Materials Engineer; Materials Laboratory

Location:

Hawthorne, CA

The Materials Engineer is a self‑starter responsible for ensuring the quality, integrity, and usability of data generated across the Materials Lab while leading the development and qualification of new and improved test processes. You will establish engineering controls and quality systems, train lab personnel on first principles, investigate data anomalies, and drive capability expansion across Thermal, Characterization, Chemistry, Reliability, Mechanical Testing, and R&D segments.

The role requires strong project management skills to simultaneously advance multiple initiatives while building a state‑of‑the‑art laboratory that delivers high‑quality data quickly to support Space

X’s most critical hardware programs.

• Own data quality and integrity across the Materials Lab, including Thermal Analysis (TGA, LFA, DSC, DMA, STA, etc.), Characterization (SEM, EDS, XRD, optical microscopy, FTIR, etc.), Chemistry (ICP, spark OES, PSD, pycnometer testing, etc.), Reliability (corrosion, coatings, etc.), Mechanical Testing (cryo, room temperature, and elevated temperature tensile/compression/fatigue, Charpy, fracture toughness, etc.), and R&D (torch testing, heat treatments, Gleeble, and process development, etc.)
• Develop and implement engineering controls, calibration procedures, and quality systems to ensure consistent, accurate, and traceable data output from all lab areas.
• Serve as a technical trainer and mentor, teaching lab technicians and engineers the fundamental scientific principles behind test methods and best practices for execution.
• Rapidly learn and master new or unfamiliar test equipment and systems using first‑principles understanding, then identify opportunities for improvement and draw deeper technical inferences from test results.
• Lead root‑cause investigations for anomalous or out‑of‑specification data, determine data validity, and provide clear recommendations to internal customers on how to interpret and apply results.
• Perform failure analysis on materials and components using laboratory methods and equipment to determine failure modes and root causes, and draw accurate conclusions regarding material behavior, failure mechanisms, and recommendations for material selection and design improvements.
• Drive process improvement and new capability development projects, including the introduction of currently unavailable methods (e.g., fatigue crack growth testing) and optimization of existing techniques (e.g., XRD).
• Develop, qualify, and document new or improved test processes, create work instructions and training materials, train technicians, and successfully transition processes from development into routine production lab operations.
• Manage multiple concurrent projects with clear, visible schedules and deliverables while driving the lab toward state‑of‑the‑art capabilities.
• Collaborate with design, manufacturing, and quality teams to understand testing requirements and deliver high‑value, actionable materials data in support of vehicle and engine programs.

• Bachelor’s degree in materials science and engineering, metallurgical engineering, mechanical engineering, or a related technical field.
• 1+ years of professional experience as an engineer working in a materials testing or characterization laboratory.
• Hands‑on experience with at least one of the following areas: mechanical testing, thermal analysis, or materials characterization techniques.

• Master’s degree or PhD in materials science and engineering or a related discipline.
• 3+ years of professional experience as an engineer working in a materials testing or characterization laboratory.
• Deep understanding of materials science across a wide range of domains, including metals, polymers, ceramics, felts, adhesives, and composites.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple concurrent projects with clear schedules and deliverables.
• Strong engineering judgment and self‑motivation with a track record of driving projects independently.
• Experience developing, qualifying, and documenting new laboratory test methods or processes.
• Strong understanding of materials…