Advanced Automation Manufacturing Engineer

0090 CORP-Corporate Office; United States; On-site; USD 83,400 - 125,200; Full time

Job summary

Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems (NGAS) is seeking an Advanced Automation Manufacturing Engineer in Palmdale, CA. The role focuses on advancing manufacturing solutions to boost efficiency, cut costs, and improve quality across production areas.

Collaboration spans engineering, program offices, and executive leadership in a fast-paced setting.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree with production/assembly exposure.
• Experience supporting manufacturing/production operations.
• Experience in machining, robotics, or NC programming.

Responsibilities

• Guide design concepts to ensure manufacturability and cost effectiveness.
• Define operation sequences and implement corrective actions for non-conforming parts.
• Develop and transition new technology to manufacturing to reduce cost and improve quality.
• Generate manufacturing concepts for composites, automation, inspection, and digital capabilities.
• Interface with customers, program offices, and management; manage multiple projects.

Skills

Manufacturing operations experience

Machining/ Robotics/ NC programming

Composites/ Automation/ Coatings

PWI knowledge

Work instructions & training materials

Blueprints & 3-D models

Requirements development & testing

Hands-on production experience

Troubleshooting & root cause analysis

MS Office suite (Word/PowerPoint/Excel

Education

Bachelor’s Degree with 1 year related experience

Master’s Degree with 0 years related experience

Tools

NX/Siemens

CATIA

SolidWorks

Job description

Relocation & Clearance

Relocation assistance: No relocation assistance available. Clearance required for start: Yes. Clearance type: Secret. Travel: Yes, 10% of the time.

Job Overview

At Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems (NGAS) we are seeking an Advanced Automation Manufacturing Engineer to join our Manufacturing Engineering Team in Palmdale, CA. The role is focused on developing and implementing advanced manufacturing solutions to increase efficiency, reduce costs, and improve quality across production applications. The engineer will work collaboratively across engineering disciplines, program offices, and executive management in a fast‑paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Provide guidance to Engineering regarding design concepts to ensure the best manufacturing technique is used to meet the Engineering design.
• Participate in tool design reviews to ensure tools are feasible and reduce build times and program costs during assembly.
• Define sequence of operations for product builds, investigate and initiate corrective actions and improvements that involve non‑conforming product and identify improvement opportunities in areas that require producibility and affordability initiatives.
• Define, develop, implement, and transition new technology solutions to manufacturing to increase efficiency, reduce cost, and improve quality.
• Generate manufacturing concept and process solutions for production applications covering advanced technologies including composites fabrication, assembly, automation, inspection, direct part manufacturing, survivability technologies, and digital capabilities.
• Incorporate requirements into development plans and evaluate performance of processes and tools to verify their efficiency.
• Identify and initiate corrective actions of problems and deficiencies to ensure technical, schedule, and cost objectives are met, and product quality is maintained.
• Provide guidance regarding design concepts, directly support, and ensure successful implementation of new solution capabilities released to production, and specification requirements to best utilize resources and manufacturing techniques.
• Interface with internal and external customers, program offices, engineering disciplines, and executive management.
• Handle multiple projects concurrently in a dynamic/fast‑paced work environment.
• Act as the technical representative voice for the Manufacturing organization, providing technical solutions to a wide range of complex and difficult problems.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree with 1 year or Master’s degree with 0 years of related experience in production assembly/fabrication including composites, machining, coatings application, or production manufacturing operations.
• Experience supporting manufacturing/production operations with an understanding of manufacturing processes and procedures.
• Experience in machining, robotics, or numerical control programming.
• Experience in composites, automation, heating systems or coatings application.
• Experience working or knowledge of Process Work Instructions (PWI).
• Experience in creating work instructions, training materials & visual aids.
• Experience reviewing and interpreting Blueprints and 3‑D models.
• Experience in system requirements development, acceptance testing, and training.
• Experience working hands‑on in a production assembly line environment.
• Experience in troubleshooting systems, root cause analysis, and corrective action analysis.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook.
• Ability to interface/communicate with multiple levels of leadership, engineering, production, customers, and suppliers.
• Must have the ability to obtain and maintain U.S. Government Secret clearance as well as Special Program Access within a reasonable period of time.
• Ability to work 1st shift, 2nd shift, or any work schedule (times may vary).

Preferred Qualifications

• Degree in a STEM field (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math).
• Experience in project management and execution (proposal creation, scheduling, budget tracking).
• Experience in Manufacturing Execution System and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems.
• Experience in solid modeling design using NX Siemens, CATIA, or Solid Works.
• Experience providing innovative techniques focused on improving product designs and tooling assemblies or equipment.
• Experience in using Microsoft Office Project, Visio, SharePoint.
• Experience in Transition to Production activities.
• Current and active U.S. Government Secret or Top‑Secret clearance preferred.

Salary Range

Primary Level Salary Range: $83,400.00 – $125,200.00.

Benefits

Northrop Grumman provides a variety of benefits including health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, savings plan, company‑paid holidays, and paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Northrop Grumman is an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class.

Citizenship Requirement

U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.