Senior Manager, Additive Materials & Process Laboratory

Hadrian Automation • Los Angeles, CA

15d • Onsite

About The Position

Join us in shaping the future of aerospace and defense manufacturing. As the Senior Manager, Additive Materials & Process Laboratory, you will lead Hadrian's Materials and Process (M&P) Laboratory, a comprehensive testing and characterization facility supporting additive manufacturing, welding, casting, forging, and supply chain quality activities. You will own laboratory operations, ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation, Nadcap accreditation in applicable disciplines, customer specification compliance, and the technical roadmap for laboratory automation across both software and hardware. You will lead a team of laboratory engineers, technicians, and specialists responsible for delivering accurate, traceable, and timely test data that enables Hadrian to qualify materials, qualify processes, and release production hardware.

Requirements

• Master's degree in Materials Science, Metallurgical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemistry, or related discipline required; Ph.D. is a plus.
• 8+ years of experience in a materials and process or metallurgical laboratory environment supporting aerospace, defense, or other regulated industries, with at least 3 years of direct people leadership.
• Direct hands-on experience operating and managing equipment across mechanical testing, metallography, advanced characterization (SEM/EDS), chemical analysis, physical testing, sample preparation, and environmental testing.
• Demonstrated experience leading or supporting an ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation effort, with working knowledge of Nadcap AC7101 and slash sheet requirements applicable to materials testing laboratories.
• Strong working knowledge of relevant ASTM, ISO, AMS, and AWS test standards (e.g., E8, E9, E18, E384, E23, E1820, E647, E466, E139, E3, E407, E1019, E415, B213, B214, B527, B962, AMS 7002), plus statistical methods including SPC, gauge R&R, MSA, and measurement uncertainty per the ISO/IEC Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement.
• Hands-on experience with laboratory automation, including LIMS deployment or major LIMS configuration and at least one form of hardware automation such as robotic specimen handling, automated metallographic preparation, or automated optical inspection.
• Excellent communication and cross-functional leadership abilities.
• Willing to travel up to 20%, primarily within the U.S., with occasional international travel.
• U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident (required for ITAR compliance).

Nice To Haves

• Direct experience as the ISO/IEC 17025 Quality Manager or Technical Manager of an accredited laboratory.
• Direct experience as a Nadcap-designated representative, internal Nadcap auditor, or laboratory leader through a successful Nadcap initial accreditation.
• Working knowledge of additive manufacturing processes (PBF-LB and DED) and direct experience qualifying powder feedstock to AMS 7002 (chemistry, particle size distribution, morphology, and flow).
• Direct experience with SEM, EDS, EBSD, and micro-CT applied to AM and conventionally produced metallic materials.
• AS9100 Lead Auditor or Six Sigma (Green or Black Belt).
• Exceptional oral and written communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills.
• Attention to detail and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent time management skills with a proven ability to meet deadlines.
• Strong organizational and planning skills in a fast-paced environment.
• A positive "get things done" attitude and flexibility in our ever-changing environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day operations of the M&P Laboratory across all functional areas.
• Build and lead a team of engineers, technicians, and specialists; set test priorities, manage capacity, define turnaround time targets, and ensure rigorous response to nonconformances and customer escapes.
• Drive ISO/IEC 17025 and Nadcap accreditation across the laboratory, including AC7101 and slash sheets for materials testing, and Heat Treating, NDT, or Chemical Processing where in scope.
• Maintain audit readiness, lead initial accreditation and successive surveillance assessments, and close findings within required timelines.
• Ensure the laboratory meets prime customer specifications (Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, RTX, GE Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, NAVSEA), and serve as the technical interface to customer quality representatives during audits and source visits.
• Own all mechanical testing capability including tensile (room temperature, cryogenic, and elevated temperature), compression, Rockwell hardness, Vickers and Knoop microhardness, Charpy impact, fracture toughness, fatigue crack growth, low- and high-cycle fatigue, creep, weld bend testing, and PIP testing for additive feedstocks, in compliance with the applicable ASTM, AMS, ISO, and customer standards.
• Own metallographic preparation and inspection (sectioning, mounting, grinding and polishing, etching, optical microscopy on the Keyence platform) and advanced characterization (SEM, EDS, SEM, powder morphology).
• Define preparation procedures by alloy and product form, ensure operator qualification, and maintain instrument calibration and reference material traceability.
• Own chemical analysis (OES, XRF, combustion analyzers for C/S and O/N/H) and physical testing (DSC, TGA, dilatometry, particle size distribution, Carney flow, density).
• Maintain method compliance with applicable ASTM, AMS, and customer standards, including AMS 7002 for additive powder feedstock.
• Own coupon and specimen preparation (CNC, waterjet, large band saw, EDM), heat treat furnace operations, and environmental testing (corrosion chamber, environmental chamber) per ASTM B117, G85, and applicable customer standards.
• Lead the deployment and continuous improvement of laboratory automation across both software (LIMS, instrument data acquisition, electronic test reports, and integration with QMS, MES, and PLM) and hardware (robotic specimen handling, automated metallographic preparation, automated optical inspection, autosamplers).
• Define the automation roadmap, build the business case, and execute deployment.
• Develop, validate, and control all test methods.
• Own the calibration program with traceability to NIST or equivalent National Metrology Institute, and maintain the laboratory's measurement uncertainty program in alignment with the ISO/IEC Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement.
• Maintain proficiency testing, internal QC samples, and control charts.
• Own the laboratory equipment capital plan across welding, additive, casting, forging, and supply chain product streams using a tiered priority framework.
• Drive continuous improvement using Six Sigma, Lean, FMEA, and SPC methodologies.
• Partner with Engineering and Applications to support new product introduction through APQP, PPAP, and AS9102 First Article Inspection.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans for employees
• 401k
• Relocation support may be provided for certain situations, based on business need.
• Flexible vacation policy

What This Job Offers

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