NDE Engineer

About the role

You will join the NDE Engineering team to create inspection solutions and analyze data that improves manufacturing reliability. This position involves collaborating across departments to ensure the integrity of vehicle components throughout the production lifecycle. You will drive the development of cutting-edge inspection methodologies that directly impact vehicle safety and quality. The role requires a proactive approach to identifying risks before they affect production schedules. You will act as a technical leader for non-destructive evaluation initiatives across the organization. Success in this position depends on your ability to translate complex engineering requirements into actionable inspection strategies. You will contribute to the foundational systems that enable rapid and reliable manufacturing at scale.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Create and deploy advanced nondestructive evaluation inspection methods.
• Design and build sensor systems to address manufacturing quality issues.
• Coordinate with vehicle engineering teams on inspection requirements, part design for inspectability, and data interpretation.
• Manage bench-top validation and early prototyping to lower technology risks.
• Oversee vendor and tooling projects from requirements definition to final delivery.
• Pursue goals related to inspection automation, defect reduction, and cycle time improvement.
• Support NDE specialists with qualification processes, including gauge R&R and PODs.
• Present performance analysis and technical recommendations to executive leadership.
• Define integration test plans and manage multiple projects concurrently.
• Analyze hardware and software interactions to refine system performance using field data.
• Evaluate inspection data to identify trends and drive continuous improvement in manufacturing processes.
• Partner with production teams to implement scalable inspection workflows that meet safety and quality standards.
• Develop test procedures that verify the effectiveness of new NDE technologies under real-world conditions.
• Maintain technical documentation that ensures consistency and compliance with internal audits.

Requirements

• Bachelor degree in physics, computer science, or an engineering field.
• Minimum 1 year of hands-on technical engineering experience.
• Ability to pass Air Force or Space Force background checks for Vandenberg and Cape Canaveral sites.
• Capacity to work flexible hours, including occasional weekends.
• Ability to work at heights using articulated boom or scissor lifts.
• Willingness to adhere to strict safety protocols in all inspection and testing activities.
• Compliance with export control regulations and ITAR requirements is mandatory for this position.
• Strong analytical skills to interpret complex data sets and derive actionable insights.
• Excellent communication skills to convey technical information to cross-functional stakeholders.
• Commitment to maintaining the highest standards of quality in all inspection activities.
• Physical capability to perform duties in a manufacturing environment that may involve standing for extended periods.
• Willingness to follow detailed procedures and documentation standards without deviation.
• Readiness to support troubleshooting efforts when inspection systems fail to perform as expected.

Nice to have

• Master degree or PhD in an engineering discipline.
• Proficiency in NDE techniques like digital radiography, eddy current, or ultrasonic testing.
• Experience with machine learning, statistical modeling, or mathematical optimization.
• Knowledge of robotics and automation.
• Coding skills in Python, Labview, C#, or SQL.
• Familiarity with JIRA or similar tracking software.
• Experience with 8D or other practical problem-solving methodologies.

Practical notes

• Travel: Up to 25% travel to other sites and vendors.
• Benefits: Includes medical, dental, vision, 401(k), life insurance, disability coverage, paid parental leave, 3 weeks vacation, and 10+ holidays.
• Incentives: Potential for stock awards, discretionary bonuses, and an Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
• Visa: Must be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, asylee, or refugee to comply with ITAR regulations.
• Salary levels are provided as ranges to reflect experience and location within the defined compensation structure.
• Work location is specified to align with operational needs and regulatory requirements for aerospace manufacturing.
• Schedule flexibility is required to accommodate production demands and project milestones.
• Height work capability is essential for inspections involving elevated access points on production equipment.
• Background checks are a condition of employment for roles supporting sensitive aerospace sites.
• Project management responsibilities include concurrent oversight of multiple inspection initiatives.
• Data analysis duties require interaction with both hardware and software systems in real-world conditions.
• Qualification processes ensure measurement systems are reliable and repeatable for production use.
• Executive communication is part of the role to align technical findings with strategic objectives.
• Integration test plans are defined to validate system performance before full-scale deployment.
• Cross-functional collaboration is essential to align inspection methods with vehicle engineering goals.
• Tooling projects are managed end-to-end to ensure timely delivery and compliance with specifications.
• Continuous improvement is driven by analyzing inspection data to reduce defects and cycle time.
• The position contributes to the reliability of manufacturing processes through systematic evaluation and testing.
• Technical recommendations are presented to leadership to support decision-making on inspection technologies.
• Sensor systems are designed and built to solve specific manufacturing quality challenges.
• Bench-top validation is used to de-risk new inspection technologies before production implementation.
• The role requires a balance of technical depth and cross-team coordination to achieve operational success.