Sentinel - Principal Material Process Engineer - 17331*

Northrop Grumman Northrop Grumman · Aerospace · Roy, UT +1 · Material/Process

Principal Material Process Engineer for the Sentinel program, responsible for managing parts, developing manufacturing control and cost-saving strategies, and ensuring technical solutions for aerospace and ground control system component manufacturing. Requires a STEM degree, experience with material properties, process controls, failure modes, and DoD/aerospace standards, with a Secret clearance.

What you'd actually do

  1. Responsible to perform full spectrum of design application parts management tasks on assigned system and sub-systems to ensure streamlined risk identification, risk mitigation, and tracking of at-risk component issues during the design and manufacturing of weapon systems and equipment under an overarching Systems Engineering framework.
  2. Develops comprehensive manufacturing control and cost saving analysis strategies for large scale aerospace and ground control system component manufacturing.
  3. Demonstrates a complete understanding and wide application of technical principles, theories, and concepts relative to part/material manufacturing and FMEA.
  4. Demonstrates general knowledge of Systems Engineering, multi-generational program system and/or multi-generational program subsystem development, and familiarity with supplier management.
  5. Works independently to provide innovative technical solutions to a wide range of difficult problems using literature review and testing as appropriate.

Skills

Required

  • Bachelor's degree in a Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) discipline from an accredited university and 5 years of experience with Bachelor's degree, 3 years of experience with Master's degree, or 1 years of experience with PhD.
  • U.S. citizen; able to obtain and maintain DoD Secret and Special Access Program (SAP) clearances.
  • Strong written/oral communication for test plans and stakeholder briefings.
  • Basic project-management (schedule, risk, resource coordination).
  • Proficient reading of technical drawings and 3D models.
  • Knowledge of material properties, process controls, failure modes, and traceability/serialized-part control.
  • Familiarity with DoD/aerospace standards (e.g., MIL-STD-11991, MIL-STD-3018) and related industries (DOE, automotive/medical device manufacturing, QA).
  • Experience with MIL-STD or industry machining, welding, soldering, electronic assembly, cable-harness fabrication, coating/surface-treatment, and cross-disciplinary quality/documentation.
  • Willingness to work onsite in manufacturing settings (including clean rooms or hazardous areas).
  • Up to 15% domestic travel for supplier visits, audits, and technical briefings.

Nice to have

  • Degree in Industrial, Manufacturing, Electrical, Welding, Chemical or Materials Engineering.
  • Strong interest in material properties, semiconductors, corrosion, metallurgy, etc.
  • Test-plan authoring/review, negotiation, and approval of materials & processes for program-approved lists.
  • Hands-on APQP, PPAP, control-plan development.
  • Machining expertise with GD&T (ASME Y14.5-2023/ISO 1101-2023), surface-finish standards (ISO 1302/ASME B46.1), material specs (ASTM, AISI/SAE, ISO 4949).
  • AWS welding certification; soldering/electronic-assembly knowledge (IPC-J-STD-001, IPC-A-610, IPC-2221/2222, MIL-STD-883).
  • Cable-harness fabrication standards (IPC/WHMA-A-620, MIL-STD-196).
  • Coating-system qualification (ISO 12944-5, ASTM B117, MIL-PRF-23377, MIL-PRF-32239, MIL-DTL-53022).
  • Ability to obtain/maintain DoD Top-Secret.
  • Proven oral/written skills; experience presenting to high-value customers; juggle multiple projects.
  • High urgency, strong work ethic, agile-environment experience (JIRA).
  • Certifications – ASQ Certified Quality Engineer, Six-Sigma Green/Black Belt, Certified Reliability Engineer (CRE).

What the JD emphasized

  • Secret and Special Access Program (SAP) clearances
  • DoD/aerospace standards
  • machining, welding, soldering, electronic assembly, cable-harness fabrication, coating/surface-treatment, and cross-disciplinary quality/documentation