Materials & Processes Lead

BETA Technologies•South Burlington, VT

About The Position

BETA Technologies is seeking a Materials & Processes Lead within Production Engineering to establish and drive the Materials & Processes (M&P) discipline across the product life cycle. The role ensures material selections, process specifications, and manufacturing methods are standardized, repeatable, and certifiable as the company transitions from prototype development to conforming aircraft production at rate. The M&P Lead provides technical authority for materials and process engineering decisions across composite structures, metallic assemblies, adhesive bonding, coatings, sealants, and emerging material technologies. The role leads a team of subject matter experts and lab technicians who support programs across the full product lifecycle, from technology development and qualification through production troubleshooting, fleet service, and sustainment. Embedded within Production Engineering, the position integrates material and process engineering into product development, qualification, production ramp-up, and in-service support. It partners with Core Engineering (Design), Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, Advanced Technology Development, and Service Engineering. The role is accountable for establishing a scalable M&P framework that supports safe, compliant, repeatable production of type-certificated aircraft, with traceable digital records and standards that incorporate production feedback.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Materials Science, Materials Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related discipline; equivalent relevant experience will be considered.
At least 8 years of materials and process engineering experience in aerospace, defense, or advanced manufacturing, including direct support of production operations.
Deep technical knowledge in at least two of the following areas: advanced composite manufacturing; metallic fabrication and joining; adhesive bonding; surface treatment and coatings; or polymer/elastomer systems.
Experience developing, qualifying, and maintaining manufacturing process specifications to aerospace standards, including NADCAP, AS9100, and OEM specifications.
Proven ability to lead technical teams and manage competing priorities in a fast-paced, hands-on production environment.
Strong working knowledge of relevant industry standards, including SAE AMS/ARP, ASTM, and MIL-SPEC/MIL-STD, and regulatory frameworks including 14 CFR Part 21/23.
Ability to communicate complex material and process requirements clearly to technicians, assemblers, design engineers, production leaders, and certification authorities.
Comfort working with PLM, MES, ERP, and engineering data systems used to manage material and process configuration, traceability, and performance.
Ability and willingness to spend regular time on the production floor observing processes, supporting implementation, and incorporating operator and technician feedback.

Nice To Haves

Experience with eVTOL, rotorcraft, or Part 23/25 aircraft production environments.
Familiarity with battery materials, thermal management materials, or energy storage system manufacturing processes.
Familiarity with Lean manufacturing, standard work, statistical process control, or continuous improvement methodologies.
Experience with root cause analysis methodologies such as 8D, Fishbone, and 5-Why for material and process failures and non-conformances.

Responsibilities

Lead and grow the M&P team, ensuring technical coverage by subject matter experts, labs, and technicians across the company.
Deploy M&P resources across programs and projects throughout the product lifecycle, from early technology development through production troubleshooting, fleet service, and fleet sustainment.
Own material and process qualifications and production readiness for production ramp-up.
Establish statistical process controls and validated parameters to support transition from low-rate initial production to full-rate production.
Manage M&P conformity and non-conformance resolution, support Material Review Board dispositions, perform root cause analysis, and drive corrective actions to closure.
Evaluate and qualify alternative materials and suppliers to improve producibility, reduce cost, and strengthen supply chain resilience.
Establish incoming material qualification and acceptance testing programs.
Promote practical, actively maintained material and process standards and continuous improvement in compliance and production performance.
Integrate material and process engineering into development, qualification, production ramp-up, and in-service support.
Incorporate feedback from production into specifications and maintain traceability across the M&P digital thread.