Principal/ Senior Principal Mechanical Design Engineer

Northrop Grumman•Los Angeles, CA

2d•$89,400 - $167,500•Onsite

About The Position

Northrop Grumman Mission Systems is seeking a Principal or Senior Principal Mechanical Design Engineer for its Engineering and Sciences organization, based at either the Woodland Hills, California, or Salt Lake City, Utah facility. The role supports senior mechanical engineers in designing military avionics, including inertial navigation and measurement systems and mission computers for the Sentinel program. The position contributes to the company’s digital transformation through model-based engineering and agile practices. It is 100% on-site and is not eligible for remote work. Relocation assistance may be available. The engineer will serve as a mechanical designer on a major Mission Systems program supporting inertial navigation systems. The work spans the design lifecycle, including CAD modeling, drawing creation, procurement, testing, and maintenance. The role also supports engineering changes, problem reports, manufacturing issue resolution, and coordination across engineering, program management, factory operations, global supply chain, and mission assurance. The requisition may be filled at either the Principal or Senior Principal level, depending on qualifications. An active U.S. Government Secret or higher clearance and U.S. citizenship are required. The listed salary range is $89,400–$134,200 for the Principal level and $111,700–$167,500 for the Senior Principal level. Depending on the position, employees may also be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus. Northrop Grumman provides health insurance, life and disability insurance, a savings plan, company-paid holidays, and paid time off for vacation and/or personal business.

Requirements

For the Principal level: a bachelor's degree in a STEM discipline and at least 5 years of applicable experience, or a master's degree in a STEM discipline and at least 3 years of applicable experience, or a Ph.D. in a STEM discipline and at least 1 year of applicable experience.
For the Senior Principal level: a bachelor's degree in a STEM discipline and at least 8 years of applicable experience, or a master's degree in a STEM discipline and at least 6 years of applicable experience, or a Ph.D. in a STEM discipline and at least 4 years of applicable experience.
Expertise with mechanical CAD software; Siemens NX is preferred.
Experience with geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T), drawing creation, and tolerance stack-up analysis.
Good presentation, writing, and communication skills.
Experience mentoring junior-level engineers.
Active U.S. Government Secret or higher clearance and U.S. citizenship.

Nice To Haves

Demonstrated proficiency with Siemens NX CAD software and Teamcenter PLM software.
Expert-level proficiency with GD&T per ASME Y14.5.
Familiarity with ASME and MIL standards.
Basic understanding of stress principles and component sizing.
Engineering laboratory experience, including leak-rate and vibration testing.
Knowledge of CCA components, layout, and cable routing.
Creativity and ability to solve a wide range of difficult problems.
Self-motivation, willingness to learn, and experience working in a team environment.
Ability to work under pressure on requests with short turnaround times.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to present complex technical information clearly.
Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with a focus on continuous improvement.
Proactive, results-oriented approach and a strong sense of ownership.

Responsibilities

Serve as a mechanical designer on a major Northrop Grumman Mission Systems program supporting inertial navigation systems.
Research, plan, design, and develop CAD models and 3D model-based drawings using Siemens NX and Teamcenter.
Support all phases of the design lifecycle, including modeling, drawings, procurement, testing, and maintenance.
Prepare and present reports, briefings, design documents, drawings, and specifications.
Support engineering changes and problem reports.
Support root cause analysis and rapid resolution of manufacturing line stops and other critical production activities.
Collaborate with engineering organizations, program management, factory operations, global supply chain, and mission assurance.
Mentor junior-level engineers.