Materials Engineer, Rocket Motor Systems

Andurils Rocket Motor Systems (RMS) team is rebuilding U.S. domestic production capacity for solid rocket propulsion. Were looking for a Materials and Process (M&P) Engineer to help connect how a motor is formulated tested and built to how it actually performs. Youll work across the full stack of solid rocket motor materials: insulation seals propellants motor cases nozzles and energetic systems.

This is a role youll grow into. Alongside a supportive team youll help build the M&P infrastructure that lets the RMS team scale from prototype development to high-rate production contributing to the material specifications process specifications acceptance test procedures and design allowables that turn fast-moving development work into clear configuration-controlled engineering documentation. Youll take on more ownership as you go and youll have experienced engineers around you to learn from while you do.

Were looking for someone with solid materials-science fundamentals for aerospace applications a habit of documenting their work so others can build on it and genuine curiosity about how materials behave in the real world. You might be early in your career or already deep in it either way you like being hands-on in the lab and thinking about how to make good work repeatable.

What Youll Do

• Connect polymeric material properties characterization and processing fundamentals to solid rocket motor design formulation testing manufacturing and performance
• Build and maintain material specifications that connect system performance requirements to formulation for polymeric materials spanning raw materials components and assemblies including liners seals propellants cases (metal and composite) ablatives insulators adhesives and coatings
• Develop standard testing procedures to characterize the mechanical viscoelastic thermal and surface behavior of polymeric materials across solid rocket motor components and assemblies
• Create process specifications for manufacturing operations including propellant processing ablative manufacturing insulation/liner bonding and surface preparation surface modification coating application adhesive curing heat treatment and final assembly
• Run materials characterization for polymeric materials including mechanical testing (tensile shear flexural bonding) thermal analysis rheology cure kinetics surface energy and interfaces and ablation performance
• Develop design allowables from characterization results per industry standards (CMH-17 JANNAF)
• Partner with design and manufacturing teams to review drawings and manufacturing plans support design reviews and troubleshoot production issues
• Work across science engineering manufacturing quality and program teams to turn mission requirements into right-sized material and process solutions
• Contribute to cost-reduction and cycle-time improvement efforts for high-rate production and prepare technical documentation that lets us move fast without losing rigor

Required Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in Materials Science Polymer Engineering Polymer Science Chemical Engineering or a related field
• 2 years of materials and process engineering experience in material testing for aerospace propulsion or defense applications
• Working knowledge in one or more of the following (with interest in growing into the others): polymer mechanics and rheology propellant materials and processing adhesive bonding cure kinetics and surface preparation
• Exposure to developing material or process specifications
• Experience with material characterization testing and documentation
• Strong technical writing and attention to detail
• Ability to manage multiple priorities independently in a fast-paced environment
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a U.S. Top Secret security clearance

Preferred Qualifications

• Masters or Doctorate in Materials Science Polymer Engineering Polymer Science Chemical Engineering or a related field
• Direct experience with materials used in solid rocket motors including insulation seals propellants motor cases nozzles and energetic components
• Depth or growing interest in two or more of the following: high-temperature coatings adhesives insulation liners and ablatives; polymer surface characterization and modification; interfacial mechanics chemistry and behavior (polymer-to-polymer metal-to-polymer ceramic-to-polymer)
• Hands-on experience with polymer processing propellant processing composite fabrication ablative manufacturing or metal case production
• Experience developing design allowables per CMH-17 JANNAF or MIL-HDBK-17 standards
• Experience with NDI methods and developing inspection procedures
• Experience characterizing polymer material interfaces across solid rocket motor systems (insulation-to-propellant insulation-to-motor case seals-to-motor case) via mechanical thermal and/or spectroscopy methods
• Familiarity with MIL-STDs AIAA standards and JANNAF best practices
• Knowledge of rocket motor design internal ballistics and combustion environments
• Experience participating in Engineering Review Boards Material Review Boards and Failure Review Boards
• Experience transitioning processes from development to production in agile environments

The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors inclusive of base salary only. Actual salary offer may vary based on (but not limited to) work experience education and/or training critical skills and/or business considerations. Highly competitive equity grants are included in the majority of full time offers; and are considered part of Andurils total compensation package. Additionally Anduril offers top-tier benefits for full-time employees including:

At Anduril we invest in our people. Our comprehensive competitive benefits package (available at little to no cost to employees) ensures youre supported in health recovery and whatever comes next.For more information Explore Our Benefits.

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