Principal Mechanical Engineer

Northrop Grumman; McClellan Place (CA); On-site; USD 114,000 - 171,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Health insurance

Job summary

Northrop Grumman in McClellan, CA is seeking a Principal Mechanical Engineer to join our Mission Systems team. The role focuses on design, development and sustainment of military electrical systems, with emphasis on 3D CAD modeling, drawings, BOMs and PLM workflows, and requires the ability to guide junior engineers and work with cross‑functional groups.

Candidates must have a STEM degree, multiple years of hands‑on experience with PTC Creo or NX, GD&T, and the ability to obtain a Secret

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a STEM discipline with 5+ years experience or Master’s with 2+ years.
• 3 years minimum experience with mechanical 3D modeling using PTC Creo or Siemens NX.
• 3 years minimum experience generating drawings and BOMs (PTC Creo or Siemens NX).
• Experience releasing drawings and BOMs in a PLM system (PTC Windchill or Siemens Teamcenter).
• Experience with GD&T per ASME Y14.5 and tolerance stack‑up analysis.
• Strong presentation and written communication skills.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret Security Clearance and US Citizenship.

Responsibilities

• Support design and development for 3U VPX chassis and systems.
• Perform precision mechanical design work: GD&T, fit/finish, drawings, BOMs, and manufacturing work instructions.
• Develop and execute mechanical testing and qualification plans (vibration, thermal, shock).
• Collaborate with senior engineers to drive hardware design under tight schedules.
• Translate system requirements into mechanical designs.
• Support root-cause analysis and resolve production line issues.
• Mentor junior engineers and maintain engineering best practices for high‑reliability products.

Skills

PTC Creo

Siemens NX

BOM management

GD&T

Communication skills

Security clearance

Education

Bachelor's degree in STEM

Master's degree in STEM with 2+ years experience

Tools

PTC Windchill

Siemens Teamcenter

Job description

Description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available

CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: No

CLEARANCE TYPE: SCI

TRAVEL: Yes, 10% of the Time

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 Mission Systems is a trusted provider of mission‑enabling solutions for global security. Our Engineering and Sciences (E&S) organization pushes the boundaries of innovation, redefines engineering capabilities, and drives advances in various sciences. Our team is chartered with providing the skills, innovative technologies to develop, design, produce and sustain optimized product lines across the sector while providing a decisive advantage to the warfighter. Come be a part of our mission!

We are looking for you to join our team as a Principal Mechanical Engineer based out of McClellan, CA. As a Mechanical Engineer at Northrop Grumman, you will have a challenging and rewarding opportunity to be a part of our Enterprise‑wide digital transformation. Using model‑based engineering we continue to evolve how we deliver critical national defense products and capabilities for the warfighter. Our success is grounded in our ability to embrace change, move quickly and continuously drive innovation.

Based in our McClellan, CA office, this position will support senior mechanical engineers in the design of military electrical systems for various defense platforms. This position is for an individual contributor with technical and leadership responsibilities. Experience with mechanical engineering design, development, testing, production support, and lifecycle sustainment preferred. Candidate would be expected to provide technical design support and leadership across product development, manufacturing testing, and qualification to ensure high‑performance and reliability of sensor systems.

This position is not eligible for remote work. This position will be 100% on‑site. This role may offer a competitive relocation assistance package.

Roles & Responsibilities:

• Support design and development for 3U VPX Chassis and Systems, including support for existing product lines
• Perform and review precision‑mechanical design work: GD&T, fit/finish, assembly drawings, BOMs, and manufacturing work instructions
• Develop and execute mechanical testing and qualification plans (vibration, thermal, shock, vacuum, life testing) to meet system requirements
• Work closely with senior engineers including the chief engineer and program management to drive hardware design, working within challenging schedules
• Derive system level requirements into mechanical designs
• Support for root cause analysis and quick resolution of manufacturing line stops and other critical production activities
• Collaborative work with other engineering organizations, program management, factory operations, global supply chain and mission assurance
• Mentor junior engineers, conduct design reviews, and maintain engineering best practices for high‑reliability inertial products

Basic Qualifications for a Principal Mechanical Engineer:

• Bachelor’s degree in a Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) discipline with 5 or more years applicable experience; OR a Master’s degree in a STEM discipline with 2 or more years applicable experience.
• 3 years’ minimum experience with Mechanical 3D Modeling using PTC Creo CAD software or Siemens NX.
• 3 years minimum experience generating Drawings and Build of Materials (BOM) (PTC Creo or Siemens NX preferred).
• Experience releasing Drawings and BOMs in a Product Lifecycle Management (PDM) system (PTC Windchill or Siemens Teamcenter preferred).
• Experience with Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T) per ASME Y14.5 and tolerance stack‑up analysis.
• Good presentation and writing/communication skills.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret Security Clearance and US Citizenship required

Preferred Qualifications for a Principal Mechanical Engineer:

• Demonstrated proficiency with PTC Creo and Siemens NX CAD software and Teamcenter Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) software
• Experience with VITA 3U or 6U VPX design standards
• Experience with DOD, Military, and/or Space specifications including ASME
• Experience with vibration testing, analysis and design for vibration isolation
• Skills in mechanical testing and qualification plans (vibration, thermal, shock) to meet system requirements
• Familiarity with test fixtures including design and development
• Demonstrated high degree of creativity and ability to solve a wide range of difficult problems
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to present complex technical information clearly
• Proven ability to collaborate effectively with cross‑functional teams
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills, with a focus on continuous improvement
• Must be proactive and results-oriented, with a strong sense of ownership
• Active Secret Security Clearance

Primary Level Salary Range: $114,000.00 - $171,000.00

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.