Sr. Materials Engineer (Starship)

SpaceX was founded under the belief that a future where humanity is out exploring the stars is fundamentally more exciting than one where we are not. Today SpaceX is actively developing the technologies to make this possible, with the ultimate goal of enabling human life on Mars.

SR. MATERIALS ENGINEER (STARSHIP)

Our Starship Materials Engineering team serves as experts in various materials disciplines for the broader company and works to make the best rockets and spacecraft in the world. As a member of this team, you will constantly improve the materials and processes that make Starship possible—from production through flight, maintenance, and reuse. This role applies materials engineering across the Starship program, developing and qualifying materials and processes for reliability in extreme environments on both new vehicles and those returning from flight. 

You will apply special processing of metals—including plate, bar, and sheet processing, casting, forging, coatings, and heat treating—to the design, build, maintenance, and refurbishment of Starship hardware. If your goal is to make an impact at the cutting edge of materials and manufacturing technologies, this is the role for you. 

RESPONSIBILITIES:  

• Design, develop, and deploy materials and process direction for Starship design, manufacturing, maintenance, and refurbishment 
• Increase reliability of Starship manufacturing, maintenance, and reuse processes through material and process selection, analysis, development, and test 
• Develop physical, mechanical, and thermal properties for materials 
• Improve our special processes and materials through characterization and development 
• Work directly with component design build and test engineering, design reliability, and production teams daily 
• Perform root cause investigations using fractography, metallography, and testing 
• Provide technical reviews and advising for design efforts specifically related to drawings, specifications, and material requirements 
• Collaborate with other engineers, subject matter experts, and technicians to solve complex material and processing challenges on our current and next generation vehicles 

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS: 

• Bachelor's degree in materials engineering or other engineering discipline with emphasis on materials 
• 5+ years of professional work experience in a materials engineering related role 
• Experience and expertise with multiple of the following manufacturing methods: tribological coatings (conversion, inorganic, dry-film lubricants), sheet/plate metal processing, casting, forging, brazing, welding, and heat treating 

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE: 

• Master's degree or PhD in materials engineering or related field  
• Tribological processes including, but not limited to evaluating and implementing protective coatings (polyurethane, urethane, conversion coating, inorganic coatings, dry-film lubricants, etc.) for internal and external environmental conditions including thermal wear, atmospheric, and space environments 
• Understanding of mechanical testing methods for metals including wear, tensile, fracture and fatigue
• Experience with failure analysis and fractography including characterization techniques such as Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and metallographic analysis 
• Knowledge of aerospace metals including nickel-based alloys, stainless steels, aluminum alloys, and titanium alloys 
• Knowledge of fluid and gas compatibility for various launch vehicle and spacecraft propulsion and fluid systems 
• Hands-on experience in a manufacturing environment 
• Understanding of non-destructive test methods for fracture and fatigue control 
• Maintain working knowledge of regulatory requirements, perform associated required tasks, and complete required documentation per SpaceX specifications and other external specifications such as NASA, OSHA, ASTM, NACE, ASME, AWS, ASM, etc. 

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS: 

• Extended hours and weekend work may be required to support critical project and mission milestones 
• Up to 10% domestic travel is expected 

ITAR REQUIREMENTS:

• To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.  

SpaceX is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with SpaceX is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.

Applicants wishing to view a copy of SpaceX’s Affirmative Action Plan for veterans and individuals with disabilities, or applicants requiring reasonable accommodation to the application/interview process should reach out to EEOCompliance@spacex.com.