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 - SX CASTING SpaceX continues to revolutionize the launch industry by combining advanced technological developments with pragmatic and lean manufacturing. This is especially important for the future of rapid and high-volume Starship flight, where power generation is crucial. As a member of the Materials Engineering team, you will own solving complex materials challenges in a rapidly innovating environment. You will regularly interface with engineering and supply chain teams, as well as have hands-on responsibilities with hardware, ultimately ushering in the next era of revolutionary spaceflight.
RESPONSIBILITIES: - Partner with supply chain, vendors, and engineering teams to accelerate progress on development and production of SX (single crystal) casted components for gas turbines
- Develop, qualify and troubleshoot metal casting processes used in production
- Provide technical review and advising for design efforts as it relates to material alloy and form selection, tooling, and material and process specifications
- Collaborate with and support vendors on qualification and property development of castings and processes
- Responsible for driving scaling and implementation of casted components to ground systems hardware
- Responsible for coordinating with ground engineering, vehicle engineering, supply chain, vendors, operations, technicians, and senior leadership on a consistent basis to stay aligned on product performance, reliability, manufacturability, and cost requirements
- Dynamically balance the trade between manufacturability, performance, efficiency, and product life with business needs
- Perform root cause investigations using fractography, metallography, and characterization techniques
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS: - Bachelor's degree in material science, materials engineering, weld engineering, metallurgical engineering, or other related engineering discipline
- 5+ years of professional experience with developing metal casting technologies
- 3+ years of experience with metallographic characterization techniques and equipment, such as SEM-EDS, optical microscopy, hardness testers, mechanical property testing, and/or spectroscopy techniques for composition or phase
PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE: - Master's degree or Ph.D. in material science, materials engineering, weld engineering, metallurgical engineering, or equivalent engineering discipline
- 5+ years of professional experience with SX casting technologies
- Experience working on Ni-based superalloy castings
- Strong interpersonal and collaborative skills with enthusiasm for the team's spirit of innovation in cutting-edge technology
- Experience with technical review of material processes and a first principles understanding of how process variables impact material performance
- Demonstrated track record of success in a rapidly growing, fast-paced and highly competitive environment
- Personality and drive to execute in a scrappy entrepreneurial environment that operates under tight timelines and aggressive schedules
- Hands-on experience in a high-production manufacturing environment
- Effective written and interpersonal communication skills
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS: - Willingness to travel to other SpaceX sites and/or vendors for significant/extended periods of time (up to 35%)
- Ability to lift up to 30 Ibs unassisted
- Standing/walking for long periods of time
- Willingness to work long hours and weekends as necessary to accommodate manufacturing and test campaigns
ITAR REQUIREMENTS: 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
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