Principal / Sr. Principal Production Engineer

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: No 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. This career opportunity is a great fit for a self‑motivated, proactive individual. Our engineers work in a high‑exposure, fast‑paced, and exciting environment that involves hands‑on technical challenges, problem solving, and inter‑department collaborations. The candidate will apply strong engineering fundamentals, demonstrate clear communication with all stakeholders, and thrive on attention to detail while tackling a variety of challenges each day. Northrop Grumman is currently seeking an experienced Principal (level 3) or Senior Principal (level 4) production Engineer to provide manufacturing and process‑engineering technical expertise, project management, and support for our fast‑growing medium‑caliber ammunition production programs in our Plymouth, MN offices. Reporting to the Engineering Manager, Production Engineering, this role is responsible for delivering end‑to‑end manufacturing engineering support for electromechanical fuzes for our proximity, guided, and advanced ammunition technology programs, with an emphasis on design for manufacturability (DFM), design for assembly (DFA), and planning for increased production rates and capacity. The engineer will collaborate with project teams to streamline designs for enhanced manufacturability and automation, integrating cutting‑edge technologies such as robotics, advanced inspection, vision systems, and data analytics to ensure rapid, cost‑effective delivery of high‑quality products.

Work with project teams to coordinate design‑for‑manufacturability (DFM), design‑for‑assembly (DFA), and automation opportunities for new product development efforts and existing products. Leverage the latest technologies including robotics, torque tools, vision / inspection systems, advanced testing, and data analytics to ensure high‑quality, cost‑effective products are released to market as quickly as possible. Aid in the design of production solutions, including automation cells, fixtures, and test stations, to achieve optimal, safe production output and quality. Develop and execute plans to support increased production volumes, including capacity analysis, line balancing, equipment selection, and production‑rate ramp‑up strategies. Provide on‑site troubleshooting, maintenance, repairs, and upgrades for automation cells and associated equipment as needed. Develop manufacturing processes and documentation that ensure hardware and test articles meet engineering and configuration requirements. Coordinate builds of electromechanical assemblies to support programs that are in engineering and manufacturing development as well as production. Contribute to completion of specific program and project milestones. Interface with design engineering to create products that are optimized for assembly and long‑term producibility. Disposition discrepant hardware; support and/or lead failure investigations, root‑cause determination, and corrective‑action implementation. Communicate manufacturing