RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available

CLEARANCE TYPE: Secret

TRAVEL: Yes, 10% of the Time

Description

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.

Want to solve complex problems at the “napkin sketch” level by creating cutting-edge, complex systems that need to operate in the harshest of conditions?

 

Northrop Grumman Defense Systems is looking for a Principal or Sr. Principal Mechanical Engineer to support the Advanced Programs - Future Concepts Team in Northridge, CA.

 

Our work influences the investment decisions of our senior leadership and customer program offices. The Role itself is a mesh of many other fields (e.g. Systems Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Software Engineering, etc.) and frequently collaborates across functional disciplines, offering a unique opportunity to obtain a broad understanding of many areas or to more narrowly focus on developing a deep expertise in any one of the relevant fields.

 

This role will contribute to the development of next-generation advanced weapons and complex systems. This role requires a high degree of ownership and regular collaboration across multiple disciplines. The ideal candidate is a hands-on, practical problem solver who thrives in a fast-paced, innovative environment with significant growth potential.

 

Essential Functions:

Lead the rapid evaluation and development of engineering concepts across a wide range of fields.

Identify and manage relationships with key industry partners and vendors.

Conduct trade studies and perform physics-based analysis to solve engineering challenges.

Drive the design, implementation, and testing of complex mechanical systems.

Maintain high-level system ownership with considerable professional autonomy.

Lead design reviews, perform analyses, engage with vendors, and develop and Build prototypes, analyze failures, and transition successful designs into production.

Support critical hardware demonstrations with customers.

Apply first principles physics to inform all engineering decisions.

Travel to test sites as required.

Basic Qualifications:

• Principal: Bachelor’s degree with 5+ years of experience in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering or a MS with 3+ years of experience.

• Sr Principal: Bachelor’s degree with 9+ years of experience in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering or a MS with 7+ years of experience, or PhD with 4+     

• Proficiency in CAD Tools such as NX, and PLM systems.

• Knowledge of GD&T and ASME Drawing Standards.

• Advanced design skills in aerospace systems.

• Hands-on experience with prototyping and integrating electronic components into mechanical designs.

• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills.

• Expertise in thermal and structural analysis.

• Experience in transitioning projects from concept to production.

• Security Clearance: An active or easily transferable Secret or Top-Secret security clearance

Preferred Qualifications:

•         Advanced Knowledge of Materials Science:

Expertise in high-strength materials like titanium alloys, carbon fiber composites, and advanced ceramics.

Experience in selecting materials for extreme environments, considering thermal properties and mechanical stresses.

•         Proficiency in Structural and Thermal Analysis:

Experience with Finite Element Analysis (FEA) using tools like ANSYS, Abaqus, or NASTRAN.

Proficiency in thermal management techniques for high-performance systems.

•         Knowledge of Aerodynamics and Fluid Dynamics:

Competency in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) tools such as Fluent or CFX for aerodynamics simulations.

Practical experience with wind tunnel testing and interpreting results.

•         Weapon Systems Integration:

Understanding of integrating mechanical designs with guidance, control systems, and propulsion systems.

Capability to interface mechanical systems with electronic components, sensors, and avionics.

•         Experience with Explosive and Propulsion Technologies:

Knowledge of solid rocket motors, liquid propellant systems, and hybrid propulsion.

Familiarity with explosive safety standards (e.g., MIL-STD-882) and mitigation strategies.

•         Systems Engineering and MBSE:

Experience with Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) tools like Cameo Systems Modeler.

Ability to collaborate with software, systems, and aerospace engineers for comprehensive system development.

•         Project Management and Leadership:

Proven ability to lead multidisciplinary teams, manage complex projects, and deliver high-reliability systems.

•         Expertise in documenting designs according to military standards (MIL-STDs).

•         Software Proficiency:

Advanced skills in CAD tools such as Solidworks, NX, CATIA, or CREO.

Proficiency in MATLAB, Simulink, or similar software for system simulation and design optimization.

Salary Range: $120,900.00 - $181,300.00Salary Range 2: $97,500.00 - $146,300.00

The 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.

Employees may be eligible for 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 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 http://www.northropgrumman.com/EEO. U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.