Materials and Process Engineer (Mid/ Senior)

Hybron Inc•El Segundo, CA

10d•$105,000 - $167,000•Onsite

About The Position

Hybron is an advanced manufacturing company specializing in the rapid, cost-effective production of lightweight composites. We have developed a proprietary manufacturing process that significantly accelerates the creation of complex, high-performance composite parts. Having secured $25M in seed funding and support from the Northrop Grumman Technology Accelerator, we are expanding to commercialize and mass-produce composite products for applications in composite artillery shells, solid rocket motor nozzles, gas turbine engine components, and airframes. This is a full-time, in-person role at our El Segundo facility, requiring a self-starter capable of managing diverse responsibilities across lab, manufacturing, and coordination tasks. The role offers significant influence over product development, strategy, and company trajectory, with opportunities for rapid professional growth. As a Materials & Process Engineer, you will link material chemistries to the process-structure-property relationships of Hybron’s fiber-reinforced composites, guiding material selection, formulation, and process development to meet stringent aerospace, defense, and energy application requirements. Daily tasks include running and interpreting material characterization tests (TGA, DMA, DSC, rheology, mechanical), designing and executing process and mechanical test campaigns, diagnosing failures, and translating findings into scalable production processes. You will also collaborate with external suppliers to source and qualify new materials and contribute to building essential systems like lab organization, SOPs, and test protocols. This role involves project management, requirements identification, materials characterization, part manufacturing, testing, quality inspection, cross-team collaboration, and supply chain engagement.

Requirements

Must be a U.S. Person pursuant to EAR and ITAR definitions
Ability to work in-person at our facility in El Segundo, Monday-Friday
Bachelor's degree in a relevant engineering or science field (Composites, Materials Science, Chemistry, Polymer Science, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Manufacturing, etc.), with a strong chemistry background
3+ years of post-graduate industry experience in composite materials design and manufacturing for Mid-level candidates
5+ years of post-graduate industry experience, with demonstrated technical leadership, for Senior-level candidates
Strong fundamental knowledge of materials science, with demonstrated experience connecting material composition to process-structure-property optimization
Ability to design and execute material characterization (TGA, TMA, DMA, DSC, rheology) and mechanical coupon testing
Experience working with external suppliers, customers, and collaborators to identify, procure, and analyze relevant materials
Experience with failure analysis and root cause analysis
Experience with lab management, organization, and SOP development
Comfortable working in a lab and manufacturing environment
Strong problem-solving skills, with a drive to deliver on ambitious schedules, including unconventional and creative solutions when needed
Thrives in cross-functional organizations with strong communication and collaboration
Must be able to routinely lift, carry, push, and pull objects weighing up to 25 lbs

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree preferred
Experience and advanced knowledge with composite manufacturing methods
Experience with chopped and continuous fiber materials and manufacturing
Experience with Design of Experiments (DOE) or statistical process optimization tools (e.g., JMP, Minitab)
Experience scaling a process from lab/pilot scale to production volume
Familiarity with quality systems relevant to aerospace/defense manufacturing (AS9100, NADCAP, MIL-SPEC)
Experience with adhesives and various resin chemistries, including but not limited to epoxy, BMI, cyanate ester, vinyl ester, phenolics
Experience scaling a process from lab to pilot+ scale
Experience in the Aerospace or Defense industry
Experience working at or leading a small company/business, or with small teams

Responsibilities

Connect materials chemistries to the process-structure-property relationship of Hybron’s fiber-reinforced composites, using a novel material construction.
Guide material selection, formulation changes, and process development to meet the demanding requirements of aerospace, defense, and energy applications.
Bridge material characterization, manufacturing process, and final part performance across a wide range of material families and processing domains.
Run and interpret material characterization (TGA, DMA, DSC, rheology, mechanical, and similar).
Design and execute process and mechanical test campaigns.
Diagnose and root-cause part or process failures.
Translate findings into process changes that hold up at production scale.
Work closely with external suppliers and collaborators to source, evaluate, and qualify new material options.
Help build the systems such as lab organization, SOPs, and test protocols as we scale.
Perform project management, requirements identification, materials characterization, part manufacturing, testing design, test execution, quality inspection, cross-team collaboration, and supply chain engagement.

Benefits

Paid time off
Vacation – 10+ working days per year
Sick – 5 working days per year
Hybron observes US holidays with several additional days off to keep you charged
Daily lunches provided by the company
401K with employer-matched contributions up to 4% of salary
Medical insurance – 95% EE, 75% DEP employer contribution
Dental insurance – 95% EE, 75% DEP employer contribution
Vision insurance – 95% EE, 75% DEP employer contribution
Life, short and long-term disability insurance – 100% company covered
Significant stock options in the company
Potential additional compensation