Principal Engineer Mission Assurance

Northrop Grumman•Elkton, MD

2d•$108,800 - $136,200•Onsite

About The Position

Implement mission assurance (MA) plans for individual programs in support of proposals, planning, design, manufacturing, integration, and test activities in accordance with company and contractual requirements. Work as a member of an integrated product team and with NG Mission Assurance staff to address technical and quality issues, meet program requirements and ensure mission success. Interface with customers, vendors, and with NG Program Management, Planning, Supply Chain, Engineering, Manufacturing, Integration, and Test organizations to identify and resolve quality and mission/flight assurance issues.

Requirements

Must have 9 or more years of experience as a quality / mission assurance engineer, or a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) discipline with 5 years' experience, or a Masters in (STEM) and 3 years' experience
Application of technical expertise including complete understanding of fundamental engineering principles, practices, and theories
Able to read engineering documentation (drawings, models, specs), interpret drawing dimensions, features, and parts lists, develop inspection plans, and identify critical features
Intermediate to advanced computer skills including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Ability to understand and work with multiple enterprise-wide systems
Excellent written and oral communication skills as well as strong interpersonal and problem-solving skills
Ability to work well in a team environment
Ability to obtain a DoD Secret Clearance which requires US Citizenship as a prerequisite

Nice To Haves

Active Secret Security Clearance
Accredited certification in Quality and/or Mission assurance field
Familiarity with key materials, technologies and/or processes such as machining, welding, CT scanning, additive manufacturing, laser/light inspection techniques, and chemical processing
Demonstrated process control and improvement experience and knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma or similar tools
Knowledge of Root Cause and Corrective Action tools, such as Ishikawa, FMEA, DOE, KTA (Kepner Tregoe Analysis), 5Why, etc.

Responsibilities

Establish and maintain Quality Assurance programs, procedures and controls ensuring that products and services conform to company standards of excellence.
Support the development, implementation and maintenance of quality policy and procedures within the Quality Management System (QMS) including performing internal audits to assess conformance.
Interface with suppliers in the verification of product design, quality and reliability.
Review practices, procedures and processes seeking ways to improve efficiency and effectiveness and reduce risk to product quality.
Interpret customer technical and MA requirements, and ensure these requirements are integrated into program plans, specifications and product drawings.
Ensure program contract requirements are flowed down internally to the production floor and externally to suppliers.
Ensure compliance with contract program, quality, organizational, and industry alert requirements.
Provide oversight into discrepancy review and failure investigations, as well as cause and corrective action determinations.
Analyze and interpret trends and execute improvements using data from key metrics.
Perform Root Cause and Corrective Action (RCCA) analysis, and problem-solving activities on program-specific, quality system and business system deficiencies.
Represent Mission Assurance at various program reviews and review boards including but not limited to Configuration Control Board (CCB), Material Review Board (MRB), Program Management Reviews (PMR), design/peer reviews, Manufacturing/Test Readiness Reviews (MRR/TRR) and Corrective Action Board (CAB).
Ensure risk management activities (including design/process Failure Modes and Effects Analysis dFMEA/pFMEA) are executed according to standards and procedures.