Principal/Senior Principal Engineer Survivability - Materials (Palmdale CA)

Northrop Grumman Corp.; Palmdale (CA); On-site; USD 125,000 - 235,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Health insurance

Life and disability insurance

Savings plan

Holidays and PTO

Job summary

Northrop Grumman is seeking a Principal/Senior Principal Engineer in Survivability - Materials in Palmdale, CA. You will apply chemistry, physics, and materials science to improve survivability of defense systems and support LO material optimization across designs and production.

The role requires a strong background in LO materials, electromagnetic performance, and cross-disciplinary collaboration with design, manufacturing, and quality teams. A security clearance is required.

Qualifications

• Experience in Low Observable Materials and Processes (LO M&P).
• Knowledge of materials selection for electromagnetic performance.
• Proficiency in materials testing methods and interpreting lab results.
• Experience interfacing with military customers and compliance with standards.
• Ability to create process specs, test plans, and technical reports.

Responsibilities

• Analyze, research, and develop materials and processes for survivability.
• Ensure integration of survivability features into new designs and existing systems.
• Collaborate with IPTs to meet customer performance goals.
• Present findings and recommendations to stakeholders.

Skills

LO M&P

Material testing

EM performance

IPT collaboration

Python

C#

MATLAB

Education

Bachelor's Degree in STEM

Master's Degree in STEM

PhD in STEM

Tools

EM analysis codes

Python

MATLAB

Job description

Relocation assistance may be available

CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes

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.

The Principal/Senior Principal Engineer Survivability - Materials will be essential in enhancing the survivability of defense systems through the application of advanced materials and processes. The candidate will apply principles of chemistry, physics, and material science to investigate material issues and provide solutions within the Survivability discipline.

Responsibilities include analyzing, researching, and developing materials and their related application processes that optimize performance in structures, systems, and subsystems. The selected candidate will leverage principles of chemistry, physics, and material science to investigate material issues, ensuring the integration of survivability features into both new designs and existing systems.

Core Competencies

• Leverage Advanced Technology: Utilize the latest classified technology to minimize the detectability of aircraft across electromagnetic, infrared, visual, and acoustic spectrums.
• Predict and Verify Performance: Use proprietary analysis codes to forecast design performance and validate predictions through physical model testing.
• Optimize Stealth Design: Balance the optimization of stealth properties with requirements from other engineering disciplines and ensure compliance with survivability requirements during the design process.
• Collaborate Effectively: Work collaboratively in an Integrated Product Team (IPT) environment to achieve customer goals in a fast-paced and diverse work setting.
• Adapt and Innovate: Offer real-time solutions to production issues based on previous aircraft systems and Low Observable (LO) experience.

Basic Qualifications

• Education Experience Requirement:
  • Principal Engineer (LV3): Bachelor's Degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics) discipline and 5 years of related engineering experience, OR a Master's Degree in a STEM and 3 years of related engineering experience
  • Senior Principal Engineer (LV4): Bachelor’s Degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics) discipline and 8 years of related engineering experience; OR a Master’s degree in a STEM discipline and 6 years of related engineering experience; OR a PhD in a STEM discipline and 4 years of related engineering experience.
• Experience in Low Observable Materials and Processes (LO M&P).
• Comprehension of materials selection for electromagnetic performance.
• Proficiency in materials testing methods (mechanical, thermal, environmental, EM properties) and interpreting lab results.
• Knowledge of fabrication and application processes for specialty materials, including coatings, adhesives, and composite structures used in aircraft.
• Familiarity with military specifications and standards, as well as experience interfacing with military customers related to survivability requirements.
• Skilled in creating process specifications, test plans, technical reports, and presenting findings to stakeholders.
• Demonstrated experience working on projects requiring cross-collaboration with other disciplines.
• Comfortable working with design, manufacturing, quality, and production teams to ensure material/process compliance.
• A current active U.S. Government in-scope Secret Security Clearance is required to start, with the ability to obtain and maintain SAP/SAR and any other program access(es) required for the position.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working on military aircraft, specifically in the context of survivability engineering and LO materials.
• Advanced degree (M.S./Ph.D.) preferred, particularly with a focus on polymers, composites, or coatings.
• Excellent communication skills for preparing and presenting detailed technical reports and findings.
• Experience with material obsolescence issues, including qualifying and selecting replacement materials.
• Experience working with material suppliers and troubleshooting issues on site.
• Experience reading and reviewing technical drawings, specifications and manufacturing plans.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze materials issues, conduct root cause analysis of failures, and provide effective solutions for material performance in aerospace applications.
• Understanding of Aircraft Survivability to include susceptibility and vulnerability.
• Experience in modelling and simulation.
• Preferred competence in a high-level coding language. For example, Python, C#, MATLAB, etc.
• Experience with Northrop Grumman proprietary computational electromagnetic analysis codes or similar computational electromagnetic analysis codes used by industry.
• Knowledge of Applied Electromagnetics / Aircraft Survivability, and a Comprehensive understanding of Electromagnetic Energy transmission through space and within materials. Demonstrated expertise in low observable materials, including absorbers, specialty coatings, adhesives, or composites.
• Hands-on experience with material characterization methods (e.g., dielectric properties, mechanical testing, environmental durability).
• Knowledge of electromagnetic performance testing for LO materials and correlation with processing/chemistry.
• Understanding of manufacturing processes: composite layup, coating application, adhesives bonding, curing, and repair techniques.

Primary Level Salary Range: $125,300.00 - $187,900.00

Secondary Level Salary Range: $156,400.00 - $234,600.00

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.