Sr. Principal Mission Assurance Engineer

Relocation assistance is not available. U.S. citizenship is required. Travel is expected (25% of the time).

About the role

Northrop Grumman’s Space Sector is seeking a Senior Principal Mission Assurance Engineer – Level 4 to join our team in Gilbert, AZ. This position is 100% onsite and cannot accommodate telecommute work. In this role, you will implement and enforce mission assurance plans for individual spacecraft flight hardware programs addressing design, manufacturing, integration, and test activities in accordance with company and contractual requirements. You will work as a member of an integrated product team inside the NG Safety & Mission Assurance organization, collaborating with various disciplines to address technical issues, meet program requirements, and ensure mission success.

You will interface with customers, vendors, and NG Manufacturing, Integration & Test, and Engineering organizations to identify and resolve mission/flight assurance issues. This position works a 9/80 schedule, with every other Friday off.

Responsibilities

• Implement and administer an effective Safety and Mission Assurance program in compliance with applicable customer contracts and Flight Systems Group requirements throughout the contract life cycle, ensuring basic requirement traceability principles are followed.
• Ensure contractual program requirements are flowed down internally and to suppliers, and ensure compliance with customer contract, industry, and organizational requirements. Perform verification and validation to confirm requirements are met.
• Maintain close engagement with:
  • Supplier Quality organization to drive improvements from key suppliers.
  • Software Assurance organization to drive improvements during the Software Development Life Cycle.
  • Design Assurance organization to drive improvements during the selection and implementation of Parts, Materials, and Processes.
  • Configuration Management organization to ensure implementation of document and data control requirements.
  • Product Assurance organization to ensure implementation of workmanship requirements, quality oversight, and effective work center corrective action when issues arise.
  • EHS (Environmental Health and Safety) organization to ensure a safe workplace for personnel and operations.
• Review practices, procedures, and processes to improve efficiency and effectiveness, reducing risk to product quality.
• Interpret technical and mission assurance requirements, ensuring integration into program plans, specifications, and product drawings, as well as verification of implementation.
• Provide oversight in discrepancy identification, failure investigations, and cause/corrective action implementation. Lead failure and problem-solving analyses.
• Represent Mission Assurance at various review boards, including Configuration Control Board (CCB), Engineering Change Board (ECR), Risk and Opportunity Management Board (ROMB), Corrective Action Board (CAB), Readiness Reviews, and Failure/Material Review Board (FRB/MRB).
• Support tracking and reporting of metrics, mission-specific risk issues, and develop and present internal and external Mission Assurance briefings.
• Understand the definition of risk and quantify it. Ensure Risk Management activities are executed and maintained according to standards and procedures.
• Communicate the impacts and execution of program efforts, division quality, and contract requirements to all levels of the organization, including Government and customer representatives.
• Provide S&MA inputs and baseline estimations for future program proposal efforts. Engage in new business efforts, representing the department and defining appropriate tailoring required for nominal processes.
• Manage and track new business efforts for the S&MA department, monitoring due dates, scope of contract, and delegated activities. Maintain a tracker and repository for proposals and assist in risk assessment on a contract-by-contract basis.
• Serve as Control Account Manager (CAM) for the S&MA budget on program contracts using Earned Value Management System principles.
• Specialize in areas of spacecraft design, incoming material management, production control, product evaluation and reliability, inventory control, and/or research and development as they apply to product or process quality.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a STEM field with 8 years of professional experience – OR – Master’s degree with 6 years of professional experience – OR – PhD with 4 years of professional experience.
• Must have the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government Top-Secret security clearance.
• Direct program experience working with the following disciplines: Program Management Office, Global Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Systems Engineering, Integration, Test & Launch, and Parts Materials & Process.
• Experience working with and managing subcontractors and working directly with customers.
• Experience with Risk and Opportunity Management.
• Proficient at proposal and Basis of Estimate development.

Preferred Qualifications

• Active Top Secret clearance.
• Experience on Space systems programs, such as payload, spacecraft bus, antenna, launch, ground systems, and/or operations and maintenance activities.
• Experience with the internal and external implementation of AS9100D.
• Knowledge of EEE-INST-002, NASA-STD-6016, or other standards used for Part, Material, or Process selection.
• Experience with requirements management and associated tools, such as DOORs, supporting Validation and Verification.
• Systems engineering experience on complex integrated systems.
• Experience on Government contracts.
• Extensive knowledge base in Cause Analysis tools, such as Ishikawa, FMEA, DOE, KTA (Kepner Tregoe Analysis).
• Experience interfacing with DCMA and Aerospace representatives.
• Control Account Management experience with Earned Value Management practices.
• Familiarity with industry workmanship standards: NASA, MIL, NAS, IPC.

Pay

Primary level salary range: $122,800.00 - $184,200.00. The above salary range represents a general guideline; Northrop Grumman considers factors such as scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate’s experience, education, skills, and current market conditions when determining base salary offers. 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

Northrop Grumman offers a comprehensive Total Rewards and benefits package designed to help employees thrive at work and in life. Benefits include health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, savings plan, company-paid holidays, and paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business. For more information, visit the Total Rewards site.

Schedule

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