Principal or Senior Principal Manufacturing Engineer – Bonding/Coating

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available

CLEARANCE TYPE: Secret

TRAVEL: Yes, 25% of the Time

Description

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.

At the heart of who we are, Northrop Grumman is an American manufacturing company building the next generation of innovation for the United States and its allies. Our state-of-the-art Blue Ridge Advanced Manufacturing Center located in Waynesboro, VA will deliver advanced radars, communications antennas, and electronic warfare capabilities. Slated to open in 2026, we are adding hundreds of high-quality jobs in the heart of Virginia. Together, we will work to deliver the world’s most advanced technologies to protect our national security.

 

We are looking for you to join our team as a Principal or Senior Principal Manufacturing Engineer based out of Waynesboro, VA.

 

What You'll get to Do:

As a Manufacturing Engineer, you will join our brand-new Blue Ridge Advanced Manufacturing Center as the key resource for our bonding and coating processes. This is a high-impact opportunity to architect the production landscape of a startup-style environment backed by the resources of a global defense leader.

 

First year priorities will include:

• PRR (Production Readiness Review) for bonding/coating equipment.

• Travel to our Baltimore, Maryland manufacturing facility to train, shadow and/or participate in the building of apertures for knowledge transfer.

• Create, review and modify work instructions for Waynesboro bonding/coating processes.

• Train technicians and other support staff - such as maintenance on the function and use of the equipment.

• Gain knowledge of the electrical test process that follows bonding/coating by interfacing with other NG process facilities and working with the test engineers that support those facilities.

• Complete capability analysis including Gage R&R (Reliability and Repeatability) of coating/bonding processes.

• Investigate and establish processes required to build related subcomponents as supplied from outside vendors. 

 

Process Development:

• Developing new and maintaining, or improving, existing manufacturing processes with a focus on production capabilities and affordability.

• Prototyping, testing, and production support of state-of-the-art systems requiring specialty  knowledge and skills related to use of free form modeling, surface analysis, materials, tooling, test fixtures and equipment, and manufacturing processes.

• Developing project scope requirements, perform technical planning, manufacturing system  development, integration, verification and validation.

• Managing project cost (implementation, ROI), schedule and risk mitigation strategies.

• Creating and managing project plans (tasks, resources, and schedules) for process development activities.

• Creating and documenting designs for custom tooling.

• Specifying, identifying, and procuring new manufacturing equipment for production readiness and preparing equipment for production.

• Facilitating collaboration across Manufacturing Operations functional support groups through all manufacturing readiness phases.

• Developing and optimizing process parameters.

• Developing/revising process documentation and work instructions.

• Supplier engagement and facilitation of supplier development and risk reduction activities.

 

Factory Support:

• Driving awareness of RF critical bonding and coating processes for antenna subsystems.

• Monitoring process yields and cost, recommending and implementing quality improvements to drive improved metrics.

• Solving manufacturing problems (related to materials, designs, equipment and tooling, training, and instructions) to support production.

• Assisting with the training of new personnel and participating in the design of operations training materials.

• Supporting factory maintenance personnel with the troubleshooting and repair of process equipment.

• Leading shop floor product / process troubleshooting across cells.

• Driving root cause corrective action (RCCA) efforts.

 

Design and Engineering Support:

• Recommending new state-of-the-art materials.(adhesives/coatings) that emerge on the market or within Northrop Grumman to advance product and process on future programs.

• Recommending product design improvements required to manufacture advanced apertures.

• Documenting state-of-the-art process capabilities and guidelines for product designers.

• Participating in design producibility reviews for new products.

 

Miscellaneous:

• Providing supplier support, as needed, to resolve issues within supply base.

• Providing Request for Proposal (RFP) input specifically as it relates to Non-Recurring Engineering (NRE) requirements such as tooling, capital equipment and/or new process development.

• Providing technical leadership and mentoring to less experienced personnel.

 

The chosen candidate must be able to multi-task in a fast-paced, dynamic, and high-visibility environment; work well in a team environment; and have excellent written and verbal communication skills. They must also be able to operate efficiently in classified compartmentalized environments.

 

Travel will be less than 35% and will decrease after the first 12-18 months post special access clearance. 

 

This position may be filled as a Principal or Senior Principal Manufacturing Engineer based on the qualifications below.

                                                               

Basic Qualifications for a Principal Manufacturing Engineer:

• Bachelor's degree or higher in Engineering or related STEM area with a minimum of 5 years of experience in Manufacturing/Process Engineering OR a candidate may have a minimum of 3 years of experience in Manufacturing/Process Engineering with a Master's degree.

• Experience with one or more of these: composite bonding, specialty coating/painting, automotive sheet metal repair and prep work.

• Tooling design and implementation experience.

• Candidate must have a current DOD Secret security clearance and be able to obtain and maintain special access clearances.

• U.S. citizenship is required.

 

Basic Qualifications for a Senior Principal Manufacturing Engineer:

• Bachelor's degree or higher in Engineering or related STEM area with a minimum of 8 years of experience in Manufacturing/Process Engineering OR a candidate may have a minimum of 6 years of experience in Manufacturing/Process Engineering with a Master's degree.

• Experience with one or more of these: composite bonding, specialty coating/painting, automotive sheet metal repair and prep work.

• Tooling design and implementation experience.

• Candidate must have a current DOD Secret security clearance and be able to obtain and maintain special access clearances.

• U.S. citizenship is required.

 

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience engaging and problem solving with vendors, sub-tier suppliers, partners, subcontractors.

• Knowledge of RF antenna designs.

• Bonding and assembly tooling design and implementation experience.

• Familiarity with composite bonded component inspection techniques.

• Electrical Engineering knowledge/experience.

• Continuous improvement experience.

• Knowledge of J-STD and MIL-STD requirements.

• Familiarity with Design of Experiment (DOE), Statistical Process Control (SPC), and 6 sigma concepts for process development.

 

Northrop Grumman provides a comprehensive benefits package and a work environment which encourages your growth and supports the mutual success of our people and our company. Northrop Grumman benefits give you the flexibility and control to choose the benefits that make the most sense for you and your family. Your benefits will include the following: Health Plan, Savings Plan, Paid Time Off and Additional Benefits including Education Assistance, Training and Development, 9/80 Work Schedule (where available), and much more!

 

Northrop Grumman has approximately 90,000 employees in all 50 states and in more than 27 countries. We strive to attract and retain the best employees by providing an inclusive work environment wherein employees are receptive to diverse ideas, perspectives, and talents to help solve our toughest customer challenges: to develop and maintain some of the most technically sophisticated products, programs, and services in the world.

 

Our Values. The women and men of Northrop Grumman Corporation are guided by Our Values. They describe our company as we want it to be. We want our decisions and actions to demonstrate these Values. We believe that putting. Our Values into practice creates long-term benefits for shareholders, customers, employees, suppliers, and the communities we serve.

 

Our Responsibility. At Northrop Grumman, we are committed to maintaining the highest of ethical standards, embracing diversity and inclusion, protecting the environment, and striving to be an ideal corporate citizen in the community and in the world.

Primary Level Salary Range: $89,400.00 - $134,200.00

Secondary Level Salary Range: $111,700.00 - $167,500.00

The above salary range represents a general guideline; however, Northrop Grumman considers a number of factors when determining base salary offers such as the scope and responsibilities of the position and the candidate's experience, education, skills and current market conditions.

Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay. Annual bonuses are designed to reward individual contributions as well as allow employees to share in company results. Employees in Vice President or Director positions may be eligible for Long Term Incentives. In addition, Northrop Grumman provides a variety of benefits including health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, savings plan, Company paid holidays and paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business.

The application period for the job is estimated to be 20 days from the job posting date. However, this timeline may be shortened or extended depending on business needs and the availability of qualified candidates.

Northrop Grumman is an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class. For our complete EEO and pay transparency statement, please visit http://www.northropgrumman.com/EEO. U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.