Sr. Principal Engineer Manufacturing

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available

CLEARANCE TYPE: None

TRAVEL: Yes, 10% 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.

The Mission Enabling Products business unit, an organization within Northrop Grumman’s Payload and Ground Systems (PGS) division, is a leading designer, producer, and supplier of spacecraft components and subsystems that power and enable satellites of all classes.  The portfolio of products includes solar power systems, propulsion systems, bus structures, thermal control systems, deployable systems / antennas, optical and laser systems.   

The Integrated Thermal Systems Operating Unit is the world leader in two-phase thermal management of spacecraft and has more than 30 years of experience designing and manufacturing space-qualified products for various government, military, civil and commercial customers (Legacy Swales Aerospace).  We have the broadest portfolio of thermal solutions in the business and more flight heritage than any of our competitors.  We tackle the industry’s most challenging spacecraft thermal control problems and have the market differentiating capability of taking systems from concept, through design, thermal component fabrication, integration into honeycomb composite structure and through system level testing all on-site with no subcontractors. 

Capabilities include design, manufacture, testing and integration of complete two-phase thermal-control systems such as heat pipes (-260 C to +175 C); heat pipe radiators and structural equipment panels; two-phase-loop heat pipes (LHPs); deployable radiator assemblies; mechanically pumped single phase liquid cooling, phase-change thermal storage materials (PCM); multi-layer insulation (MLI) blankets; cryogenic cooling applications; and integrated thermal composite structures. 

The Sr. Principal Manufacturing Engineer will have team leader responsibilities.

This position is full time, onsite in Beltsville, MD.

Job Duties:

• Create manufacturing plans for manufacturing team to ensure that overall quality, delivery, and cost objectives are achieved.

• Create and improve manufacturing work instructions to meet challenging hardware requirements.

• Establish a common design goal that is aligned with the as-bid program proposal and the best approach for manufacturability through TKO (Technical Kick Off).

• Communicate manufacturing plans and processes to internal and external customers through MRR (Manufacturing Readiness Reviews).

• Create and manage Engineering Bill of Materials.

• Review engineering designs and drawings for accuracy and manufacturability.

• Conceptualize and design manufacturing tooling when required to help support operations.

• Provide liaison to operations.

• Support real time manufacturing floor issues and resolve discrepant hardware through disposition for immediate remedy. Participate in root cause investigation for preventative corrective action.

• Specify all necessary special processes, equipment, and fixtures required for manufacturing on assigned programs.

• Participate in continuous improvement projects to improve manufacturing methods, efficiency, and product quality.

Team Leader Key Responsibilities:

• Represent the Structure ME team in DMR (Daily Management Review), ensuring timely escalation resolution and closure.

• Provide support during Production Look Ahead and Lock Down meetings to drive alignment and planning.

• Lead the Tier 1 Structure ME stand-up meeting, fostering collaboration and issue resolution.

• Develop and deliver comprehensive training programs for the Structure ME team, enhancing skills and knowledge.

• Support Structure proposals by generating accurate ME Non-Recurring (NRE) quotes, complete with detailed assumpt