Principal Quality Engineer/Sr. Principal Quality Engineer 3/4

Northrop Grumman; Florida; On-site; USD 89,000 - 168,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Life and disability insurance

Savings plan

Paid holidays

PTO

Job summary

Northrop Grumman Mission Systems in Apopka, FL seeks a Principal Quality Engineer or Sr. Principal Quality Engineer to support the Quality and Mission Assurance team.

The role entails ensuring quality across material processing, inspection, and manufacturing, interfacing with production, and driving continuous improvement. You will work on designing quality systems, conducting audits, and applying standards such as ISO 9000, AS9102, and MIL while collaborating with cross-functional teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science in a STEM field with a minimum of 5 years of engineering experience in Quality Assurance; OR a minimum of 3 years with a Masters in STEM; OR a minimum of 1 year with a PhD.
• Experience with Data Analytics and Statistical Analysis methods and techniques.
• Experience with IPC, J-Std, MIL-STD standards.
• Experience in PFMEA (or other risk analysis methodologies).
• Experience Facilitating RCCAs with technical groups.
• Ability to Obtain and Maintain a U.S. Government Secret Clearance.
• US Citizenship required.

Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and maintain quality evaluation systems and protocols.
• Partner with engineering and manufacturing to uphold quality standards.
• Design and analyze inspection processes and perform QA tests.
• Audit quality systems, identify deficiencies, and drive corrective actions.
• Review contracts and drawings to apply relevant standards (ISO 9000, AS9102, MIL, IPC).
• Interface with shop-floor roles and communicate with stakeholders.
• Identify barriers to quality improvement through root-cause analysis.
• Define control plans and update work instructions.
• Manage nonconformances and lead cross-functional containment.
• Create and interpret QC tools and benchmark for system-wide improvements.
• Facilitate team collaboration and conflict resolution.
• Interpret technical drawings and specifications for compliance.
• Develop FMEAs to identify risks and mitigation strategies.

Skills

Data analytics

Statistical analysis

PFMEA

Root cause analysis

Auditing

Quality assurance

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

B.S. in STEM

M.S. in STEM

PhD in STEM

Tools

SAP

Excel

Minitab

Power BI

Statistical software

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.

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 (NGMS) is looking for a Principal Quality Engineer / Sr. Principal Quality Engineer to support the Quality and Mission Assurance team located in Apopka, FL. The selected candidate will demonstrate solid written and verbal technical communication skills and strong interpersonal abilities. Builds and sustains positive relationships with stakeholders and customers at all levels from shop-floor interactions to senior management briefings.

What You’ll Get To Do:

• Develop,modify, apply, andmaintainquality evaluation, control systems, and protocols for processing materials into partially finished or finished products.

• Partner with engineering and manufacturing toestablishand uphold quality standards.

• Design, analyze, and implement inspection and testing processes and equipment; conduct quality assurance tests, perform statistical analyses todeterminecost and responsibility for non-conforming parts.

• Audit quality systems,identifydeficiencies, and drive corrective actions that meet reliability and documentation requirements; plan, conduct, report, and follow‑up on audits to ensure compliance and continual process improvement.

• Review contracts/SOWs/drawings to evaluate,interpretand apply company policies, ISO 9000, AS9102, MIL, IPC, and other standards applicable.

• Interface with production‑floor roles (inspection, assembly, operations) and communicate clearly with all stakeholders.

• Identifyand remove barriers to quality improvement through root‑cause analysis and corrective‑action planning.

• Define, classify, and control quality characteristics for products, processes, and services; develop andvalidatecontrol plans and work‑instruction updates.

• Manage nonconformances across the facility, lead cross‑functional containments to ensure product compliance.

• Create, use, and interpret quality‑control tools (flowcharts, Pareto, control charts) and conduct benchmarking to drive system‑wide improvements.

• Facilitate team collaboration with brainstorming, conflict‑resolution, and other facilitation techniques.

• Interpret technical drawings and specifications to verify compliance with design requirements.

• Develop and analyze Failure Mode and Effects Analyses (FMEAs) toidentifyrisks and implement mitigation strategies.

• Specialize in design, incoming material, production control, product evaluation & reliability, inventory control, or R&D as they apply to product or process quality.

Basic Qualifications for a Level 3:

• Bachelor of Science Degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) field with a minimum of 5 years of engineering experience in Quality Assurance, which can include investigating failures and identifying root causes or in Manufacturing, Process, Electrical or Mechanical Engineering field of work performing technical job functions; OR a minimum of 3 years of engineering experience in Quality Assurance, which can include investigating failures and identifying root causes or in Manufacturing, Process, Electrical or Mechanical Engineering field of work performing technical job functions with aMastersDegree in a STEM field; OR a minimum of 1 year of engineering experience in Quality Assurance, which can include investigating failures and identifying root causes or in Manufacturing, Process, Electrical or Mechanical Engineering field of work performing technical job functions with a PhD. in a STEM field

• Experience with Data Analytics and Statistical Analysis methods and techniques

• Experience with at least one of the following Standards (IPC, J-Std, MIL-STD)

• Experience in PFMEA (or any other risk analysismethodology)

• Experience Facilitating RCCAs with technical groups

• Ability to Obtain and Maintain a U.S.Government Secret Clearance

• US Citizenshiprequired

Basic Qualifications for a Level 4:

• Bachelor of Science Degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) field with a minimum of 8 years of engineering experience in Quality Assurance, which can include investigating failures and identifying root causes or in Manufacturing, Process, Electrical or Mechanical Engineering field of work performing technical job functions; OR a minimum of 6 years of engineering experience in Quality Assurance, which can include investigating failures and identifying root causes or in Manufacturing, Process, Electrical or Mechanical Engineering field of work performing technical job functions with aMastersDegree in a STEM field; OR a minimum of 4 years of engineering experience in Quality Assurance, which can include investigating failures and identifying root causes or in Manufacturing, Process, Electrical or Mechanical Engineering field of work performing technical job functions with a PhD. in a STEM field

• Experience with Data Analytics and Statistical Analysis methods and techniques

• Experience with at least one of the following Standards (IPC, J-Std, MIL-STD)

• Experience in PFMEA (or any other risk analysismethodology)

• Experience Facilitating RCCAs with technical groups

• Ability to Obtain and Maintain a U.S.Government Secret Clearance

• US Citizenshiprequired

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong background in design and/or operations (manufacturing, quality, etc) of microelectronics and/or wafer processing

• Earned Value Management CAM experience

• Expertisewith ISO9001 or AS9100 Quality Management System and AS9102 First Article Inspections (FAI)

• Green/Black Belt Certified in Lean Six-sigma

• Certified in Lean and Six-Sigma methodologies

• Certified auditor

• SAP Expertise

• Active US Government Secret Clearance

• Expertiseleading cross-functional teams to resolve problems or issues

• Expertiseusing Microsoft Excel,Minitabor equivalent tools for statistical analysis

• Knowledge of modern skillsets such as Artificial Intelligence, SQL, Power BI to aid in data analysis and data visualization

• Expertisewith FMEAs, CARs, and audits

• ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE)

• Certified IPC Specialist (CIS) – IPC‑A‑610

• Certified IPC Specialist (CIS) – IPC/WHMA‑A‑620

Primary Level Salary Range: $89,400.00 - $134,200.00

Secondary Level Salary Range: $111,700.00 - $167,500.00

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.