Principal Propulsion Engineer

Northrop Grumman is currently seeking a Principal Propulsion Engineer or Sr. Principal Propulsion Engineer to join our team at our Palm Beach Gardens, Florida location to support the Propulsion Systems and Controls (PS&C) business unit.

Northrop Grumman Propulsion Systems and Controls (PS&C) facility in Elkton, Maryland began solid-propellant rocket operations in 1948. Today, the Elkton PS&C facility designs, develops, and produces solid-propellant propulsion, ordnance and motion controls systems in programs professionally managed for a wide variety of Government and commercial customers. The facility also serves as the hub for offsite engineering and test facilities in Ronkonkoma, NY and Palm Beach Gardens, FL.

This position will perform thermo-structural analysis simulation and modeling efforts under the guidance of a Staff Engineer to support design activities across all Northrop Grumman, Propulsion Systems and Controls, Elkton Operations product lines. These simulations include development of thermo-structural models, gridding, selection of boundary conditions and constraints, selection of applicable material properties, selection of proper simulation code and methodology.

Job Responsibilities:

• Develop analytical approaches to assist in the resolution of unique structural/thermostructural mechanics issues.  Assist in design effort of test articles to provide necessary data for full scale applications. Provide structural mechanics, material specialist services to IPT working group
• Taking role in developing methodologies, interpretation of analytical results, and recommendations for design improvement.
• Preparation of technical reports and presentations of work product to both internal and external customers.
• Provide technical assessments of test hardware and test data
• Development of material models for thermal or structural analyses efforts. Assist in development of material test plans, selection of test methods, test data analysis to support material modeling efforts.
• Lead analytical services in support of failure investigations: developing fault trees, developing approaches and providing analytical efforts to assess fault causes
• Assist project team in design of experiments testing to provide necessary data to support detailed analyses
• Form close working relationships with internal and external customer technical community and specific customer technical points of contact
• Ability to organize, preserve, and manage engineering data, design documentation, and models to ensure they remain searchable, secure, and accessible for future redesigns, manufacturing, or analysis.

Basic Qualifications for Principal Engineer (level 3):

• Requires Bachelors in Engineering & 5 years of experience or Master’s Degree in Engineering & 3 years of experience or a PhD & one year of experience

• Ability to obtain a Secret Clearance which requires US Citizenship as a pre-requisite

Preferred Qualifications:

• Thermal analytical simulation of air-breathing engines is very desirable; experience with rocket motors is a plus.
• ANSYS mechanical experience is very desirable.
• Applicable experience in performing metals and composite materials thermal/structural analysis
• Experience with high and low cycle fatigue as well as damage tolerance using NASGRO or equivalent
• Knowledge of nonlinear material properties and implementation using FEA
• Personality fit with existing staff, demonstrates leadership skills
• Personal poise, demonstrated ability to prepare and present analytical results in both oral and written formats
• Critical thinking skills, logical approaches, attention to detail