Associate Engineer Mission Assurance

Northrop Grumman; Elkton (MD); On-site; USD 73,000 - 109,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Job summary

Northrop Grumman is seeking a Mission Assurance Engineer to implement MA plans across programs, interfacing with customers and NG teams to ensure mission success. The role emphasizes quality, risk management, and process improvement in a collaborative environment.

The candidate will analyze data, lead internal audits, and support supplier verification, with opportunities to contribute to program reviews and critical actions within a diverse, fast-paced defense-focused organization.

Qualifications

• 4+ years of experience as a quality / mission assurance engineer, or a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) discipline
• Application of technical expertise including complete understanding of fundamental engineering principles, practices, and theories
• Able to read engineering documentation (drawings, models, specs), interpret drawing dimensions, features, and parts lists, develop inspection plans, and identify critical features
• Intermediate to advanced computer skills including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Ability to understand and work with multiple enterprise-wide systems
• Excellent written and oral communication skills as well as strong interpersonal and problem-solving skills
• Ability to work well in a team environment
• Ability to obtain a DoD Secret Clearance which requires US Citizenship as a prerequisite

Responsibilities

• Establish and maintain Quality Assurance programs, procedures and controls ensuring that products and services conform to company standards of excellence.
• Support the development, implementation and maintenance of quality policy and procedures within the Quality Management System (QMS) including performing internal audits to assess conformance.
• Interface with suppliers in the verification of product design, quality and reliability.
• Review practices, procedures and processes seeking ways to improve efficiency and effectiveness and reduce risk to product quality.
• Interpret customer technical and MA requirements, and ensure these requirements are integrated into program plans, specifications and product drawings.
• Ensure program contract requirements are flowed down internally to the production floor and externally to suppliers.
• Ensure compliance with contract program, quality, organizational, and industry alert requirements.
• Provide oversight into discrepancy review and failure investigations, as well as cause and corrective action determinations.
• Analyze and interpret trends and execute improvements using data from key metrics.
• Perform Root Cause and Corrective Action (RCCA) analysis, and problem-solving activities on program-specific, quality system and business system deficiencies.
• Represent Mission Assurance at various program reviews and review boards including but not limited to Configuration Control Board (CCB), Material Review Board (MRB), Program Management Reviews (PMR), design/peer reviews, Manufacturing/Test Readiness Reviews (MRR/TRR) and Corrective Action Board (CAB).
• Ensure risk management activities (including design/process Failure Modes and Effects Analysis dFMEA/pFMEA) are executed according to standards and procedures.

Skills

Quality Assurance

Mission Assurance

Reading engineering drawings

Documentation & drawing interpretation

MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)

DoD Secret Clearance

Education

Bachelor's degree in Science/Engineering or Mathematics

Job description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available

CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: No

CLEARANCE TYPE: Secret

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.

Implement mission assurance (MA) plans for individual programs in support of proposals, planning, design, manufacturing, integration, and test activities in accordance with company and contractual requirements. Work as a member of an integrated product team and with NG Mission Assurance staff to address technical and quality issues, meet program requirements and ensure mission success. Interface with customers, vendors, and with NG Program Management, Planning, Supply Chain, Engineering, Manufacturing, Integration, and Test organizations to identify and resolve quality and mission/flight assurance issues.

Job Responsibilities

• Establish and maintain Quality Assurance programs, procedures and controls ensuring that products and services conform to company standards of excellence.
• Support the development, implementation and maintenance of quality policy and procedures within the Quality Management System (QMS) including performing internal audits to assess conformance.
• Interface with suppliers in the verification of product design, quality and reliability.
• Review practices, procedures and processes seeking ways to improve efficiency and effectiveness and reduce risk to product quality.
• Interpret customer technical and MA requirements, and ensure these requirements are integrated into program plans, specifications and product drawings.
• Ensure program contract requirements are flowed down internally to the production floor and externally to suppliers.
• Ensure compliance with contract program, quality, organizational, and industry alert requirements.
• Provide oversight into discrepancy review and failure investigations, as well as cause and corrective action determinations.
• Analyze and interpret trends and execute improvements using data from key metrics.
• Perform Root Cause and Corrective Action (RCCA) analysis, and problem-solving activities on program-specific, quality system and business system deficiencies.
• Represent Mission Assurance at various program reviews and review boards including but not limited to Configuration Control Board (CCB), Material Review Board (MRB), Program Management Reviews (PMR), design/peer reviews, Manufacturing/Test Readiness Reviews (MRR/TRR) and Corrective Action Board (CAB).
• Ensure risk management activities (including design/process Failure Modes and Effects Analysis dFMEA/pFMEA) are executed according to standards and procedures.

Basic Qualifications Mission Assurance Engineer 1:

• Must have 4 or more years of experience as a quality / mission assurance engineer, or a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) discipline
• Application of technical expertise including complete understanding of fundamental engineering principles, practices, and theories
• Able to read engineering documentation (drawings, models, specs), interpret drawing dimensions, features, and parts lists, develop inspection plans, and identify critical features
• Intermediate to advanced computer skills including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Ability to understand and work with multiple enterprise-wide systems
• Excellent written and oral communication skills as well as strong interpersonal and problem-solving skills
• Ability to work well in a team environment
• Ability to obtain a DoD Secret Clearance which requires US Citizenship as a prerequisite

Preferred Qualifications:

• Active Secret Security Clearance
• Accredited certification in Quality and/or Mission assurance field
• Familiarity with key materials, technologies and/or processes such as machining, welding, CT scanning, additive manufacturing, laser/light inspection techniques, and chemical processing
• Demonstrated process control and improvement experience and knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma or similar tools
• Knowledge of Root Cause and Corrective Action tools, such as Ishikawa, FMEA, DOE, KTA (Kepner Tregoe Analysis), 5Why, etc.

Primary Level Salary Range: $72,700.00 - $109,100.00

The above salary range represents a general guideline; however, Northrop Grumman considers a number of factors when determining base salary offers such as the scope and responsibilities of the position and the candidate’s experience, education, skills and current market conditions.

Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay. Annual bonuses are designed to reward individual contributions as well as allow employees to share in company results. Employees in Vice President or Director positions may be eligible for Long Term Incentives. In addition, 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.

The application period for the job is estimated to be 20 days from the job posting date. However, this timeline may be shortened or extended depending on business needs and the availability of qualified candidates.

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. For our complete EEO and pay transparency statement, please visit http://www.northropgrumman.com/EEO. U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.