Materials & Processes Engineer

Mclaurin Aerospace • Houston, TX

16h • Onsite

About The Position

The Materials & Processes Engineer will join the JETS II contract team at NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, supporting NASA’s deep space exploration efforts. The role ensures that spaceflight hardware complies with Materials & Processes (M&P) requirements through documentation and drawing reviews, technical consultation, materials selection, process control and qualification, and manufacturing and inspection support. Areas of M&P expertise include corrosion prevention, electrical bonding, flammability, toxic off-gassing, contamination control, oxygen compatibility, and materials and process specifications. The position is posted at multiple levels, and candidates may be considered at any advertised level based on their experience, qualifications, and business needs.

Mclaurin combines features of research and industry to foster innovation and encourages employees to pursue research, publication, and engagement with the academic community. U.S. citizenship and the ability to pass a comprehensive security background investigation are required.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Engineering, such as Metallurgy, Materials Science, Chemical, Mechanical, or Aerospace Engineering.
• Typically, 2–5 years of experience in the field or a related area; the posting also specifies 5 or more years of related work experience with materials and processes.
• Knowledge of materials and processes for space applications, including metallic and nonmetallic materials selection, corrosion prevention, electrical bonding, failure analysis, heat treatment, adhesive bonding, and contamination control.
• Knowledge of metallurgy, including aluminum alloys, titanium alloys, stainless steels, and nickel-based alloys.
• Familiarity with contamination-control requirements and verification methods for space hardware.
• Familiarity with metallic and nonmetallic materials specifications, properties, and testing.
• Knowledge of engineering drawing review for materials and processes.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills and the ability to critically assess manufacturing and material processes and designs.
• Ability to work collaboratively and independently in a multidisciplinary field.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• U.S. citizenship and ability to pass a comprehensive security background investigation.

Nice To Haves

• 15 or more years of direct work experience in Metallurgy, including heat treatment, corrosion control, additive manufacturing, welding, or failure analysis.
• Knowledge of industry standards for materials specifications and data analysis, including MMPDS, AMS, NAS, and MIL.
• Experience with material selection for electrical components, corrosion prevention, flammability prevention, oxygen compatibility, process qualification, contamination control, development, testing, and evaluation for NASA and/or crewed spacecraft projects.
• Knowledge of contamination control and molecular outgassing testing and qualification for aerospace applications.
• Experience working in a precision cleaning laboratory or facility.
• Experience with human spaceflight system engineering and integration practices.
• Experience implementing system requirements into hardware design and development.

Responsibilities

• Review project and program documentation, specifications, and engineering drawings to ensure M&P requirements are met for spaceflight hardware.
• Advise and consult on M&P requirements for intravehicular (IVA) and extravehicular (EVA) environments, including materials selection, process control and qualification, corrosion prevention, electrical bonding, flammability, toxic off-gassing, and process specifications.
• Support M&P tasks, including creating Materials Usage Agreements (MUAs) and Materials Identification and Usage Lists (MIULs), conducting oxygen compatibility assessments, and reviewing engineering drawings and testing plans.
• Provide input to program and project specifications and ensure appropriate materials requirements are incorporated at the appropriate level.
• Assess whether standard vendor processes meet requirements and define necessary changes when they do not.
• Recommend qualification and acceptance testing to vendors to verify requirements.
• Provide inspection and manufacturing process support for human spaceflight systems.
• Perform other duties as required.

Benefits

• Competitive pay
• Positive work-life balance
• 100% employer-paid medical, dental, vision, life, accidental death and dismemberment, short-term disability, and long-term disability insurance
• 11 paid holidays annually
• Generous paid time off
• 401(k) after 12 months of service with employer match
• Education assistance
• Relocation assistance, if applicable

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level