Materials Science Engineer – Aerospace Coatings & Paint Laboratory

Moseley Technical Services, Inc.•Auburn, WA

12d•Onsite

About The Position

We are hiring a Materials Science Engineer – Aerospace Coatings & Paint Laboratory to develop, qualify, and support aerospace coating formulations, paint application processes, and materials testing for durable, compliant, and cost-effective surface finishes. This role supports laboratory testing, coatings qualification, failure analysis, supplier material evaluations, production support, and continuous improvement while utilizing ASTM test methods, corrosion testing, materials characterization, and aerospace coatings expertise.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree and typically 5 or more years' experience in an engineering classification or a Master's degree with typically 3 or more years' experience in an engineering classification or a PhD degree with experience in an engineering classification
Hands-on experience with coatings formulation, paint systems, materials characterization, laboratory testing, or surface engineering
Experience performing and interpreting coating performance tests including: Salt spray (corrosion), Adhesion testing, Gloss measurements, Abrasion resistance
Experience supporting coating qualification, laboratory investigations, or production-related materials engineering activities.
Ability to prepare technical documentation, laboratory reports, and engineering recommendations.

Nice To Haves

Experience with surface pretreatment technologies including conversion coatings, phosphate coatings, electrocoat (E-coat), powder coatings, or chromate alternative systems.
Knowledge of ASTM standards and environmental or regulatory compliance requirements related to industrial and aerospace coatings.
Experience using laboratory instrumentation including: Spectrophotometer, Glossmeter, Salt spray chamber, QUv/weathering equipment, Cross-hatch adhesion tools, Pull-off adhesion testers, Hardness testing equipment
Experience supporting manufacturing, production launch, process transfer, or production engineering environments.
Bachelor's degree with typically 5+ years of engineering experience, Master's degree with typically 3+ years of engineering experience, or PhD with engineering experience.

Responsibilities

Develop, evaluate, qualify, and optimize aerospace coating and paint formulations for production applications.
Design, execute, and document laboratory testing to validate coating performance, durability, and regulatory compliance.
Perform coatings characterization, failure investigations, and root cause analyses to resolve product and manufacturing issues.
Evaluate supplier materials, coating systems, and alternative technologies to improve quality, reliability, and cost.
Develop, validate, and maintain coating application processes, laboratory procedures, and standardized test methods.
Conduct and interpret coating performance testing including salt spray, adhesion, gloss, abrasion, weathering, hardness, and corrosion resistance evaluations.
Support manufacturing, production scale-up, process transfers, and continuous improvement initiatives.
Collaborate with engineering, manufacturing, quality, suppliers, and cross-functional teams to resolve materials-related issues.
Prepare technical reports, laboratory documentation, qualification data, and engineering recommendations.
Ensure compliance with applicable aerospace, ASTM, environmental, and regulatory requirements.