Sr. Materials Engineer, Blades and Vanes Foundry
SpaceX · Not provided by source
MeritLog read this listing from SpaceX's Greenhouse job board and last checked it on September 12, 2026.
Source: the employer's Greenhouse job board. Open the original listing for current details.
Job details
- Work model
- Not provided by source
- Salary
- Not listed by source
- Location
- Bastrop, TX
Hiring context
How this role compares at SpaceX
SpaceX has 2,405 live roles in MeritLog’s catalog across 11 job families, and 1,441 of them are in engineering. 198 of those listings publish a pay range, a disclosure rate of 8%.
SpaceX concentrates this hiring in:
Counted across the job boards MeritLog tracks, at the time this page was served. Pay comparisons use only listings that publish a complete range in the same currency and period.
What the role asks for
What you'd do
- Accelerate progress on development and production of SX (single crystal), DS (directionally solidified), and EQ (equiax) casted components for gas turbines
- Develop, qualify and troubleshoot metal casting processes used in production
- Execute failure analysis of casted components as a result of process fallout and/or in-service failures, working in tandem with design and process engineers to drive yield higher
- Perform root cause investigations using fractography, metallography, and characterization techniques
- Provide technical review and advising for design efforts as it relates to material alloy and form selection, tooling, and material and process specifications
- Drive property development and qualification test plan design and execution and of castings and foundry processes
- Responsible for coordinating with various engineering teams, supply chain, vendors, operations, technicians, and senior leadership on a consistent basis to stay aligned on product performance, reliability, manufacturability, and cost requirements
- Drive improvements to design via feedback on manufacturability, performance, efficiency, and product life to optimize business needs
What they're asking for
- Bachelor’s degree in material science, materials engineering, weld engineering, metallurgical engineering, or other engineering disciplineEducation
- 5+ years of professional experience working in metal casting technologiesExperience
- Master's degree or Ph.D. in material science, materials engineering, weld engineering, metallurgical engineering, or equivalent engineering disciplineEducationPreferred
- 5+ years of professional experience with SX or DS casting technologies using Ni-based superalloysExperiencePreferred
- Experience working on casting blades and vanes for industrial gas turbines or aerospace enignesSkillPreferred
- 3+ years of experience with metallographic characterization techniques and equipment, such as SEM-EDS, optical microscopy, hardness testers, mechanical property testing, and/or spectroscopy techniques for composition or phaseExperiencePreferred
- Strong interpersonal and collaborative skills with enthusiasm for the team’s spirit of innovation in cutting-edge technologySkillPreferred
- Experience with technical review of material processes and a first principles understanding of how process variables impact material performanceSkillPreferred
- Demonstrated track record of success in a rapidly growing, fast-paced and highly competitive environmentSkillPreferred
- Personality and drive to execute in a scrappy entrepreneurial environment that operates under tight timelines and aggressive schedulesSkillPreferred
- Hands-on experience in a high-production manufacturing environmentSkillPreferred
- Effective written and interpersonal communication skillsSkillPreferred
- Willingness to travel to other SpaceX sites and/or vendors (up to 15%)SkillPreferred
- Ability to lift up to 30 Ibs unassistedSkillPreferred
- Standing/walking for long periods of timeSkillPreferred
- Willingness to work long hours and weekends as necessary to accommodate manufacturing and test campaignsSkillPreferred
- To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.SkillPreferred
Parsed by MeritLog from the employer’s own posting. The full description follows below.
Job description
SpaceX was founded under the belief that a future where humanity is out exploring the stars is fundamentally more exciting than one where we are not. Today SpaceX is actively developing the technologies to make this possible, with the ultimate goal of enabling human life on Mars. SR. MATERIALS ENGINEER, BLADES AND VANES FOUNDRY SpaceX continues to revolutionize the launch industry by combining advanced technological developments with pragmatic and lean manufacturing. This is especially important for the future of rapid and high-volume Starship flight, where power generation is crucial. As a member of the Materials Engineering team, you will own solving complex materials challenges in a rapidly innovating environment. You will interact closely with foundry engineering and operations teams, and have direct impact on producing Ni-superalloy castings for power generation, ultimately ushering in the next era of revolutionary spaceflight. RESPONSIBILITIES: • Accelerate progress on development and production of SX (single crystal), DS (directionally solidified), and EQ (equiax) casted components for gas turbines • Develop, qualify and troubleshoot metal casting processes used in production • Execute failure analysis of casted components as a result of process fallout and/or in-service failures, working in tandem with design and process engineers to drive yield higher • Perform root cause investigations using fractography, metallography, and characterization techniques • Provide technical review and advising for design efforts as it relates to material alloy and form selection, tooling, and material and process specifications • Drive property development and qualification test plan design and execution and of castings and foundry processes • Responsible for coordinating with various engineering teams, supply chain, vendors, operations, technicians, and senior leadership on a consistent basis to stay aligned on product performance, reliability, manufacturability, and cost requirements • Drive improvements to design via feedback on manufacturability, performance, efficiency, and product life to optimize business needs BASIC QUALIFICATIONS: • Bachelor’s degree in material science, materials engineering, weld engineering, metallurgical engineering, or other engineering discipline • 5+ years of professional experience working in metal casting technologies PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE: • Master's degree or Ph.D. in material science, materials engineering, weld engineering, metallurgical engineering, or equivalent engineering discipline • 5+ years of professional experience with SX or DS casting technologies using Ni-based superalloys • Experience working on casting blades and vanes for industrial gas turbines or aerospace enignes • 3+ years of experience with metallographic characterization techniques and equipment, such as SEM-EDS, optical microscopy, hardness testers, mechanical property testing, and/or spectroscopy techniques for composition or phase • Strong interpersonal and collaborative skills with enthusiasm for the team’s spirit of innovation in cutting-edge technology • Experience with technical review of material processes and a first principles understanding of how process variables impact material performance • Demonstrated track record of success in a rapidly growing, fast-paced and highly competitive environment • Personality and drive to execute in a scrappy entrepreneurial environment that operates under tight timelines and aggressive schedules • Hands-on experience in a high-production manufacturing environment • Effective written and interpersonal communication skills ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS: • Willingness to travel to other SpaceX sites and/or vendors (up to 15%) • Ability to lift up to 30 Ibs unassisted • Standing/walking for long periods of time • Willingness to work long hours and weekends as necessary to accommodate manufacturing and test campaigns ITAR REQUIREMENTS: • To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here. SpaceX is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with SpaceX is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status. Applicants wishing to view a copy of SpaceX’s Affirmative Action Plan for veterans and individuals with disabilities, or applicants requiring reasonable accommodation to the application/interview process should reach out to EEOCompliance@spacex.com.
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