Principal Quality Analyst

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. Northrop Grumman Mission Systems Sector is seeking a Principal Quality Analyst to join our team in Charlottesville, VA. Principal Quality Analyst supporting CHO machine shop operations, responsible for developing and leading quality plans, SPC-based process controls, and continuous improvement initiatives for precision machined components. This role drives defect reduction, yield improvement, and compliance to drawing, customer, and regulatory requirements by leading RCCA/CAPA, analyzing quality data and trends, and partnering closely with machinists, programmers, manufacturing engineering, and program teams to ensure robust, repeatable, and auditable processes.

Responsibilities

• Own the development, deployment, and continuous improvement of quality plans, control plans, and inspection procedures for machined components and hardware produced in the CHO machine shop.
• Apply advanced statistical process control (SPC) and data analytics to monitor machining process performance (e.g., key dimensions, tool wear, capability indices), identify special-cause variation, and drive reduction of scrap, rework, and escapes.
• Review, analyze, and report on quality discrepancies related to machining, deburring, finishing, and associated operations; translate nonconformance and inspection data into clear, actionable insights for machine shop and CHO leadership.
• Lead cross-functional root cause and corrective action (RCCA) activities for recurring machining defects and process issues using structured problem-solving tools (e.g., 5 Whys, Fishbone, FMEA, fault tree).
• Define, implement, and verify the effectiveness of corrective and preventive actions (CAPA) to prevent recurrence of dimensional