Materials Scientist

Broomfield, CO (on-site)

Full Time (salaried)

Raven Space Systems (Raven) is a venture‑backed startup with active government programs and strong commercial momentum, helping revitalize the industrial base by developing breakthroughs in automated manufacturing to build factories of the future and enable the US to compete globally. Raven is building breakthrough composite 3D printing smart factories for aerospace and defense, using its Microwave Assisted Deposition (MAD) innovation to unlock scalable 3D printing of highly tailorable, commercial‑off‑the‑shelf thermoset and ceramic composite materials for the first time.

The technology is based on Direct Ink Write (DIW), the most versatile additive manufacturing technology, which utilises the highest‑performance materials. Our mission is to transform composite manufacturing to alleviate critical supply chain bottlenecks and accelerate innovation.

A Materials Scientist at Raven will lead the development, testing, and optimisation of thermoset and ceramic composite materials used in our MAD 3D printing systems. This hands‑on, foundational role requires an experienced materials expert who is passionate about translating innovative formulations into real‑world production processes. You will work closely with our hardware and software teams to tune material behaviour for extrusion, microwave‑curing, ablation resistance, and mechanical performance, and will help refine mixing protocols and support the scale‑up of printable pastes for production across thermal protection systems, lightweight structures, and other critical aerospace applications.

• Develop and optimise thermoset and ceramic composite formulations for use in MAD 3D printing, including epoxy, phenolic, carbon‑filled, aqueous ceramics, etc.
• Design and refine materials mixing protocols and equipment strategies to ensure batch consistency, processability, and printability.
• Lead testing and characterization of material properties, thermal stability, cure kinetics, mechanical, rheology, and ablation performance.
• Support the scale‑up of formulations from lab‑scale to production‑level batches with tight process controls.
• Interface with software and hardware engineers to ensure proper extrusion behaviour, curing dynamics, and print reliability.
• Assist in establishing quality control systems for incoming materials, in‑process inspection, and final part validation.
• Maintain documentation of formulations, experimental results, and processing parameters to support repeatability and audit readiness.
• Evaluate and qualify raw material vendors and identify new material inputs as needed.
• Contribute to intellectual property and technical strategy for Raven’s composite material stack.

• Bachelor’s or Master’s in Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Polymer Science, or related field.
• 4+ years of experience with composite materials, especially thermosets or ceramics.
• Strong knowledge of formulation chemistry, particularly for filled resins and paste‑like materials.
• Hands‑on experience with materials mixing, degassing, and rheological control.
• Familiarity with techniques such as DSC, TGA, DMA, tensile testing, and microscopy.
• Experience developing or scaling manufacturing processes for engineered materials.
• Comfort working in cross‑disciplinary teams with mechanical, software, and operations personnel.
• Preferred Experience:
  • PhD in Materials Science or related field.
  • Experience with ablative composites, ceramic‑matrix composites, or carbon‑carbon systems.
  • Familiarity with Direct Ink Write (DIW) or paste extrusion additive manufacturing.
  • Experience supporting aerospace or defense hardware programmes.
  • Exposure to high‑temperature materials, thermal protection systems, or propulsion insulation.

• Be a key contributor to the material backbone of a revolutionary additive manufacturing platform.
• Work directly with the founding team to shape Raven’s materials R&D roadmap.
• Help solve critical national supply‑chain challenges across aerospace and defence.
• Early‑stage equity opportunity with high‑growth potential.
• Access to modern factory and lab…