Principal/Senior Principal Structural Engineer
Northrop GrummanAbout the role
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.An organization within Northrop Grumman’s Payload and Ground Systems (PGS) division, Mission Enabling Products is a leading designer, producer, and supplier of spacecraft components that power and enable satellites of all classes. Products include spacecraft panels, bus structures, precision optical structures, deployable structural systems and mechanisms, solar arrays, and antenna reflectors. Our products are on virtually every U.S. satellite built in the last 20 years. Our facility in Goleta, CA is seeking a Structural Engineer to support the Deployables Operating Unit.
Learn more about Mission Enabling Products at: https://www.northropgrumman.com/space/spacecraft-components/
This position may be filled either as a Principal (level 3) or Senior Principal (level 4)
Overview
The Structural Engineer analyzes, researches, and develops structural engineering specifications involving metals, non-metallic or composite structural materials for product design, or operation of product to include structures, mechanical, and thermal designs. They analyze stiffness/strength, design allowables and performs FEA structural modeling. Specific structural engineering specialties may include dynamics and loads (sine, random vibration, acoustic, and shock), composite structures, honeycomb structures, bonded joint analysis, stability and stress fatigue and thermal analysis. Tools utilized may include, ProEngineer/Creo, ANSYS, Femap, NX NASTRAN, VA-One, Mathcad, Matlab and a variety of other software applications.
Responsibilities:
Create FEA models based on Creo assembly/part geometries. Make assumptions/simplifications to adequately represent load path, boundary conditions, and material properties.
Perform static, sine, random vibe, and acoustic dynamic analyses and compute strength margins, develop notching, response and force limiting. Develop driving load cases for piece part analyses.
Modelling and analysis of sandwich panels, composite materials, and boned joints. Assess strength based pertinent failure modes of sandwich composite structures.
Review drawings, requirements for materials, structure systems & subsystems and perform required analyses to demonstrate compliance.
Document static/dynamic test plans and procedure requirements
Participate and present in internal and external (customer) design reviews
Strive for the highest possible structural performance that is also cost effective and assures complete reliability
Manage and track multiple priorities while maintaining a focus towards common project goals of the program team, matrix organization, and customers
Basic Requirements for a Principal (level 3):
Bachelor's degree in a Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) discipline with five or more years applicable experience; OR a Master's degree in a STEM discipline with three or more years applicable experience
Spacecraft/Aerospace materials experience for metals, adhesives, thermoplastics, etc.
Experience with FEA analysis, preferably ANSYS or Femap/NASTRAN, for structural analysis of designs
Ability to verify validity of simulation results by hand-calcs and/or comparison with heritage programs and to perform bolted joint analyses
US Citizenship is a requirement
Basic Qualifications for a Senior Principal (level 4):
Bachelor's degree in a STEM discipline with nine or more years applicable experience; OR a Master's degree in a STEM discipline with seven or more years applicable experience<
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