Principal Engineer Systems

Northrop Grumman Northrop Grumman · Aerospace · Mesa, AZ +1 · Systems/Architecture/Test

Principal Systems Engineer for Armament Systems at Northrop Grumman in Mesa, AZ. Responsible for coordinating engineering projects, providing technical oversight, planning and executing gun system development and testing, managing requirements, and ensuring design factors are considered. Requires a BS in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering with 5 years of experience, or an MS with 3 years of experience, and demonstrated project management skills.

What you'd actually do

  1. Accountable to the Systems Engineering Manager and Program Managers for meeting technical performance measures, cost targets, and schedule requirements on assigned engineering projects.
  2. Provides technical oversight to the assigned integrated project team; sets engineering work direction for other engineers, technicians, and administrative personnel and assigns tasks based on project objectives.
  3. Performs planning and execution of gun system development and testing projects, including voice of the customer techniques, requirements development and management, system definition, verification and validation, and risk management.
  4. Ensures pertinent design factors such as contractual, environmental, cost, schedule, technical performance, system integration, producibility, interchangeability, and material requirements are considered during development and program execution.
  5. Leads failure investigations and implementation of associated corrective actions.

Skills

Required

  • Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering (or closely related field of study/STEM degree) plus 5 years of directly related mechanical design experience in defense or aerospace industry.
  • Master’s degree plus 3 years of directly related experience.
  • Demonstrated project management skills and techniques including creation of work breakdown structures, integrated master scheduling and earned value management.
  • Experience in product development projects and sustainment of legacy programs for complex aerospace or defense systems.
  • Familiarity with mechanical and electrical engineering processes and other specialty engineering activities within the product development process.
  • Experience writing statements of work and estimating project scope.
  • Demonstrated effectiveness in achieving results through understanding and management of internal processes and customer/supplier relationships.
  • Knowledge of operations of upstream process inputs (Lead System Integrators, Business Development, Contracts, Pricing, and Program Management).
  • Knowledge of operations of downstream process customers (both internal and external: Modeling & Simulation, Configuration Management, Manufacturing Engineering, Manufacturing Operations, Assembly, Test, System Verification & Validation, Integrated Logistics Support, and End User).
  • Skilled in working with Microsoft Office applications including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Project.
  • Understanding of Six Sigma disciplines, design for assembly / design for manufacturing (DFA/DFM).
  • Strong oral and written communication skills with ability to focus on multiple projects and deliver status on risk areas and required actions.
  • Knowledge of requirements decomposition, FMECAs, verification and validation, and risk analysis.

Nice to have

  • Mechanical design experience with complex gear trains, cams, springs, clutches, machined components, welded structures, electric motors, and solenoids preferred.