
Principal Quality Engineer or Senior Principal Quality Engineer
Required skills
- Secret Clearance
- AS9100
- ISO9001
- Root Cause Investigation
- Process Improvement
- Mission Assurance
Nice to have
- Top Secret Clearance
- Systems Engineering principles
Role summary
Northrop Grumman is seeking a Principal or Senior Principal Quality Engineer for their Aeronautics Systems sector in Palmdale, El Segundo, or San Diego, CA. This onsite role focuses on implementing Mission Assurance principles, ensuring compliance with requirements, and driving continuous improvement. Responsibilities include coordinating engineering activities, executing mission assurance plans, investigating quality issues through root cause analysis, and providing technical guidance. The position requires a Bachelor's degree in a STEM field with relevant experience (5 years for Principal, 8 years for Senior Principal), understanding of engineering systems and DoD Mil specs, experience with AS9100/ISO9001, and a Secret Clearance. Preferred qualifications include a Master's degree and experience with Systems Engineering principles.
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 Aeronautics Systems sector is seeking a Principal Quality Engineer or Senior Principal Quality Engineer to join our team of qualified, diverse individuals located in Palmdale, CA, El Segundo, CA, or San Diego, CA. Telecommute/remote is not an option for this position. This position’s standard work schedule for Palmdale is a 4/10 work week, and for El Segundo and San Diego is a 9/80 work week.
The Principal Quality Engineer or Senior Principal Quality Engineer will:
- Responsible for the implementation of Mission Assurance principles across the program to ensure compliance with contractual, regulatory and NG requirements
- Support coordination and implementation of all engineering activities, ensuring all individual IPT plans are sufficient quality, completeness, and detail (technical, cost, schedule)
- Execute an integrated a mission assurance plan for the program along with supporting plans that align with contractual requirements and stakeholder goals
- Advocates and implements continuous improvement opportunities, identifying and executing tasks to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of NG processes
- Investigates quality problems, issues, and failures through root cause investigation and corrective action implementation
- The selected candidate should thrive in a fast-paced work environment with high expectations, significantly diverse assignments, collaborative/team settings across all levels
- Performs technical issue assessment, provides technical guidance, and plans for resolution
- Support and provide guidance for all program engineering processes from project inception to project completion
Basic Qualifications for the Principal Quality Engineer:
- Bachelor’s degree (STEM) in Engineering (electrical, mechanical, systems, aerospace) with 5 years experience, Master’s Degree (STEM) with 3 years experience, or PhD (STEM) with 1 years experience
- Understanding and broad application of engineering systems, and DoD Mil specs and standards
- Demonstrated ability to work with minimal oversight and in a multi-discipline team environment, providing insight and solutions to complicated issues both technical and procedural
- Experience with leading process improvement projects
- Trained and experienced in performing root cause corrective action
- Experience with AS9100/ISO9001 Quality Management Systems
- Active US Secret Clearance and ability to obtain program access
Preferred Qualifications:
- Master’s Degree (STEM) with 3 years experience
- Experience or strong understanding of system engineering principles, disciplines, and tools
- Active Top Secret Clearance with program access
Basic Qualifications for the Senior Principal Quality Engineer:
- Bachelor’s Degree (STEM) in Engineering (electrical, mechanical, systems, aerospace) with 8 years experience, Master’s Degree (STEM) with 6 years experience, or PhD Degree (STEM) with 4 years experience
- Understanding and broad application of engineering systems, and DoD Mil specs and standards
- Demonstrated ability to work with minimal to no oversight and in a multi-discipline team environment, providing insight and solutions to complicated issues both technical and procedural
- Leading teams on process improvement projects
- Experienced in leading and facilitating root cause corrective action for teams
- Experience as lead auditor with AS9100/ISO9001 Quality Management Systems
- Active US Secret Clearance and ability to obtain program access
Preferred Qualifications:
- Master’s Degree (STEM) with 6 years experience
- Experience or strong understanding of system engineering principles, disciplines, and tools
- Active Top Secret Clearance with program access
Similar roles
Quality Engineer IIAstra · Alameda, CA · Onsite- Quality Engineering TechnicianSMC · Santa Rosa, CA · Onsite
- Spring 2027: Quality Engineering Co-op, Shark (January through June)SharkNinja · Needham, MA · Onsite
Quality EngineerCGT · New Braunfels, TX · Onsite- Quality Engineer - 2nd ShiftGTI Fabrication · Goodyear, AZ · Onsite
- Software Quality EngineerMill · San Bruno, CA · Onsite
