Sr Principal Quality Engineer

About the role

• RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: No relocation assistance available
• CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes
• CLEARANCE TYPE: Secret
• TRAVEL: No

About the role

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 the heart of Defining Possible is our commitment to missions. In rapidly changing global security environments, Northrop Grumman brings informed insights and software-secure technology to enable strategic planning. We are looking for innovators who can help us keep building on our wide portfolio of secure, affordable, integrated, and multi-domain systems and technologies that fuel those missions.

By joining in our shared mission, we ’II support yours of expanding your personal network and developing skills, whether you are new to the field, or an industry thought leader. At Northrop Grumman, you ’II have the resources, support, and team to do some of the best work of your career.

Northrop Grumman Mission Systems (NGMS) is currently seeking a Sr Principal Quality Engineer to join our team in Linthicum, MD.

What You'll Get To Do

• Develop, modify, apply, and maintain quality evaluation, control systems, and protocols for processing materials.
• Partner with engineering and operations to establish and uphold quality standards.
• Design, analyze, and implement inspection and testing processes and equipment; conduct quality assurance tests, perform statistical analyses to determine cost and responsibility for non-conforming parts.
• Audit quality systems, identify deficiencies, 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.
• Identify and remove barriers to quality improvement through root‑cause analysis and corrective‑action planning.
• Review contracts/SOWs/drawings to evaluate, interpret and apply company policies, ISO 9000, AS9100, MIL, IPC, and other standards applicable to designs and processes.
• Interface with production‑floor roles (inspection, assembly, operations, EHSFP) and communicate clearly with all stakeholders.
• Define, classify, and control quality characteristics for products, processes, and services; develop and validate control plans and work‑instruction updates.
• Manage nonconformances across the facility; lead cross‑functional containments to ensure product and process compliance, including, but not limited to scrap committee actions.
• Create, use, and interpret quality‑control tools (flowcharts, Pareto, SPC charts)
• Apply benchmarking techniques to drive system‑wide quality improvements.
• Facilitate team collaboration with brainstorming, conflict‑resolution, and other facilitation tools.
• Specialize as needed in design, incoming material, production control, product evaluation, reliability, inventory control, or R&D as they apply to product or process quality.

Basic Qualifications

• 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 a Masters Degree 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 Degree in a STEM field
• Experience in a Semi-conductor Fab (Microelectronics environment)
• Experience and knowledge with Quality Management Systems (ISO9001 or AS9100)
• Experience working with and enforcing design specifications
• Experience and knowledge of Root Cause Analysis or Risk Management team/group, including use of RCA tools such as 5 Why’s and Fishbone/Ishikawa
• Experience driving Correction Actions and facilitating Corrective Action Plans, Implementation, Verification of Effectiveness, and Closure
• Active US Government Secret security clearance
• US Citizenship required

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Material Review Board (MRB) process or Corrective Action Review Board (CARB)
• Experience with SAP/Factory Works or other Manufacturing Execution Systems
• Experience with HQMS
• Experience using software/tools for statistical analysis
• Experience with electrical and/or mechanical design requirements and specifications
• Green/Black Belt Certified in Lean Six-sigma
• Experience with data analysis with experience in presenting data (one pagers/BLUFs)
• Certified auditor to AS9100 or ISO 9001
• Experience with dispositioning hardware and/or equipment for quality related issues in a manufacturing facility

Primary Level Salary Range

$123,400.00 - $185,000.00

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.