Sr Staff Engineer Propulsion

0903 SP - Propulsion Systems; United States; On-site; USD 167,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

Northrop Grumman’s Space Sector seeks a Sr Staff Propulsion Engineer for Composite Case Manufacturing in Clearfield, UT. You will provide technical leadership across multiple sites, mentor engineers, and drive manufacturing excellence in case processing with a focus on safety, quality, and cost control.

The role requires advanced degrees or extensive experience, secrecy clearance eligibility, and strong collaboration with program offices, with travel to other sites as needed.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering with extensive professional experience.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government security clearance.
• Strong understanding of solid rocket motor case design, manufacturing, and testing.
• Proven success leading high-performance cross-functional technical teams.
• Ability to mentor and guide staff and influence without formal reporting lines.

Responsibilities

• Establish safety culture and drive process excellence across Case Manufacturing.
• Provide technical authority and set standards for Case Manufacturing Process Engineering.
• Serve as technical POC to customers and cross-functional partners.
• Lead and mentor the Case Manufacturing Process Engineering team; drive collaboration.
• Review planning changes, PFMEAs, CONOPS, MBOMs, and related deliverables.
• Interface with other campuses and attend design, tooling, and facility reviews.
• Lead CapEx and IRAD planning and execution; influence facility and equipment design.
• Lead design criteria for new/modified facilities and perform root-cause investigations.
• Advance DOE/SPC/6-sigma driven improvements and support multiple programs/sites.

Skills

Leadership

Cross-functional teams

Problem solving

Project management

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering

Master’s in Engineering

PhD (preferred)

Tools

GD&T

DOE

SPC

Six Sigma

Job description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be 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. Northrop Grumman’s Space Sector is seeking a Sr Staff Propulsion Engineer for Composite Case Manufacturing to join our team in Clearfield, UT. This position is primarily located in Clearfield, UT but requires travel and support of other Propulsion Systems case manufacturing locations (Promontory, UT, Magna, UT, and Salt Lake City, UT). The primary role of the Sr Staff Propulsion Engineer is to provide technical leadership and oversight for composite case processing operations across multiple manufacturing sites, ensuring that we meet safety, quality, cost, and schedule commitments. This role will also require collaboration with and guidance to other case manufacturers across the NG Enterprise. Their purpose is to better share lessons learned, best practices, and to develop and maintain case manufacturing standards across the enterprise. Close collaboration on new business opportunities with Business Development, Industrial Engineering, and various Program Offices is also expected. This role leads and mentors Process Engineers, as well as other cross-functional departments. This role drives manufacturing excellence through data-driven decision-making, and serves as the focal point for process optimization, equipment changes, facility design reviews, and corrective actions. This position ensures the team meets program objectives, improves operational performance, and ensures compliance with manufacturing standards and engineering requirements.

Job responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Establish, foster, and maintain a culture of Safety First
• Provide technical authority and oversight for the entire Case Manufacturing Process Engineering organization, establishing strategy, standards, and best practices
• Act as the go-to authority for Case Manufacturing across Propulsion Systems
• Act as the technical Point of Contact (POC) to customers, representing Process Engineering in meetings, addressing technical inquiries, and translating customers’ needs into actionable deliverables
• Lead and mentor Case Manufacturing Process Engineering organization, fostering collaboration and high performance
• Conduct Peer Reviews of all planning changes, PFMEAs, CONOPS, MBOMs, and other Process Engineering deliverables as the Case Manufacturing Sr SME
• Interface with cross-functional departments and other campuses, as needed, as the technical POC
• Attend Design, Tooling, and Facility drawing reviews and advise when necessary
• Driver and/or active involvement in CapEx plans and execution
• Driver and/or active involvement in IRAD plan and execution
• Instrumental in creating/reviewing FEO/TCN design criteria for new/modified facilities, equipment, and manufacturing buildings
• Lead or facilitate failure investigations to direct/root cause and develop robust corrective actions
• Lead the team through development and implementation of error-proofing projects
• Drive process improvements across the Case Manufacturing Process team
• Ability to support on-site at Clearfield, Copper Crossing, Promontory, or Bacchus when needed

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering with 14 years professional experience – or – Master’s degree with 12 years of professional experience – or – PhD with 10 years of professional experience
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government security clearance
• Strong understanding of solid rocket motor case design, manufacturing, and test
• Demonstrated success leading high performance, cross-functional technical teams
• Ability to motivate and guide teams and activities with a staff that does not formally report to you
• Demonstrated ability to act as the technical point of contact to Executive leadership and/or Customers stakeholder addressing technical requests and translating into actionable deliverables
• Demonstrated experience supporting multiple programs and sites
• Skilled at steering multiple initiatives simultaneously from conception to delivery

Preferred Qualifications:

• Advanced degree in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Management or other related fields is preferred
• Active or current Secret or Top Secret security clearance.
• Deep knowledge (the how and why) of the details and hands-on experience of all case manufacturing processes, which include but are not limited to: Molding, Wound Elastomer Insulation (WEI), Composite Winding and Cure, Composite Machining, Hand Operations / Bracketry, Hydro and Structural Testing, Non-Destructive Testing (NDT), Case Handling / Shipping
• Experience with new manufacturing building designs, including evaluation and selection of facilities to meet design and rate demands of our customers
• Experience leading and/or being a lead investigator in a failure investigation, driving to find root cause and implementing effective corrective actions to prevent future failures
• Experience with evaluating CapEx needs and developing business justification plans for capital expenditure
• Deep understanding of command media, and practice with developing/writing/updating command media where needed
• Experience with Design of Experiment=(DOE), Statistical Process Control (SPC), and 6 sigma concepts for process development and control
• Strong knowledge of GD&T tolerance analysis
• Excellent written /oral communication, time management, and organizational abilities

Primary Level Salary Range: $166,500.00 - $249,700.00 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.

We are a pioneering company. With careers across all areas: air, cyber, land, sea and space – our 90,000 employees work as one to defend and define the future. Northrop Grumman careers and internships are as varied as your interests, with a lifetime of potential that will give you every opportunity to do your best work. Working together with people from many backgrounds, personal passions and disciplines, we share a drive to push the boundaries of science, technology and engineering to meet the ever evolving needs of our customers worldwide.