Senior Coatings Process Engineer

Senior Coatings Process Engineer / Subject Matter Expert (SME)

HII, Mission Technologies seeks an experienced Senior Coatings Process Engineer / Subject Matter Expert to support the development of advanced polymer‑based coatings for DoD and commercial applications, including high‑temperature and ablative thermal‑protection elastomers.

The role focuses on providing expert guidance across formulation, scale‑up, and production readiness. The ideal candidate brings deep knowledge of MIL‑Spec coating requirements and a proven track record of developing, qualifying, and launching high‑performance coating systems.

• Level 5 Engineer: $141,796 - $202,566
• Level 6 Engineer: $175,373 - $250,532

• Serve as the primary technical advisor for coating formulation, processing, and production.
• Guide equipment selection, facility layout, and production‑line setup for coatings manufacturing.
• Review and refine formulation strategies to ensure compliance with MIL‑Spec and other relevant standards.
• Support identification of target customers, programs, and applications within defense markets.
• Oversee qualification testing, conformance testing, and regulatory compliance activities.
• Define scale‑up pathways, raw‑material sourcing strategies, and best practices for efficient, repeatable production.
• Act as a technical liaison between internal teams, suppliers, and external partners to ensure alignment across development and manufacturing.
• Contribute to market strategy, product positioning, and competitive differentiation in CONUS/OCONUS defense and commercial coatings markets.
• Identify, troubleshoot, and resolve technical or operational issues that may impact production quality or throughput.
• Support R&D activities, including testing, evaluation, documentation, and reporting for new coating technologies and elastomeric systems.

• Level 5: 15 years relevant experience with Bachelors in related field; 13 years experience with Masters; 10 years with PhD or JD; or High School Diploma and 19 years experience.
• Level 6: 20+ years experience with Bachelors; 18+ with Masters; 15+ with PhD or JD; or High School Diploma and 24 years experience.
• 5+ years experience working within government and/or defense with MIL‑Spec coating systems.
• Strong understanding of the coatings supply chain, qualification process, and customer expectations.
• Demonstrated experience launching or advising on new coating lines or products.
• Background in chemistry, chemical engineering, coatings technology, or a related field.

• May require working in an office, industrial, shipboard, or laboratory environment.
• Capability to climb ladders and tolerate confined spaces and extreme temperature variances.

Competitive benefits including best‑in‑class medical, dental and vision plans; wellness resources; employee assistance programs; 401(k) Savings Plan Options; financial planning tools; life insurance; employee discounts; paid holidays and paid time off; tuition reimbursement; early childhood and post‑secondary education scholarships. Bonus or non‑recurrent compensation may be offered for qualified positions.

If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please send an e‑mail to  and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Reasonable accommodations are considered on a case‑by‑case basis. You may also call for assistance. Press #3 for HII Mission Technologies.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, physical or mental disability, age, veteran status, or any other basis protected by federal, state, or local law.