Staff Manufacturing Engineer

Northrop Grumman•Elkton, MD

2d•$169,000 - $253,600•Onsite

About The Position

Northrop Grumman is seeking a Staff-level Manufacturing Engineer focused on industrial automation to join its Propulsion Systems & Controls team in Elkton, Maryland. The role leads the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of automated manufacturing processes for energetic, static-sensitive, corrosive, and chemical operations supporting solid-propellant propulsion and ordnance systems. The position serves as the technical leader for automated manufacturing, with responsibility for meeting safety, quality, delivery, and cost objectives. It designs and optimizes processes and equipment layouts, develops and qualifies production lines, establishes process and quality controls, integrates automation into manufacturing operations, and supports regulatory and internal compliance. The engineer collaborates with safety and cross-functional teams to reduce risk, leads continuous improvement and investigations, and provides training, mentorship, and technical guidance to operations, maintenance, quality, management, and customers. The Elkton site designs, develops, and produces solid-propellant propulsion and ordnance systems for U.S. Government and commercial customers. Candidates hired for this role must complete and submit an Employee Possessor Questionnaire to ATF for approval because the position falls under a Federal Explosives License. U.S. citizenship and the ability to obtain and maintain a DoD Secret Security Clearance are required. Travel is 10% of the time; relocation assistance may be available.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Industrial, Aerospace, or related discipline) and 12 years of experience; alternatively, 10 years with a master’s degree or 8 years with a Ph.D.
Significant experience leading automation-focused manufacturing projects, such as automated line deployment, capital equipment integration, or complex process improvements.
Demonstrated expertise with Lean and continuous-improvement tools and their application to automated or process-intensive operations.
Experience applying advanced statistical methods to manufacturing processes, including SPC, DOE, and capability studies, and leading RCCA.
Ability to work under consultative direction on long-range goals, self-initiate assignments, and determine courses of action to achieve desired results.
Strong collaboration skills with cross-functional teams, including Operations, Quality, EH&S, Facilities, Supply Chain, and Finance.
U.S. citizenship and ability to obtain and maintain a DoD Secret Security Clearance.
Completion and submission of an Employee Possessor Questionnaire to ATF for approval to be a possessor.

Nice To Haves

Experience in energetics, ordnance, propellants, or other hazardous-materials manufacturing environments.
Deep familiarity with HOPs, DOD 4145.26, and hazard analysis methods such as PFMEA and Process FMEA.
Experience defining TPM/PM programs and working closely with maintenance on automated equipment reliability.
Experience with ERP/MRP systems for routings, bills of materials, and WIP tracking.
Proven ability to serve as an organizational technical leader, develop new principles and concepts, and guide advanced technologies from concept to production.

Responsibilities

Serve as the technical leader for automated manufacturing of energetic materials and related assemblies, ensuring safety, quality, delivery, and cost objectives are met.
Design and optimize automated manufacturing processes and equipment layouts for energetic, static-sensitive, and chemical operations while ensuring compliance with HOPs, DOD 4145.26, ATF, and related requirements.
Develop, launch, and qualify new or upgraded automated production lines, including specifying, selecting, and integrating robotics, controls, instrumentation, material handling, and preventative maintenance strategies.
Lead factory acceptance testing, site acceptance testing, commissioning, startup, and acceptance testing.
Define sequences of operations, process parameters, and quality control plans, including inspection, testing, and statistical process control.
Ensure processes, procedures, and documentation—including standard work, routings, bills of materials, and ERP/MRP integration—meet customer, regulatory, and internal requirements.
Collaborate with Hazards Analysis, EH&S, and cross-functional engineering teams to identify, mitigate, and eliminate safety risks; incorporate safety interlocks, remote operations, and standardized mix requirements into process designs.
Lead Lean, continuous-improvement, and data-driven optimization efforts to increase throughput, reduce waste, improve process capability, and drive corrective actions.
Provide training, mentorship, and technical consultation to operations, maintenance, and quality personnel.
Lead cross-functional investigations, including RCCA, PFMEA, and nonconformance analysis.
Act as a technical advisor to management and customers on advanced automation technologies.