Senior Aerospace Textile Engineer

Senior Aerospace Textile Engineer

Job Location s: US‑TX‑Houston

Job ‑2680 | Category:
Engineering

We are seeking a passionate and experienced Senior Aerospace Textile Engineer to join Barrios, a woman‑owned, small business that partners with NASA and the commercial space industry. The role focuses on developing and integrating advanced non‑metallic fibers, textiles, and composites for space‑grade soft goods, including space suits, spacecraft interiors, inflatable structures, and lunar/Martian habitat systems.

Barrios provides innovative engineering, software, and integration services to national and commercial space programs. You will collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to drive the selection, testing, and qualification of materials that meet demanding performance criteria in vacuum, extreme temperature, and high‑vacuum atmospheres.

We are actively searching for qualified candidates for a potential opening. While the position may not yet be finalized, we expect it to become active soon and are proceeding with identifying qualified candidates and conducting interviews.

• Provide expertise on non‑metallic and fibrous materials for selection of soft goods exposed to diverse atmospheres, including high vacuum and extreme temperatures.
• Lead development of materials (films, textiles, non‑wovens) for NASA programs, including spacesuit fabrics, spacecraft interior hardware, inflatable structures, and hygiene materials for lunar and Martian environments.
• Serve as a subject‑matter expert guiding design, development, and qualification of advanced soft goods for next‑generation lunar and Martian space suits.
• Support R&D activities under the SBIR and STTR NASA programs.
• Review NASA reports, requirement documents, proposals, conference papers, and journal articles related to non‑metallic and fibrous materials.
• Assist NASA Materials and Processes engineers with evaluation and selection of materials.
• Perform testing and characterization of non‑metallic materials as needed.
• Perform other duties as required.

• Required Education/Experience/
  
  Skills:
  
  Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (preferably Textile, Fiber Science, or Materials Engineering). Typically 10‑15 years of related experience; a master’s degree is an advantage.
• Preferred Education/Experience/
  
  Skills:
  
  BS or higher in Textile Engineering, Fiber Science, Materials Science, or related field.
• Minimum 10 years of direct experience in the textile manufacturing industry.
• Strong understanding of textile production—from fiber and yarn formation to fabric construction, coating, lamination, and finishing.
• Proven experience in textile product development and scale‑up from prototype to production.
• Solid knowledge of fiber properties, textile structures (woven, knit, non‑woven), and associated manufacturing methods.
• Hands‑on experience with textile testing and performance evaluation per ASTM, AATCC, ISO, or equivalent standards.
• Ability to analyze test data and translate performance requirements into material design improvements and process adjustments.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and collaboratively across multidisciplinary teams.
• Strong problem‑solving, organizational, and multitasking skills within a fast‑paced environment.
• Effective communicator capable of documenting technical results and presenting findings to internal and external stakeholders.
• Previous experience with textiles for aerospace, defense, or high‑performance applications is highly desirable; space‑suit experience is a plus.
• Essential Requirements:
• Must be a U.S. citizen and successfully complete a U.S. government background investigation.
• Post‑offer applicants and employees are subject to drug testing per corporate policy.
• Work may involve sitting for extended periods, lifting up to 25 lbs, and needing mobility to enter test‑facility areas.
• Requires regular office attendance with potential outside‑office work, and ability to work outside normal schedule when needed.
• Professional behavior that enhances teamwork and promotes a safe, appropriate work environment.
• May require commuting and travel to other installations.

Barrios Technology is a drug‑free workplace, which is a condition of receiving federal contracts. A post‑offer, pre‑employment drug test is required.

Barrios Technology is an Equal Employment Employer. All qualified applicants receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, veteran status, genetic information, union status, or any other protected characteristic.