Principal Material Process Engineer - 17401

Northrop Grumman•Huntsville, AL

12d•$98,900 - $148,300

About The Position

Northrop Grumman’s Defense Systems sector is seeking a Principal Material Process Engineer to support the Sentinel program in Huntsville, Alabama. The role performs design-application parts management across assigned systems and subsystems, identifying, mitigating, and tracking component risks during weapon-system and equipment design and manufacturing within a Systems Engineering framework. The engineer develops test and data-analysis strategies for aerospace and ground-control system components; applies technical principles related to material and part performance and service-life estimation; and researches specifications and standards for parts, materials, processes, and manufacturing across internal and supplier designs. The position involves working independently under general direction to develop technical solutions, using literature reviews and testing as appropriate. The engineer creates and presents roadmaps, impact analyses, and issue reports to stakeholders, customers, and management; coordinates with integrated product teams and program leadership; and collaborates with systems, design, project-management, and reliability engineers and external customers to establish traceable parts, materials, and process documentation tied to system performance. The role is based in Huntsville, Alabama, may offer relocation assistance, requires travel 10% of the time, and follows a 9/80 schedule. A Secret clearance is not required at the start, but the employee must be able to obtain and maintain Secret and SAP clearances.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in a STEM discipline from an accredited university and 5 years of experience; or a master’s degree and 3 years of experience; or a Ph.D. and 0 years of experience.
Must be a U.S. citizen and able to obtain and maintain a DoD Secret Security Clearance.
Ability to obtain and maintain Special Access Program (SAP) clearance.
Strong written and oral communication skills for test plans and stakeholder briefings.
Current Level 2 certification in radiographic inspection (RT), with at least 1 documented year of aerospace experience in a quality organization utilizing Level 2.
NAS410-qualified Level 2 classroom training or experience, or equivalent, in radiographic methodology, either in progress or completed.
Must pass the 20/25 Snellen or Jaeger No. 1 vision test for NAS 410 certification.
Knowledge of project-management basics, including schedules, risk, and resource coordination.
Ability to read and interpret technical drawings and 3D models.
Knowledge of material properties, process controls, and failure modes.
Proficiency with test equipment such as shakers, climate chambers, DMA, SEM, X-ray, and ultrasonic equipment.
Ability to use data-analysis tools such as MATLAB, Python, R, or Minitab.
Familiarity with quality-system software such as Minitab, QC tools, or PLM.
Ability to read, apply, and generate reports in accordance with U.S. Department of Defense and aerospace standards.
Experience in a closely related field, such as DOE or automotive/medical-device manufacturing and quality assurance, is acceptable.

Nice To Haves

Degree in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Welding Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or Materials Engineering.
Familiarity with MIL-STD-810, MIL-STD-202, MIL-STD-883, MIL-STD-105E / ISO 2859-1, MIL-STD-1540, or MIL-STD-31000 quality-assurance requirements.
Understanding of process and procedure development, control, and improvement.
Demonstrated interest in material properties, semiconductor electronics, corrosion, or metallurgy.
Experience writing and reviewing test plans and negotiating with stakeholders.
Familiarity with service-life testing, reliability sampling, and failure analysis.
Ability to obtain and maintain a DoD Top Secret clearance.
Strong oral and written communication skills, including experience presenting to high-value customers and managing competing project priorities.
Experience in an Agile environment and knowledge of JIRA.
Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt.
NIST-based calibration accreditation (ISO/IEC 17025).
Proficiency with test equipment such as shakers, climate chambers, DMA, FTIR, SEM, X-ray, and ultrasonic equipment.

Responsibilities

Perform design-application parts management for assigned systems and subsystems, including identifying, mitigating, and tracking at-risk component issues during design and manufacturing.
Develop test and data-analysis strategies for large-scale aerospace and ground-control system components.
Apply technical principles, theories, and concepts related to part and material performance and service-life estimation.
Work independently to develop technical solutions to difficult problems using literature reviews and testing as appropriate.
Create and analyze roadmaps, impact reports, and issue reports, and present data to stakeholders, customers, and upper management.
Research specifications and standards supporting part, material, and process engineering across internal and external supplier subsystem designs and manufacturing processes.
Coordinate with integrated product teams and provide detailed status updates to program leadership.
Collaborate with systems engineers, design engineers, project managers, reliability engineers, and external customers to ensure design-documentation traceability to system performance.

Benefits

Medical, dental, and vision coverage
401(k)
Educational assistance
Life insurance
Employee Assistance Programs and Work/Life Solutions
Paid time off
Health and wellness resources
Employee discounts
Relocation assistance may be available
Potential eligibility for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus