Tooling Engineer Energetics Manufacturing - level 2/3

Northrop Grumman•Elkton, MD

6d•$87,600 - $163,200•Onsite

About The Position

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. We’re looking for a Tooling Engineer – Energetics Manufacturing (Level 2 or 3) to join our Operations Engineering team at our Propulsion Systems & Controls (PS&C) facility in Elkton, Maryland. Here you’ll: hands-on with the tooling and hardware that support our propulsion and ordnance systems—while applying strong technical rigor and formal safety standards every step of the way. Collaborate across engineering, manufacturing, test, and quality. Be part of a culture that values curiosity, diverse perspectives, and bringing your whole self to work. Our Elkton PS&C facility designs, develops, and produces solid-propellant propulsion and ordnance systems for a wide range of Government and commercial customers. Elkton is also the engineering hub for our offsite facilities in Ronkonkoma, NY and Palm Beach Gardens, FL. Why Elkton? Elkton, Maryland sits on the Upper Chesapeake Bay, roughly midway between Philadelphia and Baltimore. It offers: Parks, trails, and water access for hiking, biking, camping, boating, and fishing. If you like the idea of leaving a high-impact engineering role and being on a trail or near the water in minutes, Elkton is a great fit.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in a STEM discipline and at least 2 years of relevant experience (preferably design) OR a Master’s degree in a STEM discipline and 0 years of experience (Level 2)
Bachelor’s degree in a STEM discipline and at least 5 years of relevant experience (preferably design) OR a Master’s degree in a STEM discipline and at least 3 years of experience (Level 3)
U.S. Citizenship required with the ability to obtain a Secret clearance
Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or closely related discipline
Strong communication and problem-solving skills, with demonstrated success in a team environment
Familiarity with machine shop fabrication practices and material selection
Working knowledge of basic stress calculations for support structures
Working knowledge of geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (ASME Y14.5M)
Proficiency with Excel, PowerPoint, Word, CAD, and 3D modeling tools
Experience working within a product or integrated project team, managing events and timelines (Level 3)

Nice To Haves

Composites and rubber molding experience is a plus
Experience with Siemens NX and Teamcenter (TcUA)
Prior manufacturing or production floor experience
Active Secret clearance

Responsibilities

Own the engineering and design of production tooling for energetic aerospace propulsion systems, including: Hands-on design, deployment, and support of molds, lifting devices, handling fixtures, test fixtures, and other production tools used with energetic components and assemblies.
Translate requirements into build-ready tooling using CAD and 3D modeling, then walk those designs into the shop to review manufacturability, ergonomics, and safety with the operations team.
Work closely with project engineering, process engineering, manufacturing, quality, and safety to: Define tooling requirements and operating envelopes. Ensure designs comply with Hazardous Operations Procedures (HOPS) and other safety standards. Incorporate hazard analyses, interlocks, guarding, and human-factors considerations into tooling concepts and final designs.
Coordinate tooling fabrication with internal machine shops and external vendors: Developing detailed drawings/models and technical packages. Establishing fabrication scope and acceptance criteria. Monitoring build progress against plan and resolving technical or safety-related issues.
Support tool introduction to production: Participating in tool checkout and first-article use on the floor. Verifying that tool performance aligns with design intent, HOPS requirements, and safety / quality expectations.
Lead or support root-cause and corrective-action efforts when tooling or usage issues occur.
Prepare tooling design and fabrication cost/schedule estimates for proposals, with clear technical and safety assumptions.
Identify and implement improvements to existing tooling designs focused on: Safety and compliance with HOPS. Human factors and ergonomics. Throughput, maintainability, and reliability.