Staff Engineer Structural

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.

An organization within Northrop Grumman’s Payload and Ground Systems (PGS) division, Spacecraft Components is a leading designer, producer, and supplier of spacecraft components that power and enable satellites of all classes. Products include spacecraft panels, bus structures, precision optical structures, deployable structural systems and mechanisms, solar arrays, and antenna reflectors. Our products are on virtually every U.S. satellite built in the last 20 years. 

Learn more about Spacecraft Components at our website: https://www.northropgrumman.com/space/spacecraft-components/ 

We support science and space exploration through our various partnerships, including NASA’s Artemis program with the goal to return humans to the Moon in 2024 and the TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite) program that has discovered more than twenty confirmed plants.  Recognized as an industry leader, we also develop highly specialized space and satellite components.   We have an opening for a Structural Staff Engineer to join our team of qualified, diverse individuals in Goleta, CA.

Overview:

Analyzes, researches and develops structural engineering specifications involving metals, non-metallic or composite structural materials for product design, or operation of product to include structures, mechanical, electrical and electronics, equipment and maintenance designs. Analyzes stiffness/strength, design allowables and perform structural modeling. Specific structural engineering specialties may include dynamics and loads (sine, random vibration, acoustic, and shock), composite structures, bonded joint analysis, stability and stress fatigue and thermal analysis. Tools utilized may include, ProEngineer/Creo, ANSYS, Femap, NX NASTRAN, VA-One, Mathcad, Matlab and a variety of other software applications.

Responsibilities:

• Review requirements for materials, structure systems & subsystems and perform required analyses to demonstrate compliance
• Create detailed FEA models and perform system and sub-system static and thermal strength/distortion analyses
• Perform sine, random vibe, and acoustic dynamic analyses and develop notching, response and force limiting. Develop load cases for piece part analyses.
• Develop vibration requirements for sub-components using industry standard mythologies.
• Modelling and analysis of sandwich panels, composite materials, and boned joints. Assess strength based pertinent failure modes of composite structures.
• Create test plans and test procedure for static and dynamic testing of spaceflight hardware.
• Participate and present in internal and external (customer) design reviews
• Strive for the highest possible structural performance that is also cost effective and assures complete reliability
• Mentor junior analysts on structural and FEA analyses.
• Manage and track multiple priorities while maintaining a focus towards common project goals of the program team, matrix organization, and customers

Basic Qualifications:

• Master's degree in aerospace/mechanical/civil discipline with seven or more years applicable experience
• Spacecraft/Aerospace materials experience for metals, adhesives, thermoplastics, etc.
• Experience with FEA analysis, preferably ANSYS or Femap/NASTRAN, for structural analysis of designs
• Create FEA models based on Creo assembly/part geometries. Make assumptions/simplifications to adequately represent load path, boundary conditions, and material properties.
• Perform system, sub-system, and piece part static, modal, buckling, dynamic, and thermal strength/distortion analyses
• Ability to verify validity of simulation results by hand-calcs and/or comparison with heritage programs and  to perform bolted joint analyses
• US Citizens is a bona fide requirement

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Experience with structures and mechanisms for moving mechanical assemblies such as solar arrays, booms, and other support structures and mechanisms for satellite subsystems.
• Demonstrable problem-solving skills with hands-on project experience.
• Candidate has detailed mechanical design knowledge of structures, mechanisms, release and drive actuators, and material selection.
• Working knowledge of applicable manufacturing processes such as machining, finishing, and rapid prototyping.
• Non-linear and transient FEA analysis
• Multibody and flexible body dynamic analyses
• Experience with vibration testing of flight hardware
• 4 or more years of direct Mechanical Engineering experience, preferably in the spacecraft or aerospace industry, with significant project ownership.
• Must be self-motivated with excellent technical communication skills.
• Ability to work independently as well as in an integrated team and adapt to change and dynamic requirements.
• Strong communication and analytical skills and discipline with the ability to organize and prioritize job assignments and tasks.
• Experience with thermal engineering concepts, thermal analysis techniques, and experience utilizing software such as Thermal Desktop.
• Experience with mechanical computer aided design (CAD) software, preferably design and analysis experience with PTC Creo Parametric 2/3.
• Practical understanding of GD&T (ASME Y14.5-2009)
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint…).

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Salary Range: $161,000 USD - $241,400 USD

Employees may be eligible for 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 health and safety of our employees and their families is a top priority. The company encourages employees to remain up-to-date on their COVID-19 vaccinations. U.S. Northrop Grumman employees may be required, in the future, to be vaccinated or have an approved disability/medical or religious accommodation, pursuant to future court decisions and/or government action on the currently stayed federal contractor vaccine mandate under Executive Order 14042 https://www.saferfederalworkforce.gov/contractors/.

Northrop Grumman is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action 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/AA and Pay Transparency statement, please visit http://www.northropgrumman.com/EEO. U.S. Citizenship is required for most positions.