Manufacturing Engineer - Level 3

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: No CLEARANCE TYPE: None 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 Mission Enabling Products (MEP) Business Unit designs, manufactures and operates small and medium-class spacecraft for communications, imaging, scientific, exploration and national security space applications. MEP is the leading supplier of space components that power and enable satellites of all classes, provides technical engineering services to government agencies and laboratories, and is developing exciting new satellite servicing and advanced space flight technologies. Our Propulsion team in Commerce, CA is seeking a Manufacturing Engineer Level 3 to join our 1st shift team. The Propulsion team within the Mission Enabling Products Business Unit is the leading supplier of pressure vessels and tank hardware to the aerospace industry. You will work on assigned programs on non-recurring work as well as provide technical support on the shop floor. The initial focus for this role is the modernization of our vacuum pump room, which supports onsite vacuum weld chambers through multiple vacuum pump types and associated cooling systems. Responsibilities: Lead Pump Room Modernization • Map current-state pump room layouts, utilities, and material/people flow using appropriate tools (e.g., CAD, Visio, or similar). • Identify safety, reliability, and capacity constraints in existing pump room configurations. • Develop and propose future-state layouts and modernization plans that improve reliability, maintainability, and throughput. • Coordinate with Facilities, EHS, Operations, and Programs to plan and execute pump room upgrades with minimal disruption to production. • Research and recommend modernization equipment for the pump room and throughout the shop Site Modernization & CI Projects • Own medium-to-large scale site modernization projects from concept through implementation, including scope definition, requirements gathering, and stakeholder alignment. • Apply Lean, 5S, and CI methodologies to optimize equipment layout, material flow, ergonomics, and space utilization across the site. • Develop and maintain value stream maps and process flow diagrams to identify waste and improvement opportunities. • Build and execute project plans, including schedules, risk assessments, and coordination of internal/external resources.    Process & Systems Improvement • Evaluate existing manufacturing and support processes and recommend changes that improve safety, quality, delivery, and cost at the system level (rather than individual job level). • Partner with Operations, Quality, EH&S, and Engineering to define and implement standards for upgraded utilities, equipment, and infrastructure. • Support justification of capital investments (business cases, ROI, cost-benefit analysis) related to pump room and site modernization initiatives. Stakeholder Communication & Change Manageme