Materials Scientist

Raven Space Systems (Raven) is a venture-backed startup with active government programs and strong commercial momentum, helping revitalize the industrial baseby developing breakthroughs in automated manufacturing to build factories ofthe future and enable the US to compete globally. To meet this critical need, Ravenis building breakthrough composite 3D printing smart factories for thermalprotection, lightweight structures, and more for aerospace and defense. Our Microwave Assisted Deposition (MAD) innovation unlocks scalable 3D printing ofhighly tailorable, commercial-off-the-shelf thermoset and ceramic compositematerials for the first time.

The technology is based on Direct Ink Write (DIW),the most versatile additive manufacturing technology, which utilizes the highest-performance materials. However, DIW has been stuck in the lab forover 20 years due to its inability to 3D print full-scale composite parts. Raven’s MAD 3

Dprinting factories bring DIW to full-scale production of parts and systems. Our technology stack leverages MAD 3D printing, real-time monitoring and controls,and data-driven learning to deploy the most efficient and versatile advanced manufacturing factories. Our mission is to transform composite manufacturing toalleviate critical supply chain bottlenecks and accelerate innovation.

ASenior Materials Scientist at Raven will lead the development, testing, and optimization of thermoset and ceramic composite materials used in our MAD 3

Dprinting systems. This is a hands-on, foundational role for an experiencedmaterials expert passionate about translating innovative formulations intoreal-world production processes. You will work closely with our hardware and software teams to tune material behavior for extrusion, microwave-curing,ablation resistance, and mechanical performance. You will also help refinemixing protocols and support the scale-up of printable pastes for productionacross thermal protection systems, lightweight structures, and other criticalaerospace applications.

• Develop and optimize thermoset and ceramic composite formulations for use in MAD 3
  
  Dprinting, including epoxy, phenolic, carbon-filled, aqueous ceramics,etc.
• Designand refine materials mixing protocols and equipment strategies to ensure batchconsistency, processability, and printability
• Leadtesting and characterization of material properties, thermal stability, curekinetics, mechanical, including rheology, and ablation performance
• Support the scale-up of formulations from lab-scale to production-level batches withtight process controls
• Interface with software and hardware engineers to ensure proper extrusion behavior,curing dynamics, and print reliability
• Assistin establishing quality control systems for incoming materials, in-processinspection, and final part validation
• Maintaindocumentation of formulations, experimental results, and processing parametersto 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’sor Master’s in Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Polymer Science, orrelated field
• 4+years of experience with composite materials, especially thermosets or ceramics
• Strong knowledge of formulation chemistry, particularly for filled resins andpaste-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
• Comfortworking in cross-disciplinary teams with mechanical, software, and operations personnel

• PhDin 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 programs
• Exposure to high-temperature materials, thermal protection…