Principal Tool Engineer or Sr. Principal Tool Engineer

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available
CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes
CLEARANCE TYPE: Secret
TRAVEL: Yes, 10% of the Time

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 is looking for a design-oriented Principal Tool Engineer or Sr. Principal Tool Engineer to join our Tooling department on-site in Palmdale, CA. We are looking for an accomplished technical leader who is highly motivated to dive headfirst into the world of advanced tool design, structural optimization, and complex stress analysis.

In this role, you will not just design; you will act as a principal face of the department and a cornerstone of our engineering team. You will drive a culture of excellence, providing technical mentorship to junior engineers and leading the design team to ensure strict compliance with rigorous aerospace regulations, corporate standards, and internal quality procedures.

From concept to completion, you will work alongside industry experts to design and validate critical manufacturing assets, including complex assembly jigs, composite molds, lifting fixtures, and handling equipment. Utilizing cutting-edge simulation software and classical hand calculations, you will perform end-to-end Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to guarantee structural integrity and margin-of-safety compliance. This highly collaborative position bridges the gap between digital innovation and physical execution, allowing you to work directly with shop-floor technicians and manufacturing engineers to see your advanced digital blueprints come to life on the production floor.

Duties Include:

• Design precision tooling by creating detailed 3D CAD models and 2D engineering drawings using Siemens NX software
• Create, manage, and release comprehensive Bills of Materials (BOMs) ensuring all raw materials, standard hardware, and manufactured components are accurately captured for tool fabrication
• Apply Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T) to ensure all manufactured tools and associated components fit together precisely and maintain strict production tolerances
• Apply Design for Manufacturing (DFM) principles to ensure lower costs and avoid production delays
• Follow a disciplined approach to material selection with respect to material science (e.g. metallurgy and polymer engineering)
• Utilize Finite Element Analysis (FEA) software (e.g. Femap) to evaluate the structural integrity and performance of tools that experience heavy static and dynamic loads
• Actively participate in the creation, review, and revision control of departmental procedures and process documentation to ensure all materials are accurate, up-to-date, and compliant with company standards
• Lead and participate in cross-functional design review meetings with stakeholders to guarantee that all design requirements and standards are being met
• Support local and regional design teams by providing technical expertise, resource sharing, and assistance
• Provide guidance to fellow engineers regarding design concepts and specification requirements to best utilize equipment and manufacturing techniques
• Ensuring the department is in full compliance with all relevant industry regulations, corporate standards, and statutory requirements

Basic Qualifications:

• Principal Tool Engineer (Level 3): Bachelor’s degree with 3 years of technical and/or engineering experience or Master’s degree with 2 years of engineering experience or PhD with 0 years of experience
• Sr. Principal Tool Engineer (Level 4): Bachelor’s degree with 7 years of engineering experience or Master’s degree with 5 years of engineering experience or PhD with 3 years of engineering experience
• Has an active Mechanical Professional Engineer (PE) license or an Engineer-in-Training (EIT) certificate issued by the California BPELSG
• Has advanced knowledge of geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T/ASME Y 14.5)
• Has experience with computer-aided design tools and systems (e.g., NX, Solidworks, or Catia)
• Has experience in managing projects (cost, schedule, and technical performance)
• Has experience in medium to large scale fabrication of tooling or production hardware, including composites, metallic structures, and coatings application
• Must have the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government Secret or Top-Secret Clearance as well as Special Program Access (SAP) within a reasonable period, as determined by the company to meet its business needs
• Has the ability to travel at least 10%

Preferred Qualifications for:

• Has an active U.S. Government Secret security clearance

• Has experience in applying advanced stress analysis techniques and concepts to validate structural integrity via hand calculations and FEA tools

• Has experience in utilizing Root Cause and Corrective Action (RCCA) methodologies to investigate operational failures, identify systemic issues, and execute effective resolution strategies
• Has experience in an aerospace manufacturing environment

• Has the ability to read, interpret, and analyze technical models and drawings
• Has experience coordinating with cross functional teams across multiple organizations
• Has strong verbal and written communication skills tailored for various leadership levels
• Has strong problem-solving skills with a collaborative approach to handling technical and team challenges

Primary Level Salary Range: $103,600.00 - $155,400.00
Secondary Level Salary Range: $129,300.00 - $193,900.00
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.
Northrop Grumman is an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class. For our complete EEO and pay transparency statement, please visit http://www.northropgrumman.com/EEO. U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.