Director Tool Engineering 1

Northrop Grumman Northrop Grumman · Aerospace · Palmdale, CA +1 · Material/Process

Director of Tool Engineering role at Northrop Grumman, focusing on leading teams in the design, fabrication, installation, and maintenance of automation tooling for aerospace assembly lines. Requires strong leadership, project management, and experience in aerospace tooling and manufacturing operations.

What you'd actually do

  1. Lead and manage the tooling engineering and technical teams, providing guidance, mentorship, and performance feedback.
  2. Collaborate with Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Facilities, Tooling Quality, and Production teams to ensure seamless integration of tooling packages.
  3. As a CAM, develop and manage various tooling budgets (direct/nonrecurring, sustaining, indirect, capital) to ensure total cost management, budget performance and effective resource allocation.
  4. Oversee the design/development, fabrication, and installation of tooling fixtures, automation, and equipment required for manufacturing operations.
  5. Conduct root cause analysis and implement corrective actions to address tooling/automation issues and improve quality.

Skills

Required

  • Bachelor’s degree (STEM) and 10 years’ experience in Tooling/Tool Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related engineering discipline or a Master’s degree (STEM) and 8+ years’ experience in Tooling/Tool Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related engineering discipline
  • 4+ years of management or leadership experience
  • Experience and understanding of tooling processes, including machining, fabrications, assembly, and testing
  • Active DoD Secret clearance

Nice to have

  • Previous tooling and automation experience as it relates to aerospace tooling
  • Managing multiple suppliers across multiple projects
  • Excellent communication, interpersonal, and leadership skills
  • Strong problem-solving and analytical skills
  • Six Sigma certification (Green Belt or Black Belt)
  • Experience with ERP/MRP systems
  • Demonstrated ability to lead and manage cross-functional teams

What the JD emphasized

  • automation tooling
  • aerospace tooling
  • assembly lines
  • tooling design
  • fabrication
  • installation
  • maintenance