Engineer Tool 2 - Tool Design Engineer
Location
Palmdale, CA - Plant 42
Pay Rate
$50-$55/hour
Employment Type
Contract / Full-Time
Position Overview
Northrop Grumman is seeking an experienced Engineer Tool 2 to support the Tool Design Department in Palmdale, CA. This role will support tooling and manufacturing design activities for advanced aerospace programs including the F-35 and Global Hawk platforms. The selected candidate will contribute to the design and development of tooling, fixtures, jigs, gauges, and manufacturing support equipment used in production and experimental environments.
The ideal candidate will possess strong CATIA V5 expertise, GD&T knowledge, and experience supporting aerospace or manufacturing tooling design initiatives in a fast-paced engineering environment.
Key Responsibilities
- Design industrial machinery, tooling, fixtures, gauges, dies, jigs, and machine attachments for manufacturing and experimental applications
- Develop and maintain detailed 3D CAD models and engineering drawings using CATIA V5
- Apply Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing (GD&T) principles to engineering drawings and designs
- Review specifications, sketches, layouts, and engineering data to determine design requirements and manufacturability
- Support tooling and fixture design for aerospace manufacturing operations including F-35 and Global Hawk programs
- Create tolerance stack-up analyses, exploded views, detailed drawings, and assembly models
- Design components utilizing various manufacturing processes including castings, forgings, stampings, machined parts, molded plastics, and powdered metal components
- Support prototype and testing fixture design activities as required
- Participate in engineering design reviews and technical meetings
- Coordinate with engineering teams, suppliers, manufacturing personnel, and customers to ensure design functionality, feasibility, and cost effectiveness
- Apply Design for Manufacturing (DFM) principles to improve manufacturability and production efficiency
- Maintain engineering models and documentation within SmartTeam database systems
- Ensure designs comply with ANSI, ISO, customer, and internal drafting standards
- Complete assigned engineering tasks within established schedules and project timelines
Required Qualifications
- 3+ years of CATIA V5 design experience with high proficiency in 3D modeling and detailing
- Strong knowledge of GD&T principles and engineering drawing interpretation
- Familiarity with ANSI, ISO, and detailed drawing standards
- Experience designing castings, stampings, forged parts, and machined components
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to manage technical details and support cross-functional engineering teams
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite including Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with Siemens NX and NX Nastran
- Aerospace, automotive, or manufacturing tooling design experience
- Experience performing tolerance stack-up analysis
- Knowledge of Design for Manufacturing (DFM) principles
- Experience supporting prototype and testing fixture design
- Familiarity with SmartTeam or similar engineering database systems
- Experience participating in supplier and customer technical reviews
- Ability to support multiple engineering projects in a fast-paced environment
Top Required Skills
- CATIA V5 3D Modeling & Drafting
- Tooling & Fixture Design
- GD&T Application & Interpretation
- Mechanical Component Design
- Engineering Drawings & Manufacturing Standards
Preferred Technical Skills
- Siemens NX
- NX Nastran
- Tolerance Analysis
- Aerospace Tooling Design
- Manufacturing Process Knowledge
Industry Experience Preferred
- Aerospace
- Defense
- Manufacturing
- Automotive Engineering
- Production Tooling Design