Sr. Materials Engineer, Vehicle Refurbishment

SR. MATERIALS ENGINEER, VEHICLE REFURBISHMENT

This materials engineer role is highly multidisciplinary. You will assess problems and provide materials engineering solutions for vehicle reusability, from production through flight, maintenance, and refurbishment. The work spans polymeric processes, structural epoxy adhesives, organic and inorganic paint systems, corrosion prevention on metallic structures, composite processing, and special processing of metals, including plate, bar, and sheet processing, casting, forging, coatings, and heat treating.

Our materials engineering team serves as experts in various materials disciplines across the company and works to make the best rockets and spacecraft in the world. You will improve the materials and processes that make SpaceX vehicles possible, developing and qualifying them for reliability in extreme environments on both new vehicles and those returning from flight. If your goal is to make an impact at the cutting edge of materials and manufacturing technologies, this is the role for you.

RESPONSIBILITIES:  

• Design, develop, and deploy materials and process direction for vehicle design, manufacturing, maintenance, and refurbishment
• Increase reliability of manufacturing, maintenance, and reuse processes through material and process selection, analysis, development, and test
• Develop physical, mechanical, and thermal properties for materials 
• Improve our special processes and materials through characterization and development 
• Work directly with component design build and test engineering, design reliability, and production teams daily 
• Perform root cause investigations using fractography, metallography, and testing 
• Provide technical reviews and advising for design efforts specifically related to drawings, specifications, and material requirements 
• Collaborate with other engineers, subject matter experts, and technicians to solve complex material and processing challenges on our current and next generation vehicles 

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS: 

• Bachelor's degree in materials engineering or other engineering discipline with emphasis on materials 
• 5+ years of professional work experience in a materials engineering related role 
• Experience and expertise with multiple of the following manufacturing methods: tribological coatings (conversion, inorganic, dry-film lubricants), sheet/plate metal processing, casting, forging, brazing, welding, and heat treating 

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE: 

• Master's degree or PhD in materials engineering or related field  
• Tribological processes including, but not limited to evaluating and implementing protective coatings (polyurethane, urethane, conversion coating, inorganic coatings, dry-film lubricants, etc.) for internal and external environmental conditions including thermal wear, atmospheric, and space environments 
• Understanding of mechanical testing methods for metals including wear, tensile, fracture and fatigue
• Experience with failure analysis and fractography including characterization techniques such as Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and metallographic analysis 
• Knowledge of aerospace metals including nickel-based alloys, stainless steels, aluminum alloys, and titanium alloys 
• Knowledge of fluid and gas compatibility for various launch vehicle and spacecraft propulsion and fluid systems 
• Hands-on experience in a manufacturing environment 
• Understanding of non-destructive test methods for fracture and fatigue control 
• Maintain working knowledge of regulatory requirements, perform associated required tasks, and complete required documentation per SpaceX specifications and other external specifications such as NASA, OSHA, ASTM, NACE, ASME, AWS, ASM, etc. 

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS: 

• Extended hours and weekend work may be required to support critical project and mission milestones 
• Up to 10% domestic travel is expected