Materials & Process

About the role

This role guides material decisions, qualification programs, and failure investigations to meet launch and space demands. You will work across design, manufacturing, quality, and test teams in a fast-paced startup environment.

Software engineers turn product ideas into working code. Engineers work in small teams, review each other's work, and ship in small batches. Most teams follow agile practices such as sprints and daily standups. Engineers also write tests, fix bugs, and improve performance. The field values clear communication as much as technical skill. Engineers spend part of every week on planning, code review, and debugging, not just writing new code. The ability to explain a technical decision in plain words separates strong engineers from the rest.

Key facts

Requirements

A Bachelor's degree in Materials Science and Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or a related technical discipline is mandatory.

3 to 7 years of materials and processes engineering experience supporting spaceflight or similarly high-reliability aerospace hardware is required.

Experience with aerospace metallics, including aluminum, titanium, stainless steel, and high-strength alloys, is necessary.

Structural composites, carbon-fiber layups, core materials, and associated manufacturing processes must be familiar.

Thermal-control hardware and materials, including heat pipes, heaters, thermal-interface materials, coatings, primers, adhesives, potting compounds, sealants, and space-qualified lubricants, need hands-on experience.

Investigating manufacturing anomalies, resolving non-conformances, and supporting hardware through qualification or production must be demonstrated.

Nice to have

Familiarity with NASA materials and processes standards, including NASA-STD-6016, is preferred.

Cleanroom operations, contamination control, or planetary-protection requirements experience is valued.

Support for spacecraft mechanisms or other spaceflight hardware is desired.

Experience backing government, national security, NASA, or commercial spaceflight programs is welcome.

Practical notes

Typical interview steps

Hiring for engineering roles usually starts with a recruiter screen, followed by one or two technical rounds. Candidates often solve a coding problem, discuss past projects, and answer system design questions. Some loops include a take-home task. Final rounds typically cover team fit and give candidates a chance to ask questions. Interviewers look for how you break down an unfamiliar problem, not just whether you reach the answer. Practicing a few problems aloud and reviewing your own past projects are the best preparation.

Good to know

The role relies on standards-based engineering methods for materials and processes in aerospace environments.

Common spacecraft mechanisms and thermal-control hardware define much of the daily work.

This position demands rapid learning, ownership, and autonomy within a demanding startup structure.

Technical decisions directly affect mission success and safety in demanding launch and space conditions.

Questions to ask

Worth asking in any interview: how the team measures success, who the role works with daily, what the onboarding looks like, and what the company is trying to achieve this year. Asking what past hires did well is a strong final question. Keep the list short and pick the questions that matter most to you.

Career growth

Engineering careers usually progress from individual contributor to senior, staff, and principal levels. Some engineers move into management and lead teams of five to twenty people. Others stay on the technical track. Growth follows demonstrated impact, not tenure alone. A typical engineering ladder has clear levels with defined expectations for scope, quality, and mentorship. Moving up usually requires owning outcomes end to end rather than completing assigned tickets.