Mission Assurance Engineer 2/3

Relocation assistance may be available. A DoD Secret clearance is required for this role; US citizenship is a prerequisite. Travel is expected at 10% of the time.

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. 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.

The Northrop Grumman Propulsion Systems and Controls (PS&C) facility in Elkton, Maryland designs, develops, and produces solid-propellant propulsion and ordnance systems for a wide variety of Government and commercial customers. The Elkton site, operational since 1948, also serves as the hub for offsite engineering and test facilities in Ronkonkoma, NY and Palm Beach Gardens, FL.

Elkton, Maryland is located on the Upper Chesapeake Bay, midway between Philadelphia and Baltimore, offering a blend of small-town charm, outdoor recreation, and cultural attractions.

Responsibilities

• Implement mission assurance (MA) plans for individual programs supporting proposals, planning, design, manufacturing, integration, and test activities in accordance with company and contractual requirements.
• Work as a member of an integrated product team with NG Mission Assurance staff to address technical and quality issues, meet program requirements, and ensure mission success.
• Interface with customers, vendors, and NG Program Management, Planning, Supply Chain, Engineering, Manufacturing, Integration, and Test organizations to identify and resolve quality and mission/flight assurance issues.
• Establish and maintain Quality Assurance programs, procedures, and controls ensuring that products and services conform to company standards of excellence.
• Support the development, implementation, and maintenance of quality policy and procedures within the Quality Management System (QMS), including performing internal audits to assess conformance.
• Interface with suppliers in the verification of product design, quality, and reliability.
• Review practices, procedures, and processes seeking ways to improve efficiency, effectiveness, and reduce risk to product quality.
• Interpret customer technical and MA requirements, and ensure these requirements are integrated into program plans, specifications, and product drawings.
• Ensure program contract requirements are flowed down internally to the production floor and externally to suppliers.
• Ensure compliance with contract program, quality, organizational, and industry alert requirements.
• Provide oversight into discrepancy review and failure investigations, as well as cause and corrective action determinations.
• Analyze and interpret trends and execute improvements using data from key metrics.
• Perform Root Cause and Corrective Action (RCCA) analysis and problem-solving activities on program-specific, quality system, and business system deficiencies.
• Represent Mission Assurance at various program reviews and review boards including Configuration Control Board (CCB), Material Review Board (MRB), Program Management Reviews (PMR), design/peer reviews, Manufacturing/Test Readiness Reviews (MRR/TRR), and Corrective Action Board (CAB).
• Ensure risk management activities (including design/process Failure Modes and Effects Analysis dFMEA/pFMEA) are executed according to standards and procedures.

Qualifications

Mission Assurance Engineer 2

• 6 or more years of experience as a quality/mission assurance engineer, or
• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant STEM discipline plus 2 years’ experience as a quality/mission assurance engineer or related engineering role, or
• Master’s degree in a relevant STEM discipline plus 0 years’ experience as a quality/mission assurance engineer or related engineering role.
• Application of technical expertise including complete understanding of fundamental engineering principles, practices, and theories.
• Able to read engineering documentation (drawings, models, specs), interpret drawing dimensions, features, and parts lists, develop inspection plans, and identify critical features.
• Intermediate to advanced computer skills including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Ability to understand and work with multiple enterprise-wide systems.
• Knowledge of Root Cause and Corrective Action tools, such as Ishikawa, FMEA, DOE, KTA (Kepner Tregoe Analysis), 5Why, etc.
• Previous experience managing/supporting elements of a Quality Management System such as AS or ISO.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills as well as strong interpersonal and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work well in a team environment.
• Self-starter and able to work independently through complex technical problems towards an implementable solution.
• Ability to act as a leader for implementation of Mission Assurance requirements and objectives within a cross-functional team.

Principal Mission Assurance Engineer 3

• 9 or more years of experience as a quality/mission assurance engineer, or
• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant STEM discipline plus 5 years’ experience as a quality/mission assurance engineer or related engineering role, or
• Master’s degree in a relevant STEM discipline plus 3 years’ experience as a quality/mission assurance engineer or related engineering role.
• Application of technical expertise including complete understanding of fundamental engineering principles, practices, and theories.
• Able to read engineering documentation (drawings, models, specs), interpret drawing dimensions, features, and parts lists, develop inspection plans, and identify critical features.
• Intermediate to advanced computer skills including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Ability to understand and work with multiple enterprise-wide systems.
• Knowledge of Root Cause and Corrective Action tools, such as Ishikawa, FMEA, DOE, KTA (Kepner Tregoe Analysis), 5Why, etc.
• Previous experience managing/supporting elements of a Quality Management System such as AS or ISO.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills as well as strong interpersonal and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work well in a team environment.
• Self-starter and able to work independently through complex technical problems towards an implementable solution.
• Ability to act as a leader for implementation of Mission Assurance requirements and objectives within a cross-functional team.

Preferred Qualifications

• Active Secret Security Clearance.
• Accredited certification in Quality and/or Mission Assurance field.
• Familiarity with key materials, technologies, and/or processes such as machining, welding, CT scanning, additive manufacturing, laser/light inspection techniques, and chemical processing.
• Demonstrated process control and improvement experience and knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or similar tools.

This position falls under a Federal Explosives License issued by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Candidates hired into this role will be required to complete and submit an Employee Possessor Questionnaire to ATF for approval.

Pay

Primary level salary range: $105,400.00 - $158,000.00. 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.

Benefits

• Health insurance coverage.
• Life and disability insurance.
• Savings plan.
• Company-paid holidays and paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business.