Principal / Senior Principal Engineer Microelectronic Semiconductors

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available 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. 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. Advanced Technology Lab (ATL) - located outside of Baltimore, Maryland is where we design, manufacture, and test semiconductor products for internal and commercial production customers as well as emerging technology programs. Northrop Grummans ATL semiconductor foundry has unique capabilities supporting a range of production microelectronic devices (Silicon, Gallium Arsenide, Gallium Nitride, Silicon Carbide, Carbon Nanotubes) and providing leading edge technology development in superconducting electronics. Our devices enable several Northrop Grummans ground-based radars, avionic radars, and space systems. Join us for the chance to work with an experienced and talented team while helping serve your country. Enjoy the opportunity to grow and learn with a variety of challenging projects in production, R&D, ongoing long-term programs, and new programs targeting future military platforms. You'll Get To: Bring your comprehensive understanding of semiconductor die packagingfrom wafer preparation through hermetic sealing and final delivery. Drive innovation, ensure compliance to space and defense standards, and mentor multidisciplinary teams. Utilize your deep expertise in eutectic die attach, wire bonding, hermetic encapsulation, seam sealing/lidding, and laser dicing, along with the strategic insight to integrate these processes into robust, repeatable, and cost-effective manufacturing flows. Key Responsibilities Packaging Process Leadership: Own end-to-end packaging flows, including wafer prep, laser dicing, die attach (eutectic and epoxy), pick-and-place, wire bonding, hermetic encapsulation, seam sealing, and tape-and-reel. Mission Assurance: Ensure all packaging processes meet MIL-STD, NASA, JEDEC, and customer specifications for high-reliability applications, including Class K space hardware. Integration & Strategy: Provide a system-level perspective of how packaging processes interact and impact device performance, yield, and long-term reliability. Drive design-for-packaging into product development lifecycles. Technical Authority: Serve as a subject matter expert (SME) in packaging for internal teams, customer reviews, and external audits. Provide technical guidance in supplier evaluations, tool procurements, and process qualifications. Problem Solving & Improvement: Lead root cause investigations on complex yield and reliability challenges. Direct corrective and preventive actions across the packaging value stream. Innovation & Capability Growth: Identify and champion new packaging technologies, equipment, and methodologies to improve manufacturability, throughput, and reliability. Collaboration & Mentorship: Partner with design engineering, reliability, operations, and program management teams. Mentor junior engineers and technicians to grow organizational capability in advanced packaging. Documentation & Compliance: Author and review technical documentation, including process travelers, work instructions, and qualification reports to ensure compliance with customer and regulatory standards. This position will serve 100% on-site in Linthicum, MD. This position will be filled at either the Principal Engineer Microelectronic Semiconductors or Senior Principal Engineer Microelectronic Semiconductors level based on the qualifications below. Basic Qualifications for Principal Engineer Microelectronic Semiconductors: Bachelors Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, or related discipline with 5+ years of relevant experience; Masters Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, or related discipline with 3+ years of relevant experience or 1+ years of experience with a PhD. Hands-on and leadership experience with eutectic die attach, thermosonic wire bonding (Au/Al), hermetic encapsulation/seam sealing, and laser dicing along with the demonstrated ability to analyze packaging yield data, drive process improvements, and lead corrective actions. Strong understanding of high-reliability manufacturing standards (MIL-STD-883, MIL-PRF-38535, NASA/ESA packaging guidelines). Develop manufacturing processes, work instructions and production layouts required to fabricate the product. Identify process improvements, capture feedback from Operations and incorporate changes into the manufacturing process. Respond to design and specification changes by capturing details into the manufacturing process. U.S. Citizenship and the ability to obtain and maintain a DoD Secret clearance is required. Basic Qualifications Senior Principal Engineer Microelectronic Semiconductors: Bachelors Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, or related discipline with 8+ years of relevant experience; Masters Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, or related discipline with 6+ years of relevant experience or 4+ years of experience with a PhD. Hands-on and leadership experience with eutectic die attach, thermosonic wire bonding (Au/Al), hermetic encapsulation/seam sealing, and laser dicing along with the demonstrated ability to analyze packaging yield data, drive process improvements, and lead corrective actions. Strong understanding of high-reliability manufacturing standards (MIL-STD-883, MIL-PRF-38535, NASA/ESA packaging guidelines). Develop manufacturing processes, work instructions and production layouts required to fabricate the product. Identify process improvements, capture feedback from Operations and incorporate changes into the manufacturing process. Respond to design and specification changes by capturing details into the manufacturing process. U.S. Citizenship and the ability to obtain and maintain a DoD Secret clearance is required. Preferred Qualifications Masters or PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, or related discipline. 12+ years of experience in semiconductor/microelectronics packaging for space, defense, or medical devices. Knowledge of mechanical manufacturing and production processes. Respond to technical production issues associated with the product being fabricated. Analyze processes and equipment for process capabilities and downtime. Analyze yield and scrap rate data to aid in improving processes. Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams, interface with customers, and act as a technical authority. Experience working in a production or manufacturing environment and generating specifications for procurement of new equipment. Familiarity with hermeticity testing (helium fine/gross leak), destructive physical analysis, and long-term reliability qualification. Experience applying SPC, DOE, FMEA, and Lean Six Sigma methodologies in packaging environments. Direct experience with supplier oversight, equipment qualification, and government/customer audits. Recognized as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) in packaging for aerospace/defense programs. Demonstrated leadership in advancing packaging capabilities and mentoring engineering talent. Primary Level Salary Range: $105,400.00 - $158,000.00 Secondary Level Salary Range: $131,100.00 - $196,700.00 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. Existing Applicants: Need to update your contact information or email address? Once logged in, click on Candidate Home in the upper right corner and scroll to the bottom of that screen to see buttons for: Update Contact information to update your legal name, address, and phone number Edit Account Settings to edit your email address We are a pioneering company. With careers across all areas: air, cyber, land, sea and space our 90,000 employees work as one to defend and define the future. Northrop Grumman careers and internships are as varied as your interests, with a lifetime of potential that will give you every opportunity to do your best work. Working together with people from many backgrounds, personal passions and disciplines, we share a drive to push the boundaries of science, technology and engineering to meet the ever evolving needs of our customers worldwide.