Manufacturing Engineer Manager - Level 1

Northrop Grumman; Sterling (VA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 165,000; Full time

Job summary

Northrop Grumman in Dulles, VA seeks a Manufacturing Engineer Manager – Level 1 to lead a team of ten engineers in avionics circuit card production. The role blends hands-on engineering with functional management on a 9/80 schedule, every other Friday off.

You will drive process improvements, manage scheduling and costs, mentor staff, and coordinate cross-functional efforts to deliver quality, cost-effective solutions for complex electromechanical assemblies.

Qualifications

• Bachelors with 5+ years in manufacturing engineering or Masters with 3+ years of experience.
• Proficiency in scheduling, EV tracking, and budgeting tools.
• Experience with electromechanical assemblies and process control.

Responsibilities

• Act as hands-on Manufacturing Engineer for programs, manage work instructions, non-conformances, and engineering changes.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to develop and improve electromechanical assembly methods (DFM, readiness).
• Champion automation and tooling from business case to production deployment.
• Plan, budget, and execute equipment and process-development projects.
• Mentor engineers, coordinate training, and foster cross-functional expertise.
• Troubleshoot assembly issues with suppliers and oversee equipment qualification.
• Report progress to senior leadership and customers.

Skills

Manufacturing Engineering

Process Control

Control-Plan Development

Electromechanical Assemblies

Scheduling

Earned-Value Tracking

Budgeting Tools

Surface-mount Technology

Stencil Design

Vapor-phase Reflow

Test Processes

Mechanical Tooling Design

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a related field

Master’s degree

Tools

Microsoft Project

Job description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: No relocation assistance available

CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: No

CLEARANCE TYPE: None

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.

Northrop Grumman’s Space Sector is seeking a Manufacturing Engineer Manager – Level 1 to join our team in Dulles, VA. This position is 100% onsite and cannot accommodate telecommute work.

This Manager position will lead a team of ten Manufacturing Engineers supporting avionic circuit card production. The role arises from recent growth and will combine functional management with hands on engineering leadership.

This position will work a 9/80 schedule, with every other Friday off.

• Act as a hands-on Manufacturing Engineer for assigned programs, drafting and reviewing work instructions, managing non‑conformance dispositions and engineering change requests, and conducting peer reviews to meet daily operational needs.
• Process Leadership: Collaborates with cross‑functional teams to develop, validate, and continuously improve electromechanical assembly methods, emphasizing DFM, shift-left, manufacturing readiness, cost‑effectiveness, and quality. Automation & Tooling: Champion technical innovations, from business case through pilot testing to production deployment.
• Project & Capital Management: Plan, budget, and execute equipment and process‑development projects, ensuring schedule and cost targets are met.
• Team Development: Mentor engineers, coordinate training, and foster cross‑functional expertise (design‑for‑test, test readiness, triage).
• Operational Support: Troubleshoot assembly issues with suppliers, area management, and subject‑matter experts; oversee qualification of new equipment.
• Performance Oversight: Conduct staffing, performance reviews, knowledge‑management activities, and report progress to senior leadership and customers.

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree with 5 years of professional experience – OR – Master’s degree with 3 years of professional experience.
• No clearance required to start
• People or project‑leadership experience.
• Demonstrated background in manufacturing engineering, process control, and control‑plan development, preferably in electromechanical assemblies.
• Proficiency with scheduling, earned‑value tracking, and budgeting tools (e.g., Microsoft Project).
• Knowledge of surface‑mount technology, selective soldering, stencil design, vapor‑phase reflow, cleaning, and test processes; experience designing mechanical tooling for both manual and automated assembly.

Preferred Qualifications:

• 5 + years developing electronic/mechanical products and manufacturing processes.
• Hands‑on experience in a represented manufacturing workforce environment.

As a leader with integrity, you ensure ethical conduct, balanced results, and partner satisfaction. You respect and nurture growth, fostering a culture of excellence. Skilled in building collaborative teams and customer trust, you communicate well, foster strong teams, and embrace change.

Working at Northrop Grumman is more than just a paycheck. We offer a comprehensive Total Rewards and benefits package designed to help you thrive at work and in life. For more information on our Total Rewards package, please visit our Total Rewards site.

Northrop Grumman Total Rewards

Primary Level Salary Range: $110,000.00 - $165,000.00

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.