Jobs / United States / Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation
Principal/Sr. Principal Structural Design Engineer (Active Secret)
Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation · 🇺🇸 United States-California-Redondo Beach
Sponsorship verdict
Posting rules out sponsorship
The posting rules out sponsorship or requires citizenship/clearance.
- No government sponsor record hereThis employer posted directly and does not match a government sponsor register.
- The posting doesn’t mention sponsorshipSilence isn’t a refusal — ask the recruiter before investing much time.
- No salary bar for this routeH-1B has no fixed salary bar: the employer must pay at least the prevailing wage for the role and area. Cap-subject employers enter a lottery weighted by wage level. Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/12/29/2025-23853/weighted-selection-process-for-registrants-and-petitioners-seeking-to-file-cap-subject-h-1b, rules effective 2026-02-27.
- Security clearance mentionedFrom the posting’s own wording.
- Confirmed live todayWhen a source last listed this job as open.
US H-1B: cap-subject employers enter a lottery weighted by wage level — Level I gets 1 entry, Level IV gets 4 (DHS projected selection odds ≈15% at Level I to ≈61% at Level IV). Universities and non-profit research employers are cap-exempt. The $100,000 fee for new petitions from abroad is currently blocked by a court order (appeal pending).
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Why not apply?
The posting mentions a security clearance — usually restricted to citizens of that country.
No register record and no sponsorship wording in the posting. Worth asking the employer before investing significant time.
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Sponsor Radar — Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation
This employer posted directly and does not match a government sponsor register.
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About the role
RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be 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 Sector is seeking a Principal / Sr. Principal Structural Design Engineer (Level 3 or 4) to join the Vehicle Engineering Directorate within Western Region Engineering. This position is located onsite in Redondo Beach, California . As a Structural Design Engineer , you will lead the preliminary, conceptual, and detailed design of spacecraft components, subsystems, and systems. Your responsibilities will include developing high‑fidelity simulation models, releasing detailed drawings, and coordinating manufacturing, integration, test, and delivery of space‑vehicle structures. Job responsibilities include (but are not limited to) the following: • Perform requirements definition, conceptual design, preliminary/layout work, detailed design, drawing release, design‑review presentations, and support for fabrication/integration. • Conduct bus‑equipment layout, payload layout, and preliminary cable‑ and harness‑routing (DC, RF, waveguide). • Collaborate closely with stress, manufacturing, M&P, and test teams to define design requirements, establish structural load paths, develop CAD models, and produce engineering drawings for flight and structural‑test articles. • Generate and maintain part and assembly drawings, source‑control drawings, interface‑control drawings, and installation drawings. • Participate in system‑level trades to ensure the vehicle meets all physical, mechanical, and environmental requirements while supporting payload, power, propulsion, thermal, communications, and attitude‑control system needs. • Support program milestone reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR, IDR, etc.) and gate or lien closures. • Provide I&T sustaining support. This requisition may be filled at either a Principal Structural Design Engineer level or a Sr. Principal Structural Design Engineer level based on the qualifications listed below. Basic Qualifications - Principal Structural Design Engineer (Level 3): • Bachelor’s degree in a STEM discipline with 5+ years of engineering experience or Master’s degree in STEM with 3+ years of engineering experience or Ph.D. in STEM with 1+ year of engineering experience. • Prior work experience in aerospace subsystem design, mechanical‑design integration, or related engineering experience. • Proficiency with a CAD system (Siemens NX, CATIA V5, or 3DX). • Must have an active U.S. Government Secret clearance at the time of application Basic Qualifications – Sr. Principal Structural Design Engineer (Level 4): • Bachelor’s degree in a STEM discipline with 8+ years of engineering experience or Master’s degree in STEM with 6+ years of engineering experience or Ph.D. in STEM with 4+ years of engineering experience. • Prior work experience in aerospace subsystem design, mechanical‑design integration, or related engineering experience. • Proficiency with a CAD system (Si