Sr. Materials & Process Engineer, Energetic Materials

Castelion Corporation•Torrance, CA

48d•Onsite

About The Position

Castelion is seeking an experienced Materials & Process Engineer to lead the characterization, qualification, and failure analysis of solid rocket motor propellants and related material systems. This individual will be responsible for developing a fundamental understanding of propellant material behavior, establishing characterization and qualification methodologies, and investigating material and process-related failures to support reliable propulsion hardware. The successful candidate will bring strong expertise in the characterization of polymers, elastomers, or other viscoelastic materials, with experience translating material behavior into engineering requirements, specifications, and qualification programs. Prior experience with energetic materials or solid propellants is preferred but not required.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in materials science/engineering, chemistry or a related discipline.
5+ years of experience working with polymer characterization, preferably within the aerospace industry.
Prior experience with propellant characterization techniques including mechanical testing, impact, static, burn-rate, and impulse testing.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Must be authorized to work in the U.S. and comply with ITAR eligibility requirements.
This position requires access to export-controlled information, and as such, employment (or hiring of a contractor) is contingent upon the candidate’s ability to access all applicable export-controlled information without additional export licensing being required by the Bureau of Industry and Security and/or the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls.

Nice To Haves

Prior experience with energetic materials or solid propellants is preferred but not required.

Responsibilities

Lead characterization of propellant and related polymeric material systems using mechanical testing, DMA, rheometry, DSC/TGA, microscopy, and other relevant techniques.
Develop test methods to understand material behavior across relevant temperatures, strain rates, aging conditions, and operational environments.
Develop and execute material qualification and acceptance testing programs for raw materials and cast propellant.
Lead failure analysis and root-cause investigations related to material performance, processing, and manufacturing defects.
Develop and maintain material specifications, process controls, test plans, and acceptance criteria.
Partner with Propulsion and Manufacturing Engineering to translate characterization results into material selection, processing requirements, and design inputs.
Support manufacturing scale-up by identifying relationships between processing conditions, material structure, and resulting properties and performance.
Ensure material testing and qualification activities comply with applicable material, handling, and safety requirements.