Materials & Process Engineer

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory•Laurel, MD

About The Position

Do you thrive in a dynamic, high-energy, customer-focused environment? Are you passionate about using state of the art materials and processes to develop sponsor solutions? Are you excited about researching new materials to improve product performance? Do you have a broad background in polymeric materials and processing? If so, we’re looking for someone like you to join our team at APL! We are seeking an experienced Materials and Process Engineer to support the Mechanical Fabrication Group at APL. In this role, you will lead the development, troubleshooting, and hands-on implementation of polymeric resins, adhesives, coatings, and elastomeric materials across all mission areas. You will work closely with APL partners and multidisciplinary design, fabrication, and quality teams to ensure robust, manufacturable solutions. As a recognized materials expert, you will identify opportunities for innovative application of polymer technologies in new and ongoing programs and serve as a technical resource to APL staff in delivering the highest-quality products. As a Materials and Process Engineer you will: Provide technical leadership in the selection, development, qualification, and implementation of polymer-based materials and bonding processes for complex hardware systems. You will be expected to possess an understanding of polymers and processing–performance interactions for structural and non-structural adhesives, polymeric coatings, and elastomeric materials. This role supports the full product lifecycle, from early concept development and material down-selection through fabrication, testing, qualification, and sustainment. Lead the design and execution of adhesive bonding processes for metallic, composite, ceramic, and polymer substrates. This includes defining surface preparation methods, adhesive selection, bondline design, fixturing concepts, cure schedules, and environmental controls. You will develop and author detailed process specifications, work instructions, and acceptance criteria, and provide hands-on support during fabrication of bonded assemblies. Example work includes qualifying structural epoxy bonds for load-bearing assemblies, developing elastomer-to-metal bonds for vibration isolation or sealing applications, and troubleshooting bond failures through root-cause analysis and corrective action. Apply advanced knowledge of polymeric coatings and elastomers to address environmental protection, durability, and functional performance requirements. This may involve developing or qualifying coatings for corrosion protection, abrasion resistance, chemical exposure, or thermal management, as well as selecting and processing elastomers for sealing, damping, or encapsulation. Responsibilities include defining material formulations, processing parameters, and application methods such as spray, dip, cast, or mold-in-place operations, and evaluating performance through mechanical, thermal, chemical, and aging test methods. Collaborate closely with fabrication technicians, design engineers, and quality personnel to ensure processes are robust, repeatable, and scalable. This includes transitioning laboratory-developed processes to production, mentoring junior engineers, and providing expert guidance during design reviews and failure investigations. As the engineer, you will frequently be engaged in hands-on fabrication activities, process trials, and pilot builds to validate assumptions and refine process controls. Stay current with emerging polymer technologies, industry standards, and best practices. This includes engaging with suppliers, evaluating new materials and processes, and contributing to internal capability development. Through technical leadership, rigorous engineering judgment, and a balance of analytical depth and practical fabrication experience, you will ensure that adhesive bonded assemblies, coatings, and elastomeric systems meet demanding performance, reliability, and lifecycle requirements.

Requirements

A Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, or a related field.
Have at least 8+ years of experience working with different polymeric and elastomeric materials including adhesives, coatings, and other resins.
Knowledge of materials and mechanical design.
Strong understanding of polymeric based adhesives and coatings.
Knowledge of reinforced composite materials and processes.
Strong understanding of mechanical and qualitative testing for bonded and coated assemblies.
Experience in bonded assembly process development; and ability to solve common engineering problems including the documentation and communication of the work.
Strong background of hands-on fabrication.
Excellent oral and written communications skills.
Ability to work independently and exercising good technical judgment and communicate effectively while working in a team.
Ability to travel to field sites to support materials engineering tasking.
Are able to obtain an Interim Secret level security clearance by your start date and can ultimately obtain a Top Secret security level clearance. If selected, you will be subject to a government security clearance investigation and must meet the requirements for access to classified information. Eligibility requirements include U.S. citizenship.

Nice To Haves

Have a MS in Mechanical/Materials Engineering.
Significant experience with bonded assembly fabrication and processing methods to include pressure curing and post processing methods.
Experience developing tooling to support component fabrication.

Responsibilities

Provide technical leadership in the selection, development, qualification, and implementation of polymer-based materials and bonding processes for complex hardware systems.
Lead the design and execution of adhesive bonding processes for metallic, composite, ceramic, and polymer substrates.
Apply advanced knowledge of polymeric coatings and elastomers to address environmental protection, durability, and functional performance requirements.
Collaborate closely with fabrication technicians, design engineers, and quality personnel to ensure processes are robust, repeatable, and scalable.
Stay current with emerging polymer technologies, industry standards, and best practices.