Principal Mechanical Engineer

United States-Arizona-GilbertPosted Aug 6, 2026

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: No relocation assistance available

CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: No

CLEARANCE TYPE: None

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 Space Systems is seeking an I&T Principal Mechanical Engineer (1st Shift) to join our team of qualified, diverse individuals in Gilbert, AZ supporting I&T.

“This position will be located in Gilbert, Arizona and is assigned to 1st shift on a 9/80 day schedule, having every other Friday off.

Responsibilities:

In this position, you will perform duties contributing to Integration and Test (I&T) activities for space vehicle systems and their supporting hardware. I&T Mechanical Engineers coordinate and oversee mechanical build and production operations performed by the technical staff. You will support and be responsible for developing detailed work instructions or test procedures, providing technical insight to, processes, support hardware designs, etc. that adhere to the requirements for the space vehicle being tested. Tasks may include ensuring the work center is set up and all elements are in place for work each day, including maintaining a safe, clean, and productive work environment, reporting daily status to I&T Managers, addressing off nominal and non-conforming conditions, creating robust corrective actions and providing mentor guidance to other engineers and support staff. Other duties include testing space flight hardware where it is expected that the systems under test are well understood, and the test constraints and hazards identified to always ensure the safety of personnel and the space flight hardware. Test results will be analyzed, and determinations made by the operator to ensure that the space flight hardware is both healthy and operating as expected. You must be knowledgeable in aerospace systems, spacecraft subsystems design, or mission operations. You will be working in a team environment where the team will be responsible for all I&T activities for the space vehicle from the generation of work instructions, through test and often including launch activities. You will have the opportunity to interact with many cross functional organizations.

Basic Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s Degree in STEM - Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, or related area plus a minimum of 5 years of related experience, 3 with Masters; 0 Years with PhD Degree in engineering or other STEM related discipline.
  • Experience in one or more of the following areas: integration, test, mechanical operations, or manufacturing
  • Must be able to obtain and retain a DOD TS/SCI Security Clearance and/or SAP clearances.

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree or higher in Mechanical or Manufacturing Engineering
  • Experience providing direct engineering support for spacecraft assembly, equipment, and processes
  • Experience working in a highly regulated industry with strict customer/process requirements
  • Experience in defense or related industry
  • Demonstrated ability/desire to lead a team of less experienced engineers
  • Practical experience with 5S/FOD, ESD and Six Sigma and/or Lean manufacturing techniques
  • Experience with design modeling and drawing efforts using 3-D modeling tools
  • Current active DOD TS/SCI security clearance

Curious about all the exciting developments with the Northrop Grumman Space Sector? Click the link below:

https://www.northropgrumman.com/space

Working at Northrop Grumman is more than just a paycheck. We offer a comprehensive Total Rewards and benefits package designed to help you thrive at work and in life. For more information on our Total Rewards package, please visit our Total Rewards site.

Total Rewards package, please visit our Total Rewards site: Northrop Grumman Total Rewards.

Primary Level Salary Range: $89,400.00 - $134,200.00

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.

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