Veterans and Career Transition during the COVID Crisis and Beyond

Patch of American Flag

When the global pandemic hit, Northrop Grumman pressed on with necessary hiring, including the recruitment of transitioning service members through its Military Internship Program. To do so, the company maximized the potential of the Department of Defense’s SkillBridge program, a joint-service initiative that allows service members to participate in job training, including apprenticeships and internships, […]

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From Intern to Mechanical Design Engineer on the James Webb Space Telescope

Fully assembled view of a space telescope in manufacturing plant

Mei-Li joined Northrop Grumman in 2016 as an intern. Today, she’s a mechanical design engineer on the James Webb Space Telescope, working on the mechanical ground systems engineering team. Tell us about your role on Webb. My team is in charge of designing all of the Webb equipment that’s not going to space, called mechanical […]

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Made It Possible: Matt Mecham and Becoming a Booster Archaeologist

rocket facility

Imagine a big box of LEGOs®… You’ve been given that box with the goal of building a rocket model. Half of the LEGOs come from a first edition rocket model that was released decades ago and uses printed instructions. The other half are for a brand-new model that uses modern LEGOs and employs app-based instructions. […]

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Champions for Inclusion

portrait of an employee

Northrop Grumman’s Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) offer professional development opportunities for all employees and serve as advocacy groups within the company. Ruth Quant, chair of the Melbourne chapter of Asian Pacific Professional Network (APPN), talked about the benefits of ERGs, how APPN advocates for employees with an Asian background, and how ERGs are open to […]

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Inspiring the Next Generation: Meet Tim

White man wearing safety goggles works in workshop

By Jillian Wright With monumental achievements such as sending the first humans to the Moon, developing the International Space Station and advancing high-speed flight, the aerospace industry has always inspired and amazed Tim. “That comes from my grandfather who fought in World War II,” he said. “When I was growing up, he was always taking […]

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A Proud Ally

White woman stands smiling in nature

By Jillian Wright The word “ally” isn’t one Nicki takes lightly. “I don’t think it’s something you can claim yourself to be,” she said. “The people you’re supporting determine whether you’re an ally.” Currently a senior contracts manager supporting the Combat Systems and Mission Readiness division, Nicki has worked at Northrop Grumman for more than […]

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Discovering the Materials that will Build the Future

white man standing in front of building

A Q&A with John, technical and project manager for Advanced Manufacturing Technology and Innovation 3D printing airplane parts is no longer the future, it’s here. In recent years, the aerospace and defense industry has been working to improve and expand the technology with new materials. Northrop Grumman’s Advanced Manufacturing Technology and Innovation (AMTI) is at […]

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Eyes on the Sky

military pilot standing in front of helicopter

By Samantha Gassman From the moment Chris McGrath heard the rumble of an aircraft, he knew he wanted to fly. Growing up in a military family, his gaze was skyward from a young age. His grandfather served in the Korean War, and Chris and his family moved from post to post throughout his dad’s 23-year […]

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Made It Possible: Brian Henwood and Electric Persistence

A blue and a white car parked in a lot and plugged into electric vehicle charging stations

Facilities manager Brian Henwood reflects on installing Electric Vehicle charging stations at Northrop Grumman’s Azusa, California campus. By Brian Henwood In 2018, I accepted the role of Facilities Manager at Northrop Grumman’s Azusa, California, campus. The 71-acre campus, home to roughly 1,200 employees, is tucked against the San Gabriel Mountains, an hour east of Los […]

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Welcome to the A Team

male headshot

Uriel joined Northrop Grumman last year. As a newly-hired technician, Uriel became a member of the first class of Aeronautic Systems Training for Advanced Refinement (ASTAR), a training program that provides hands-on training to new aircraft mechanics before they set foot on a Northrop Grumman production floor. As a member of the first ASTAR cohort, […]

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She’s Got GRIT

snow capped mountain

​Liz Diss (McLean) has held many titles in her life — Air Force logistics officer, military spouse, entrepreneur, professional Ironman triathlete, mountaineer, talent acquisition professional — but none are as important to her as Air Force Veteran and transition specialist. This is why she recently started the all-women veterans’ initiative within Northrop Grumman called GRIT. Its mission […]

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Doing the Right Thing for Inclusive Benefits

Rainbow flag

By Laura Christof Among our company values is: We do the right thing. Sometimes it’s easy to spot an issue and do what’s right. Other times, it takes a nudge and some education to move forward. That’s what happened after employees raised concerns that our company health insurance didn’t cover some components of medical care […]

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Made It Possible: The SharkSat Team and Launching a Next Generation Workforce

A white woman in a white lab coat test a hardware system

Jeff Hobbs, Dave Schiller, Nick Durland and Caroline Traini Sharks are always swimming — even into open, potentially treacherous, waters — because it’s the only way to avoid sinking. In June 2018, recognizing our customers’ growing focus on speed and rapid deployment, we realized we had to be like sharks: sink or swim. We chose to swim, […]

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Made It Possible: Scott Mohrman and Seeing Stars

Stars, Mars and Dark Matter: The Biggest Space Discoveries of 2018

By Scott Mohrman It would be a once-in-a-lifetime shot. Outdoor photographers know that Utah summers offer the best chance to spot the Milky Way. This year, the opportunity happened to align with the Flight Support Booster (FSB-1) motor test on September 2, 2020 — a test of the Northrop Grumman-manufactured solid rocket motor that will […]

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Creating during a pandemic

painted gecko on wood

Northrop Grumman’s maker spaces closed. Store supplies limited. Shipping delayed. How do makers create during a pandemic? Well, they repurpose old shipping boxes, 3D print any missing parts and dig into “that jar” at home full of screws and nails. Northrop Grumman employees were encouraged to share their home projects to showcase creativity born out […]

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Meet Jasper: An Engineer and Artist Inspiring Young Budding Scientists

Woman holding 3D printed jewelry in palm

Jasper is an electrical engineer with Northrop Grumman in Chandler, Arizona. In her spare time, she makes rocket-themed art and jewelry using the latest 3D printing technologies. Through her art, Jasper shares her passion for space with children and adults, and teaches 3D printing at HeatSync Labs, a maker space, in nearby Mesa. How long […]

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Supporting Social Security Field Offices Through COVID-19

Ordinarily, the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) headquarters and its more than 1,200 field offices across the country, are visited daily by thousands of citizens either in person, or by phone, seeking assistance with supplemental income and health and disability insurance. These services are critical, and for many of the nation’s elderly and disabled the SSA […]

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Sewing with Purpose

Assorted colors and styles of masks for COVID-19

Northrop Grumman employees, many of whom are creatives and enjoy making things with their hands both at home as well as at work, routinely use their innovative thinking and resourcefulness to solve unique problems. And now, they’re using their creativity for a greater good — one stitch at a time. Sewing enthusiasts from across the […]

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Supporting the CDC in the Global Pandemic

With COVID-19 confirmed worldwide, including the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) web team has been working 24/7 to develop and manage content in multiple languages, and maintain a stable IT infrastructure with spiking hits to the CDC website. Of the more than 600 Northrop Grumman employees and contractors supporting the […]

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A Helping Hand in Harpenden

As much of the world continues to self-quarantine and limit its exposure to COVID-19, some of the most isolated people — the elderly and those unable to connect with close friends and family — need a helping hand more than ever. Carissa Tripi, a traveling field engineer currently supporting a Combat Electromagnetic Environment Simulator customer […]

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Using Artificial Intelligence to Fight COVID-19 – White House Challenge

Calling on high-tech companies across the country to step up in this time of crisis, the White House issued an Artificial Intelligence Challenge on March 16. The objective: use artificial intelligence or information technology innovations to predict, act or communicate to lessen the impact of COVID-19 on individuals, supply chains and the economy. One of […]

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Sweet Treat Turns into Sweet Surprise for Local Food Bank

Enormous cinnamon roll

After spending a week at home because of the coronavirus crisis, Whitney Rutz, a Northrop Grumman employee based in Portland, Oregon, decided to bake herself a giant cinnamon roll to cheer herself up. She posted it to social media and was pleasantly surprised when people responded asking for a roll for themselves. Whitney decided to […]

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Using 3-D Printing to Meet Critical Needs of Front Line Workers

To meet the extraordinary challenge presented by COVID-19, Northrop Grumman employees have found creative ways to provide Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for local community healthcare workers. Starting with a few employees using their own 3-D printers to make face shields, headbands, and mask extenders, the effort recently expanded to include Northrop Grumman’s Fabrication Labs (FabLabs) […]

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Ideas Brewing to Solve Sanitizer Shortage

Craft beer brewing equipment in brewery

With individuals and businesses across the country facing shortages of hand sanitizer, Madeleine Low, director of Programs at the Manned Aircraft Design Center of Excellence (MAD CoE) in Melbourne, Florida, decided to explore alternate sources. Madeline’s team supports projects vital to national security and, as a result, must continue to work on-site at Northrop Grumman […]

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