Sr Engineer Materials

Harley-Davidson•Milwaukee, WI

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Materials Engineer will be responsible for supporting the Product Development Process (PDP) by providing material analysis of steel and aluminum castings, forgings, and sheet metal parts and systems. Candidate will provide metallurgical expertise in key phases of the motorcycle development process by recommending material selections based on part and system requirements. Candidate drives root-cause investigations through failure analysis, reporting and serves as a subject matter expert (SME) for materials-related issues across product development, manufacturing, and supplier management.

Requirements

Minimum 5 years of experience in Material Science / Materials Engineering
Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States.

Responsibilities

Demonstrates strong understanding of the properties and applications of ferrous and non ferrous metals.
Understands how alloy composition, microstructure, processing, and post-processing treatments influence material performance.
Possesses knowledge of casting and forging processes including die casting, permanent mold, sand casting, and investment casting, and precision forging.
Demonstrates understanding of thermal and mechanical treatments for aluminum and steel.
Knowledgeable in carburizing, nitriding, induction hardening, and related surface modification processes.
Applies relevant external standards where appropriate (ASTM, SAE, ISO, etc.).
Understands properties and applications of common metallic finishes.
Familiar with analytical methods such as STEP testing, coulometric thickness testing, and CASS corrosion testing.
Demonstrates understanding of monotonic and cyclic fatigue behavior for common engineering materials.
Applies fatigue principles to component design reviews and failure analyses.
Leads resolution of technical issues using structured problem solving techniques.
Collaborates with cross functional engineering, test, and manufacturing teams to support design validation and issue resolution.
Has working knowledge of joining processes including brazing, MIG, and TIG welding of steel and aluminum.
Understands the effect of joining heat input and subsequent thermal treatments on material performance.
Proficient in hardness testing, optical emission spectroscopy (OES), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS).
Demonstrates ability to prepare metallurgical samples and perform defect analysis.
Produces clear, accurate documentation and reports that support technical conclusions.
Mentors lab personnel and provides technical guidance to engineering teams.
Communicates complex technical topics clearly to audiences across the organization, including non technical stakeholders.