Principal Material Process Engineer - 17401

Northrop Grumman; United States; On-site; USD 99,000 - 148,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental & Vision coverage

401k

Educational Assistance

Life Insurance

Employee Assistance Programs & Work/Li

Paid Time Off

Health & Wellness Resources

Employee Discounts

Job summary

Northrop Grumman in Huntsville, AL is seeking a Principal Material Process Engineer to support the Sentinel program. You will manage part and material design documentation, analyze data, and develop test strategies for aerospace systems while coordinating with cross‑functional teams.

This role requires US citizenship and ability to obtain DoD security clearances; relocation assistance may be available, and a 9/80 work schedule is possible.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in STEM and 5 years with a bachelor’s, 3 with a master’s, or 0 with a PhD.
• US citizen and ability to obtain/maintain DoD Secret clearance.
• Ability to obtain and maintain Special Access Program (SAP) clearance.
• Strong written and oral communication for test plans and briefing stakeholders.
• Project-management basics (schedule, risk, resource coordination).
• Ability to read and interpret technical drawings and 3D models.
• Knowledge of material properties, process controls, and failure modes.
• Proficiency with test equipment (shakers, climate chambers, DMA, SEM, X-ray, ultrasonic).
• Ability to use data-analysis tools (MATLAB, Python, R, Minitab).
• Familiarity with quality-system software (e.g., Minitab, QC tools, PLM).
• Ability to read, apply, and generate reports per DoD and aerospace standards.
• Experience in DOE or Automotive/Medical device QA is acceptable.

Responsibilities

• Perform full spectrum design application parts management to identify risks and track at‑risk component issues.
• Develop test/data analysis strategies for large aerospace and ground control components.
• Apply principles of part/material performance and service life estimation.
• Demonstrate systems engineering familiarity and supplier coordination.
• Provide innovative technical solutions through literature review and testing.
• Create roadmaps, reports, and present data to stakeholders and upper management.
• Research specifications to support part, material & process engineering across suppliers.
• Maintain coordination with integrated product teams and provide status to program leadership.
• Work self‑motively in teams and collaborate with engineers and customers to ensure traceability.

Skills

Technical documentation

Communication skills

Project management basics

Reading drawings & 3D models

Data analysis tools

Quality systems familiarity

Agile experience

JIRA knowledge

Test plan writing

Stakeholder briefing

Education

Bachelor’s degree in STEM

Master’s degree in STEM (optional)

Tools

MATLAB

Python

R

Minitab

QC tools

PLM

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.

Northrop Grumman’s Defense Systems sector is seeking a Principal Material Process Engineer to join the Sentinel program in Huntsville, AL. This role may offer a competitive relocation assistance package.

What You’ll Get To Do:

• 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.

• Develops comprehensive test or data analysis strategies for large scale aerospace and ground control system components.

• Demonstrates a complete understanding and wide application of technical principles, theories, and concepts relative to part/material performance and service life estimation

• Demonstrates general knowledge of Systems Engineering, multi‑generational program system and/or multi‑generational program subsystem development, and familiarity with supplier management.

• Works independently to provide innovative technical solutions to a wide range of difficult problems using literature review and testing as appropriate.

• Create, analyze, and produce roadmaps, impact, and issue reports and present data to stakeholders, customers, and upper management.

• Research specifications and standards to support part, material & process engineering processes being implemented across multiple internal and external supplier sub‑system designs and manufacturing processes.

• Applicant will be expected to maintain close coordination with several integrated product teams and provide detailed status to program leadership, as required.

• Self‑motivated, work under general direction, and work well in teams.

• Collaborates with systems engineers, design engineers, project managers, reliability engineers, and external customers to establish clear part, material and process design documentation traceability to system performance.

As a full‑time employee of Northrop Grumman, you are eligible for our robust benefits package including:

Medical, Dental & Vision coverage

401k

Educational Assistance

Life Insurance

Employee Assistance Programs & Work/Life Solutions

Paid Time Off

Health & Wellness Resources

Employee Discounts

This positions standard work schedule is a 9/80. The 9/80 schedule allows employees who work a nine‑hour day Monday through Thursday to take every other Friday off.

You’ll Bring These Qualifications:

• 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 0 years of experience with PhD.

• Must be a US Citizen and have the ability to obtain and maintain a DOD Secret Security Clearance.

• Must have the ability to obtain and maintain Special Access Program (SAP) clearance

• Strong written and oral communication for test plans and briefing stakeholders.

• Project‑management basics (schedule, risk, resource coordination).

• Ability to read and interpret technical drawings and 3D models

• Knowledge of material properties, process controls, and failure modes.

• Proficiency with test equipment (shakers, climate chambers, DMA, SEM, X‑ray, ultrasonic, etc.).

• Ability to use data‑analysis tools (MATLAB, Python, R, Minitab).

• Familiarity with quality‑system software (e.g., Minitab, QC tools, PLM).

• Ability to read, apply, and generate reports in accordance with U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and aerospace standards

• Experience in closely related field such as the DOE, or Automotive/Medical device manufacturing and quality assurance is also acceptable.

These Qualifications Would be Nice to Have:

• Degree in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Welding Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or Materials Engineering.

• Familiarity with MIL-STD-810 Environmental Engineering Considerations and Laboratory Tests, MIL-STD-202 Test Methods for Electronic and Electrical Component Parts, MIL-STD-883 Test Methods and Procedures for Microcircuits, MIL-STD-105E / ISO?2859-1 Sampling Procedures for Inspection, MIL-STD-1540 Design and Development of Test Equipment or MIL-STD-31000 (formerly MIL-STD-310) Quality Assurance (QA) System Requirements

• Understanding of process/procedure development, control, and improvement

• Demonstrated passion for material properties, semiconductor electronics, corrosion, metallurgy, etc.

• Test Plan Writing and reviewing experience negotiation soft skills

• Familiar with Service Life Testing, reliability sampling, and failure analysis

• Ability to obtain and maintain a DoD Top Secret clearance

• Strong oral and written communication skills, including demonstrated experience with high value customer presentations, with ability to focus on multiple projects with competing priorities

• Experience in performing in an Agile environment and knowledge/understanding of JIRA

• Six Sigma Green/Black Belt

• NIST-based calibration accreditation (ISO/IEC?17025)

• Proficiency with test equipment (shakers, climate chambers, DMA, FTIR, SEM, X‑ray, ultrasonic, etc.).

Primary Level Salary Range: $98,900.00 - $148,300.00

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.