Quality Engineer 2/3

Northrop Grumman; United States; On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Northrop Grumman’s Space Sector is seeking a Quality Engineer (Level 2/3) in Oxnard, CA for on-site work. The role focuses on QA leadership across programs, audits, and supplier coordination, with opportunities to mentor junior engineers and interface with program leadership and customers.

The position follows a 9/80 schedule with every other Friday off and requires US citizenship. This is an on-site role in a mission-critical environment within Space Systems.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's in STEM with 2 years' experience, or Master's with 0; 4+ years can substitute.
• No clearance required to start.
• QMS (AS9100/ISO 9001) expertise and MRB leadership.
• Data analytics to identify defect trends and mitigation.
• Strong leadership and communication skills.
• U.S. Citizenship.

Responsibilities

• Lead quality assurance activities for programs, audits, supplier assessments, and corrective actions.
• Develop and implement quality plans, inspection procedures, and process improvements.
• Serve as SME to engineering, manufacturing, and support teams.
• Analyze and present trends in quality and nonconformances; drive improvements.
• Oversee use of QA tools; guide MRB activities.
• Support design reviews, failure investigations, and issue resolution with cross-functional partners.
• Mentor junior quality engineers.
• Represent quality in customer and supplier interactions.

Skills

QMS (AS9100/ISO 9001)

Root cause analysis

MRB

Inspection planning

Data analytics

Leadership

Communication skills

U.S. Citizenship

Education

Bachelor's degree in STEM

Master's degree

PhD (optional)

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.

Expand your horizons, advance your career, and contribute to a secure future for generations. Northrop Grumman's Space Sector invites you to bring your pioneering spirit to our collaborative teams. As a Quality Engineer - Level 2 or Level 3 located in Oxnard, CA, you'll be a linchpin in missions of paramount importance, defining the art of the possible from day one. This position is 100% onsite and cannot accommodate telecommute work.

The Quality Engineer (Level 2/3) serves as a technical leader for quality assurance within Space Systems, guiding projects through all phases from requirements and design review through build and delivery. The quality engineer will ensure robust process control, regulatory compliance, and the highest product quality through leadership of audits, root cause analyses, and supplier/customer coordination. This role offers the opportunity to mentor junior engineers, interface directly with program leadership and customers, and drive innovative solutions to complex quality challenges.

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

In this job, you will:

• Lead quality assurance activities for assigned programs, including internal and external audits, supplier assessments, and corrective action processes.
• Develop and implement quality plans, inspection procedures, and process improvements.
• Serve as a technical subject matter expert and resource to engineering, manufacturing, and support teams.
• Analyze and present trends in product quality, process nonconformance, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Oversee use of advanced quality and root cause tools; guide MRB activities and recommendation processes.
• Support design reviews, failure investigations, and resolution of technical issues with cross-functional partners.
• Mentor and coach less-experienced quality engineers.
• Represent the quality function in customer and supplier interactions.

Other duties as assigned

This position can be filled at either a Level 2 or Level 3.

Basic Qualifications for Level 2:

• Bachelor's degree in a STEM field with 2 years of professional experience - OR - Master's degree with 0 years of professional experience. Will consider an additional 4+ years of experience in lieu of degree.
• No clearance required to start
• Demonstrated expertise in QMS (AS9100/ISO 9001), root cause and corrective action leadership, MRB, and inspection planning.
• Demonstrated capability in data analytics - identification of defect trends and associated ability to generate relevant mitigative solutions.
• Strong leadership and communication skills.
• U.S. Citizenship.

Basic Qualifications for Level 3:

• Bachelor's degree in a STEM field with 5 years of professional experience - OR - Master's degree with 3 years of professional experience - OR - PhD with 1 year of professional experience. Will consider an additional 4+ years of experience in lieu of degree.
• No clearance required to start
• Demonstrated expertise in QMS (AS9100/ISO 9001), root cause and corrective action leadership, MRB, and inspection planning.
• Demonstrated capability in data analytics - identification of defect trends and associated ability to generate relevant mitigative solutions.Strong leadership and communication skills.
• U.S. Citizenship.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Advanced technical degree.
• QMS signature authority and customer coordination or regulatory audit experience.
• Hands-on experience with inspection tools, advanced measurement systems, and digital inspection technologies.
• Proven record of driving process and quality improvement.
• Experience in space/aerospace environments.

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.