Research and Prototyping Engineer

Arcturus • Los Angeles, CA

4d

About The Position

Arcturus is developing a new wire technology stack using carbon nanomaterials to enhance the performance of electric motors for drones and robotics, heat sinks, and the energy grid. This involves creating a new class of carbon nanomaterial-infused metal matrix composites for high-performance conductor applications. This is a ground-floor opportunity to join an early technical co-op and work closely with the technical team across nanomaterials, additive manufacturing, process engineering, and testing. It's a hands-on role for individuals eager to learn, contribute, and build the experimental foundation for a novel materials platform.

Requirements

• Currently pursuing or recently completed a BS, MS, or PhD in materials science, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, electrical engineering, physics, chemistry, manufacturing engineering, or a related technical field.
• Strong technical curiosity and willingness to learn across multiple disciplines.
• Comfortable working hands-on in a lab, shop, or experimental environment.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and reliable with documentation.
• Able to take direction, ask good questions, and execute quickly.
• Excited to work in a fast-moving startup environment where priorities can change quickly.

Nice To Haves

• Experience working in a research lab, hardware startup, university lab, or advanced manufacturing environment.
• Experience with carbon nanomaterials, graphene, carbon nanotubes, metallurgy, additive manufacturing, powder processing, or materials characterization.
• Familiarity with Raman spectroscopy, microscopy, SEM/EDS, electrical testing, mechanical testing, polishing, or sample preparation.
• CAD experience, ideally with Onshape or similar tools.
• Experience with literature reviews, supplier research, technical databases, or experimental documentation.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain a carbon nanomaterial and powder supplier database, including vendors, material specs, pricing, lead times, and sample availability.
• Help organize a recipe matrix for carbon nanomaterial integration, including material type, loading level, feedstock, processing route, and resulting performance.
• Support basic nanomaterial handling, sample preparation, documentation, and experimental tracking.
• Help build and maintain chamber BOMs, equipment lists, vendor quote trackers, and component comparison tables.
• Support fixture and tooling development through CAD.
• Help organize a fixture CAD library for experimental setups, sample holders, coupons, and test hardware.
• Support additive manufacturing experiments through preparation, documentation, build tracking, and post-build sample handling.
• Support flash sintering fixture iterations, including CAD updates, part sourcing, assembly, testing, and documentation.
• Help create and improve sample preparation SOPs for polishing, sectioning, mounting, cleaning, labeling, and tracking.
• Support cylinder coupon workflows, including sample preparation, processing, inspection, measurement, and documentation.
• Help translate experimental procedures into clear, repeatable work instructions and lab notes.
• Support internal materials testing, including Raman spectroscopy, electrical characterization, mechanical characterization, polishing, microscopy, and other methods as needed.
• Help prepare samples and data packages for external testing, vendor evaluation, partner validation, and customer-facing demonstrations.
• Coordinate with external vendors and labs for quotes, sample shipments, testing status, and results tracking.
• Maintain clear technical documentation, including lab notes, test summaries, experimental results, and lessons learned.

Benefits

• Hands-on technical experience with first-of-its-kind materials and manufacturing challenges
• The chance to work closely with senior technical leads across nanomaterials, additive manufacturing, process engineering, and testing
• Real ownership over useful technical projects, databases, fixtures, experiments, and documentation
• Up to a one-year co-op experience with direct exposure to early-stage deeptech startup building.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Intern
• Education Level: No Education Listed