Mechanical Design Engineer - Level 3

Company: Northrop Grumman
Location: Huntsville
Posted on: April 5, 2026

Job Description:

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: No relocation assistance 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 Space Systems, Multi-Domain Operations, and Missile Defense Integration Business Unit (BU) has an exciting career opportunity for a Principal Mechanical Engineer Level 3 to join our team of qualified, diverse individuals. This position will be in Huntsville, AL. Position Overview: As a Mechanical Engineer you will support the GMD Weapon System (GWS) Hardware Engineering team's design efforts working within an Agile environment. Your core tasks will entail the designing of parts, assemblies, subsystems, and complete systems, including 3D CAD modeling, drafting/review/revision/release of engineering drawings, selection of components and materials. Additional responsibilities include maintaining design drawings for multiple Ground Systems (GS) IPT hardware systems and their interfaces with facilities. Essential Functions: Mechanical design of parts, assemblies, subsystems, and complete systems, including 3D CAD modeling, drafting/review/revision/release of engineering drawings, selection of components and materials Participate and/or lead small, cross-functional teams performing various design and production-support tasks in an Agile Hardware environment Collaborating with other functional areas such as Production, Procurement, Systems Engineering, Quality, and Logistics on aspects of product design, integration, and support Create, release, and maintain bill-of-materials, analysis reports, etc. Performing mechanical engineering analyses, such as weight/center of mass, structural, transportability, or thermal, and authoring reports documenting them Perform with little to no oversight needed to complete assignments Handle complex technical issues and resolve them in new and innovative ways Assisting in the preparation and submittal of contract deliverable reports and data packages Mentoring and informally training junior engineers and engineering interns Basic Qualifications: Bachelor’s Degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics) discipline from an accredited university and 5 years of related experience, or a Master's Degree and 3 years of related experience, or 2 years of related experience with a PhD. Ability and willingness to travel up to 10% of the time. Applicants must have a current active in-scope U.S. Government DoD issued Secret security clearance at the time of application which is required to start. Must be able to support an in-office / closed-area work environment full-time. Ability to communicate data in a clear and concise manner. Experience using a 3D CAD Package such as SolidWorks, Creo, or NX Experience reviewing 2D mechanical drawings per ASME standards Experience drafting & reviewing 2D mechanical drawings per ASME standards. Prior experience with engineering PLM systems such as Teamcenter and MRP system such as SAP. Experience in evaluating vendor documents to ensure specifications and datasheet meets requirements. Familiarity with MIL-STD-810, MIL-STD-1366, MIL-STD-1472, ASME Y14.5, ASME Y14.100, MIL-STD-31000, MIL-STD-461 Experience evaluating commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) and military parts for compliance to meet requirements Preferred Qualifications: BS in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering Excellent interpersonal, written communication, and presentation skills, including the ability to clearly and succinctly communicate complex concepts Experience leading a small team, including task and schedule planning, to meet major project milestone objectives. Experience using analytical software tools, to analyze and reduce data to identify key characteristics and trends. Experience with mission critical and safety critical systems, components, etc. Familiarity with Missile Defense Agency (MDA) Core Standards: MDA-QS-001-MAP, MDA-QS-003-PMAP, MDA Instruction 5000.20-INS (ETR Process) Familiarity with the GMD domain and GMD Launch Support Systems hardware Hands-on mentality and a passion for fast-paced environments. Experience with Finite Element Analysis and Modeling theory and application using industry standard structural analysis software (ANSYS, GTStrudl, ABAQUS, STAAD, Femap, NX Simcenter, NASTRAN, Creo Simulation or SolidWorks Simulation) DOORS and/or CAMEO exposure Prior experience with the design, test, and/or integration and deployment of mechanical and structural components, systems, or subsystems Primary Level Salary Range: $98,900.00 - $148,300.00 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.

Keywords: Northrop Grumman, Smyrna , Mechanical Design Engineer - Level 3, Engineering , Huntsville, Tennessee