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Any Test Engineers up in here???


Guest PBooty

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I have an interview with Northrop Grumman this weds for a possition as a test engineer for lasers and thrust.

 

Any test engineers in here that can give me some advice or pointers? I'm pretty nervous

 

....just graduated and this is going to be my toughest interview to date

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from what they told me on the phone i'd be dealing mostly with data acquisition...testing lasers and thrust propulsion....

 

my degree is in mechanical engineering..so im guessing the "Tests" that i'd be running would lean more towards the mechanics than controls... but i don't really know.. they were pretty vague over the phone..

 

since im a fresh grad... i have no idea what a real engineering job would entail. :-(

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since im a fresh grad... i have no idea what a real engineering job would entail. :-(

 

Read Dilbert. Ought to get you close.

 

I work for Northrop, but at their Baltimore radar plant. Nobody really expects new grads to know too much. Generally just looking for a good technical background and more importantly a good attitude. Best advice I can give about interviewing is to show an interest in the company you are interviewing with. Ask a lot of questions, both about what they do and what the company is like to work for. It helps if you can do some research on the specific unit you are interviewing with. It will make your interview more productive for you and shows you care enough about getting hired to put in some effort.

 

Remember one other thing, you are as much interviewing them as the other way around. Just try to see if the job they are offering is right for you and the rest will take care of itself. The fact they are bringing you in for an interview is a good sign you will get an offer.

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Pick up a interviewing book from the bookstore and you'll be fine. There should be info on negotiating salary in there too.

 

I interviewed with northrup grumman in Sunnyvale for test engineer when I was graduating. They offered me somewhere around 50K to start. This was almost 3 years ago so that should give you some idea what they might offer.

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thanks for the input guys..

 

i've just spent the past 5 hours reviewing LabVIEW, since the guy hinted on the phone that they were interested in someone who knows that.

 

i'm pretty beat already and the damn interview isn't till tomorrow, not to mention that the interview will be with 8 people through 5 hours and lunch... :-(

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I used to manage a whole division of systems test engineers for the National Geospatial & Imagery Agency. You want to get familier with the PMP process and go onto DOD's website and get familier with Acquisitions processes for DOD.

 

If it is a DOD contract, you really want to familiarize yourself with the whole "Documentation" process! That's what I make my living at these days!

 

Mike

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Guest 240zJake

I think the best thing you can do is not stress out about it and try too hard. If this is your first interview I am sure they will be understanding.

Good luck! :)

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