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Sr Principal Engineer Quality

Sunnyvale, California, United States
Full Time On-site

Summary

Job Description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: No relocation assistance available

CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: No

CLEARANCE TYPE: Secret

TRAVEL: No

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 Mission Systems is seeking a talented Senior Principal Engineer Quality to join our team in Sunnyvale, CA.  This role supports production activities for marine propulsion and power generation equipment.  This is a 100% on-site role.

What you'll get to do:

  • Devises and implements methods and procedures for inspecting, testing and evaluating the precision and accuracy of products and production equipment.

  • The Quality Engineer develops, modifies, applies and maintains quality evaluation and control systems and protocols for processing materials into partially finished or finished materials product.

  • Collaborates with engineering and manufacturing functions to ensure quality issues are addressed through MRB and that production is supported.

  • Designs and analyzes inspection and testing processes, mechanisms and equipment; conducts quality assurance tests; and performs statistical analysis to assess the cost of and determine the responsibility for, products or materials that do not meet required standards and specifications.

  • Audits quality systems for deficiency identification and correction.

  • Ensures that corrective measures meet acceptable reliability standards and that documentation is compliant with requirements.

  • Applies lean and six-sigma quality engineering methodologies in support of production Continuous Improvement activities.

Basic Qualifications for the Senior Principal Engineer Quality:

  • Bachelor’s Degree in a related STEM field with minimum of 8 years of experience in Quality Assurance, root cause investigation, technical functions in Manufacturing and/or Mechanical Engineering; OR a Master’s Degree in a related STEM field with a minimum of 6 years’ experience in Quality Assurance, root cause investigation, technical functions in Manufacturing and/or Mechanical Engineering.

  • Experience developing, collecting, and analyzing metrics.

  • Experience with ISO 9001 or AS9100 Quality Management Systems

  • Experience with advanced application of Data Analytics and Statistical Analysis methods.

  • Mechanical Engineering experience, including inspection methodology and authoring work instructions in a manufacturing environment.

  • Green Belt Certification in Lean Six Sigma.

  • SAP experience

  • Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret Clearance.

  • U.S. citizenship required

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Certified Lead Auditor or ASQ Certified Quality Auditor

  • Active Secret Clearance.

  • Black Belt Certification in Lean Six Sigma

  • Experience with NADCAP, ITAR/EAR compliance, and MIL‑STD specifications

#MPR

Primary Level Salary Range: $129,300.00 - $193,900.00

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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