engineering methodologies in support of production Continuous Improvement activities.
Basic Qualifications for the Senior Principal Engineer Quality:
Bachelor’s Degree in a related STEM field with minimum of 8 years of experience in Quality Assurance, root cause investigation, technical functions in Manufacturing and/or Mechanical Engineering; OR a Master’s Degree in a related STEM field with a minimum of 6 years’ experience in Quality Assurance, root cause investigation, technical functions in Manufacturing and/or Mechanical Engineering.
Experience developing, collecting, and analyzing metrics.
Experience with ISO 9001 or AS9100 Quality Management Systems
Experience with advanced application of Data Analytics and Statistical Analysis methods.
Mechanical Engineering experience, including inspection methodology and authoring work instructions in a manufacturing environment.
Green Belt Certification in Lean Six Sigma.
SAP experience
Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret Clearance.
U.S. citizenship required
Preferred Qualifications:
Certified Lead Auditor or ASQ Certified Quality Auditor
Active Secret Clearance.
Black Belt Certification in Lean Six Sigma
Experience with NADCAP, ITAR/EAR compliance, and MIL‑STD specifications
#MPR
Primary 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 related STEM field with 8+ years' QA/manufacturing/mechanical engineering experience, or Master's with 6+ years
- Experience in Quality Assurance, root cause investigation, and technical manufacturing functions
- Experience developing, collecting, and analyzing metrics
- Experience with ISO 9001 or AS9100 Quality Management Systems
- Advanced application of data analytics and statistical analysis methods
- Mechanical engineering experience including inspection methodology and authoring work instructions in manufacturing
- Green Belt Certification in Lean Six Sigma
- SAP experience
- Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret clearance
- U.S. citizenship
- Certified Lead Auditor or ASQ Certified Quality Auditor
- Active Secret clearance
- Black Belt Certification in Lean Six Sigma
- Experience with NADCAP, ITAR/EAR compliance, and MIL‑STD specifications
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.







