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Aeronautical Engineer OR Principal Aeronautical Engineer (Computational Fluid Dynamics)

Redondo Beach, California, United States
Full Time On-site
RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available

CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: No

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.

Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems has an opening for an Aeronautical Engineer OR  Principal Aeronautical Engineer (Computational Fluid Dynamics) to join our Aeronautic Systems Flight Sciences and Vehicle Engineering team. This position will be in Southern California at our Redondo Beach, CA facility with some work being done at our El Segundo, CA facility. Our team works with experienced engineers, supporting sophisticated analysis of aeronautic flight vehicles.

Responsibilities:

  • Serve as CFD engineer for flight test analysis and analysis for multiple programs
  • Coordinate across disciplines including Configuration, Aerodynamics, Mass Properties, Test Engineering, and Weapons Integration teams
  • Liaison with internal and external customers/vendors
  • Generate meshes appropriate for analysis (structured and unstructured)
  • Set-up and run simulations
  • Prepare and present post-process findings to team (images, movies, quantitative data)
  • Provide insight and interpretation of flow features, issues impacting design, and design improvement recommendations. Support design trade studies as needed.

This position may be filled at either the Aeronautical Engineer (CFD) level or the Principal Aeronautical Engineer (CFD) level, depending upon the qualifications below.

Basic Qualifications for Aeronautical Engineer (CFD):

  • Bachelor of Science in a relevant STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) field with 2 years of related engineering experience OR a Masters Degree in a relevant STEM field with 0 years of related engineering experience.
  • Industry experience with or knowledge of CFD analysis
  • Knowledge of or experience with fluid flow analysis
  • Knowledge of or experience with Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis software, pre-processing software, and post processing software
  • Ability to obtain and maintain a US Government Secret Clearance. This clearance must be obtained within a reasonable amount of time as determined by the company to meet its business needs.
  • Ability to obtain and maintain Special Program Access (SAP). This SAP must be obtained within a reasonable amount of time as determined by the company to meet its business needs.

Basic Qualifications for Principal Aeronautical Engineer (CFD):

  • Bachelor of Science in a relevant STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) field with 5 years of related engineering experience; OR a Masters Degree in a relevant STEM field with 3 years of related engineering experience; OR a PhD in a STEM field with 1 year of related engineering experience.
  • Industry experience with or knowledge of CFD analysis
  • Knowledge of or experience with fluid flow analysis
  • Knowledge of or experience with Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis software, pre-processing software, and post processing software
  • Ability to obtain and maintain a US Government Secret Clearance. This clearance must be obtained within a reasonable amount of time as determined by the company to meet its business needs.
  • Ability to obtain and maintain Special Program Access (SAP). This SAP must be obtained within a reasonable amount of time as determined by the company to meet its business needs.

Primary Level Salary Range: $91,800.00 - $137,600.00

Secondary Level Salary Range: $114,000.00 - $171,000.00

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.

About Northrop Grumman

Northrop Grumman

Northrop Grumman is one of the largest aerospace and defense companies in the United States, building advanced systems across space, air, land, sea, and cyber domains. The company is known for some of the most complex defense programs in the world, including stealth aircraft, autonomous systems, missile defense technologies, satellites, and space-based intelligence platforms that support U.S. national security operations.

For job seekers, Northrop Grumman offers careers across a wide range of high-impact fields including aerospace engineering, software development, cybersecurity, systems engineering, manufacturing, program management, and intelligence support. The company is especially attractive to veterans, cleared professionals, and engineers who want to work on mission-critical systems that directly support the Department of Defense and intelligence community. Many roles involve long-term programs with significant technical depth and real-world operational impact.

Unlike smaller defense startups focused on narrow capabilities, Northrop Grumman operates across multiple major mission areas, giving employees exposure to highly advanced programs such as stealth platforms, space systems, autonomous vehicles, and next-generation command-and-control systems. The company is also a major leader in classified space and intelligence systems, where cutting-edge engineering and secure infrastructure play a critical role in national defense.

As global competition in space, cyber, and advanced military systems continues to intensify, Northrop Grumman remains one of the most strategically important employers in the defense industry. For professionals seeking stable, highly technical careers with long-term impact on national security, Northrop Grumman continues to stand out as a leading destination in aerospace and defense.

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