Materials Engineer, Metals

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The Staff Metals and Alloys Engineer acts as the principal technical expert for metallic material systems and their integration into high‑performance hardware, with a critical emphasis on Color, Material, and Finish (CMF). This role drives the strategic selection and development of alloys, surface treatments, and coatings to achieve superior mechanical performance, scratch resistance, reliability, and aesthetic quality for next‑generation consumer electronics.

The engineer will lead multi‑functional efforts to qualify new metallic materials and fabrication processes, ensuring components meet rigorous demands while maintaining quality and reliability.

This position requires deep metallurgical expertise to solve complex materials challenges across the product lifecycle:

Physical Metallurgy & Alloy Design

• Lead the development and characterization of high‑performance alloys (e.g., Titanium, Steel and non‑ferrous alloys) for critical wearable device components and outer housings.
• Apply deep knowledge of phase diagrams and kinetics to optimize heat‑treatment cycles, ensuring desired microstructural phases and mechanical properties.
• Implement advanced strengthening strategies such as precipitation hardening, work hardening, and grain refinement to enhance component durability.

Manufacturing & Thermal Processing

• Partner with manufacturing teams to refine metal forming processes including MIM, 3D printing, forging, extrusion, and precision casting for high‑volume production.
• Design and validate thermal processing routes to manage residual stresses, improve dimensional stability, and optimize grain structure.
• Collaborate on the interaction between bulk metal properties and secondary surface treatments to ensure robust adhesion and finish quality.

Surface Engineering & Advanced Coatings

• Lead the development, characterization, and qualification of advanced thin‑film coatings and surface treatments, including PVD, CVD, plating, and anodizing, to optimize CMF and wear resistance on Titanium components.
• Drive innovation in coatings and finishes to achieve superior scratch resistance and reliability under long‑term user wear.
• Collaborate with design and manufacturing teams to develop optically clear, scratch‑resistant coatings for metallic surfaces.

Characterization & Forensic Analysis

• Utilize advanced metallographic techniques (SEM, EBSD, XRD) to characterize grain size, phase distribution, and crystalline orientation.
• Perform deep‑dive root‑cause investigations of metallic failures, including fatigue, stress‑corrosion cracking (SCC), and brittle fracture.
• Establish comprehensive testing protocols for tensile, hardness, and toughness evaluation to correlate microstructure with real‑world performance.

• Improving the scratch resistance of Titanium PVD finishes to meet premium consumer standards.
• Developing and qualifying optically clear, scratch‑resistant coatings for functional metal surfaces.
• Strength‑to‑Weight optimization:
  Developing lightweight metallic solutions that maintain structural integrity under extreme loading conditions.
• Ensuring consistent metallurgical and coating properties across global supply chains during rapid production ramps.
• Balancing the mechanical and reliability requirements of alloys with the rigorous cosmetic standards required for premium consumer finishes.

• 10+ years of deep expertise in metallurgy, metals engineering, or surface engineering, specifically focused on…