The ideal candidate is a team player; but also, a strong independent contributor with strong leadership skills, demonstrated problem-solving skills, excellent communication skills, as well as interpersonal and organizational skills and a proactive, detail-oriented approach.
This position will be located onsite with the Supplier in Elkton, MD.
Primary responsibilities for this position include, but are not limited to:
- Lead system- and component-level analysis, design, and test of complex fluid-thermal propulsion systems for missile applications in the Technology Maturation and Risk Reduction (TMRR) phase.
- Apply advanced engineering principles, industry standards, company standards, and customer requirements to the development of liquid and other propulsion systems, including materials, structural components, and control systems.
- Define, plan, and oversee propulsion test activities (component, subsystem, and system-level), including development of test plans, procedures, and success criteria, and provide on-site test support as needed.
- Provide technical leadership and oversight to propulsion suppliers, including review and approval of analyses, drawings, procedures, and test results, and coordination with Supply Chain and program leadership.
- Develop and maintain propulsion performance, fluid/thermal, and structural models using industry-standard tools (e.g., MATLAB and other analysis software) to support design trades, verification, and risk reduction.
- Lead the development and execution of verification and qualification plans for propulsion systems, including defining verification methods, coordinating test and analysis activities, and generating customer-deliverable verification documentation.
- Direct the research, analysis, and system-level integration of missile propulsion systems, including hardware procurement, configuration management, nonconformance resolution, and interface coordination with adjacent subsystems.
- Support propulsion flight and ground operations, including authoring and reviewing propulsion-related procedures, flight rules, and other engineering instructions for test engineers, operations personnel, and customer use.
- Serve as a primary technical interface and spokesperson for propulsion on the program, providing briefings, technical guidance, and recommendations to management, customers, and multi-disciplinary design teams.
- Identify propulsion-related risks and opportunities, develop and execute mitigation plans, and guide advanced technological concepts from maturation through incorporation into the baseline design.
Basic Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering or related STEM discipline with relevant coursework and experience in fluid mechanics, compressible flow, and/or thermodynamics of propulsion systems
- Minimum of 12 years of relevant expereince
- U.S. Citizen
- Active Secret clearance, at time of application, current and within scope, with an investigation date within the last 6 years
- Must have the ability to obtain and maintain Top Secret Clearance and Special Access Program (SAP) approval within a reasonable period of time, as determined by the company to meet its business needs
- Experience with industry-standard fluid/thermal and/or mechanical analysis software, design standards, and documentation related to propulsion system or subsystem design
- Proficiency with MATLAB or similar engineering tools for propulsion analysis, data reduction, and modeling; ability to clearly document and present technical results.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Active Top Secret clearance
- Direct experience designing and analyzing liquid propulsion or complex fluid systems, including review of analyses, manufacturing drawings, test procedures, and hands-on support of pressure or hot-fire/engine testing.
- Experience leading propulsion or spacecraft/missile liquid propulsion test campaigns, including development and execution of verification and/or qualification plans in a development and qualification environment.
- Experience providing technical leadership for hardware procurement and supplier management (e.g., specification development, technical evaluations, resolving supplier issues, and coordinating with Supply Chain)
- Extensive experience in propulsion system fluid modeling and/or propulsion project engineering, including system integration, requirements flow-down, and coordination across multi-disciplinary teams, with strong verbal and written communication skills.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering or related STEM discipline with relevant coursework and experience in fluid mechanics, compressible flow, and/or thermodynamics of propulsion systems
- Minimum of 12 years of relevant experience
- U.S. Citizen
- Active Secret clearance at time of application, current and within scope, with investigation date within the last 6 years
- Ability to obtain and maintain Top Secret Clearance and Special Access Program (SAP) approval within a reasonable period
- Experience with industry-standard fluid/thermal and/or mechanical analysis software, design standards, and documentation related to propulsion system or subsystem design
- Proficiency with MATLAB or similar engineering tools for propulsion analysis, data reduction, and modeling; ability to clearly document and present technical results
- Active Top Secret clearance
- Direct experience designing and analyzing liquid propulsion or complex fluid systems, including review of analyses, manufacturing drawings, test procedures, and hands-on support of pressure or hot-fire/engine testing
- Experience leading propulsion or spacecraft/missile liquid propulsion test campaigns, including development and execution of verification and/or qualification plans
- Experience providing technical leadership for hardware procurement and supplier management (specification development, technical evaluations, resolving supplier issues, coordinating with Supply Chain)
- Extensive experience in propulsion system fluid modeling and/or propulsion project engineering, including system integration, requirements flow-down, and coordination across multi-disciplinary teams
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.








