Principal Engineer Manufacturing

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: No relocation assistance available

CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: No

CLEARANCE TYPE: Secret

TRAVEL: Yes, 10% of the TimeDescription

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 Mission Systems is looking for you to join our team as a Principal Engineer Manufacturing, based out of Sunnyvale, CA.

What you will get to do:

• Lead, track, execute, and audit Site‑Wide 5S Implementation
  • Develop, communicate, and enforce the 5S (Sort, Set‑in‑order, Shine, Standardize, Sustain) standards and monthly audits across all work areas.
  • Conduct regular 5S audits, scorecards, and visual management reviews; report findings to leadership and drive corrective actions.
  • Train supervisors, team leads, and operators on 5S principles, tools, and best practices; create easy‑to‑follow work instructions and visual guides.
  • Coordinate cross‑functional 5S events (kaizens, blitzes, and quarterly clean‑up days) to maintain high‐level organization and safety.
• Design, Launch, and Manage the I‑Card (Improvement Idea) Suggestion Program
  • Establish the I‑Card process flow (submission, review, evaluation, implementation, feedback) and integrate it into the existing continuous‑improvement platform.
  • Create simple, accessible templates (paper and digital) for floor‑team members to submit ideas on process efficiency, quality, and safety.
  • Form a multidisciplinary review board; define evaluation criteria (impact, cost, feasibility) and set turnaround time targets.
  • Track all suggestions in a centralized database, generate regular performance reports, and recognize contributors through incentive programs.
• Facilitate Idea Implementation
  • Prioritize high‑value I‑Card ideas; develop project charters, timelines, and resource plans.
  • Lead pilot tests, gather data, and validate results; scale successful pilots to the entire site.
  • Document lessons learned and update standard operating procedures (SOPs), work instructions, and visual controls accordingly.
• Safety & Compliance Integration
  • Align 5S and I‑Card activities with occupational health and safety (OHS) requirements.
  • Conduct risk assessments for proposed changes; ensure that all improvements enhance workplace safety.
  • Promote a safety‑first culture by highlighting safety‑focused suggestions during meetings and visual displays.
• Performance Measurement & Continuous Feedback
  • Define key performance indicators (KPIs) for 5S (e.g., audit scores, audit frequency) and I‑Card (e.g., number of suggestions, implementation rate, cost savings, safety incidents reduced).
  • Produce weekly/monthly dashboards for management review; use data to drive further improvement cycles.
  • Gather feedback from floor teams on the usability of 5S tools and the I‑Card system; iterate to improve user experience.
• Cross‑Functional Collaboration
  • Partner with Production, Engineering, Quality, Maintenance, and CI team to ensure alignment of improvement initiatives with overall business objectives.
  • Support other lean tools (Value‑stream mapping, TPM, poka‑yoke, Quality build in station)
• Coaching & Cultural Development
  • Mentor supervisors and “lean champions” to sustain 5S habits and encourage proactive idea generation.
  • Conduct workshops, short “brown‑bag” sessions, and visual board updates to keep a continuous‑improvement mindset top‑of‑mind.
• Documentation & Reporting
  • Maintain up‑to‑date documentation of 5S standards, I‑Card procedures, and improvement project records.
  • Prepare executive summaries for senior leadership outlining cost‑benefit analyses, safety impact, and strategic alignment of improvement activities.
• Continuous‑Improvement (CI) Repository System
  • Maintain a centralized CI repository that stores all improvement projects, methodologies, templates, SOPs, and lesson‑learned documents.
  • Produce dashboards and quarterly reports that visualize repository usage, improvement‑trend metrics, and ROI of captured CI initiatives.
  • Conduct training sessions and develop user guides to promote adoption of the repository among engineers, operators, and cross‑functional teams.
  • Act as the subject‑matter expert for audit readiness, providing auditors with quick access to documented CI evidence and traceability records

Position Summary / Responsibilities:

• Lead site‑wide 5S implementation: develop standards, run audits, train teams, and drive corrective actions.
• Design, launch, and manage the I‑Card (Improvement Idea) suggestion program, from submission workflow to performance reporting and incentives.
• Facilitate rapid idea implementation: prioritize high‑impact suggestions, run pilots, scale successes, and update shop operating plans and SOPs.
• Integrate safety and compliance into all 5S and I‑Card activities, conducting risk assessments and promoting a safety‑first culture.
• Define and track KPIs for 5S, suggestion systems, etc., delivering dashboards and continuous‑feedback loops to senior leadership.
• Coach supervisors and lean champions, partner with cross‑functional teams, and maintain comprehensive documentation and executive reports.
• Design and maintain a Central Repository for all continuous‑improvement documentation (projects, templates, SOPs, lessons learned).
• Serve as the subject‑matter expert for audit readiness, providing quick access to documented CI evidence.

Basic Qualifications for Principal Engineer Manufacturing:

• Bachelor’s degree in Manufacturing Engineering or related engineering degree with a minimum of five years of relevant experience.
• Experience with manufacturing and production improvement.
• Experience in capacity planning within a machine shop environment.
• Experience applying Lean Manufacturing principles, process capability analysis, and Six Sigma methodologies (VSM, Basic Problem Solving).
• Experience with data visualizations and reporting.
• Ability to obtain a U.S. Government Secret Clearance.
• U.S. Citizenship required.

Preferred Qualifications for Principal Engineer Manufacturing:

• Bachelor’s degree in STEM in Mechanical Engineering.
• Test Facility and/or Power Generation/Chemical Facility operational experience.
• Design Software Acuity (AutoCAD, Cero, Solidworks, or equivalent).
• Six Sigma certification (Green/Black Belt) or equivalent continuous improvement certification.
• Active U.S. Government Secret Clearance.

What We Can Offer You:
Northrop Grumman provides a comprehensive benefits package and a work environment that encourages your growth and supports the mutual success of our people and our company. Northrop Grumman benefits give you the
flexibility and control to choose the benefits that make the most sense for you and your family.

Your benefits will include the following: Health Plan, Savings Plan, Paid Time Off, and Additional Benefits, including Education Assistance, Training and Development, 9/80 Work Schedule (where available), and much more!

#MPR

Primary Level Salary Range: $103,600.00 - $155,400.00

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.