SpaceX
Materials Engineer, Polymer Development
About this role
SpaceX seeks a Materials Engineer to develop advanced polymeric materials including adhesives, sealants, coatings, and thermal protection systems for aerospace applications. You will own the full lifecycle from formulation and testing through production scale-up, working cross-functionally with engineering and manufacturing teams.
What you'll do
- Partner with engineers to define material requirements and translate design criteria into technical targets
- Lead formulation and process development with strong technical ownership of material solutions
- Investigate material failures and conduct root cause analysis to accelerate project progress
- Guide and mentor project specialists and technicians on development work
- Coordinate materials testing and characterization with laboratory partners
- Drive projects from concept through qualification and production scale-up
What they're looking for
- Polymer chemistry and formulation
- Materials characterization techniques (FTIR, TGA, DSC, GC-MS, NMR, etc.)
- R&D project management and technical leadership
- Process development and manufacturing scale-up
- Data analysis and experimental design
- Root cause analysis and troubleshooting
- Cross-functional collaboration
- Technical documentation and communication
Benefits
- Comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage
- 401(k) retirement plan
- Stock options and employee stock purchase plan
- Paid parental leave and 3 weeks paid vacation
- Short and long-term disability and life insurance
- 10+ paid holidays per year
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SpaceX
SpaceX develops advanced spacecraft and satellite systems, including the Starshield government satellite constellation and Starfall re-entry cargo capsule for global delivery. The company is hiring engineers in avionics integration, software test automation, mechanical design, and hardware reliability to validate flight-critical systems and ensure mission success.
- Website
- spacex.com
Likely interview questions
- Describe your experience developing polymeric formulations from concept to production scale—what were the key challenges and how did you overcome them?
- Walk us through a time when you identified and resolved a material failure or unexpected test result. How did you approach the root cause analysis?