Sr. Engineer, M&P - Test

Virgin Galactic is seeking a talented and motivated technical engineer to join our Materials & Process team to help get our next generation of spaceships to space! Guided by our values, “Safety above All”, we proactively manage the risks inherent in human spaceflight through our daily actions in all our testing activities.

As a Senior Materials Test Engineer in the Materials & Process Department, you will focus on the activities surrounding the test of composite components and assemblies for our spaceships by defining and driving mechanical testing to support the structural analysis of both current and future space vehicle designs and builds.

You’ll bring your extensive expertise in materials testing to help ensure that novel materials, joints, bonding solutions, and part designs meet exact standards before they are accepted for use on next generation of spaceships!

• Develop and refine material requirements across multiple programs

• Author material and joint test plans, oversee their execution and create their associated reports

• Review test data and undertake post-testing activities including design allowable calculations, equivalency determinations, and failure mode analysis

• Review test plans, process specifications, part drawings, and other documents to ensure compliance with design requirements

• Confer with stakeholders in Manufacturing, Engineering, and other departments to facilitate production of parts

• Communicate technical concepts and results to Programmatic and Engineering stakeholders to inform company/program decisions

• Develop standards, procedures, and best practices to improve team efficiency

• Recommend process improvement and equipment purchase to develop team capability

• Provide mentorship, training, and guidance to other engineers on the team

• Identify and implement process improvements for efficiency and quality

• Requires a minimum of 8 years of related experience in the evaluation of aerospace industry (or equivalent) materials, including composites, and plastics with a bachelor’s degree from an ABET, or equivalent, accredited institution with a concentration in a relevant Engineering or Sciences discipline.

• A strong understanding of material structure, processing, performance, and failure

• Extensive experience with ASTM or ISO test methods for composite materials

• Familiarity with composite materials and processes used in the manufacture of composite aircraft fuselage and structural components including out-of-autoclave processing

• Experience with materials and process specifications for composite materials

• Familiarity with industry-accepted statistical analysis methods of treating test data such as those found in CMH-17

• Basic CAD modelling and drafting experience (Catia preferred)

• Experience in authoring test plans and reports

• Knowledge of mechanical testing and physical characterization methods

• Familiarity with statistical analysis methods of treating test data

• Conversant in non-destructive inspection methods frequently employed on composite parts and assemblies

• Working knowledge of precision inspection/measurement tools (e.g., optical microscope, FTIR, SEM, Mass Spectrometer, DSC)

• Experience in stress analysis methods, including the use of hand calculations

• Experience with cyclic or fatigue testing of composite materials

• Design of custom test fixturing used in materials testing

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills

• Ability to effectively present technical topics to upper leadership

• Familiarity with shop floor manufacturing and inspection technologies knowledge

• Demonstrated ability to use computer applications to follow work instructions

• A hands-on mentality and an emphasis on continuous improvement

• Experience in an Agile work environment

• Execute other duties as required by Virgin Galactic senior leadership to support company and program objectives

• Master’s or 10+ years’ experience in the evaluation of aerospace materials, including composites, and plastics

• Familiarity with composite materials and processes used in the manufacture of composite aircraft fuselage and structural components including bond preparation, surface…