Senior Engineer, Materials

What you'll do

• Operate and continuously improve world-class materials and failure investigation laboratory spanning equipment including SEM/EDS, x-ray, CT, optical microscopy, and cross-section preparation.
• Develop and implement lab procedures spanning materials characterization, failure analysis investigations, and reporting of results to various stakeholders.
• Perform failure analysis on electronic failures and recommend corrective actions to address identified failure mechanisms across metallic, ceramic, polymeric, and composite materials.
• Drive failure analysis investigations using common methods including 8D, fault-tree, fishbone, and FRACAS.
• Conduct mechanical cross-sectioning to prepare samples for subsequent analysis.
• Perform dye-and-pry and CSAM to reveal cracks and voids.
• Utilize X-ray inspection methods (2D and computed tomography) for electronics failure analysis.
• Operate Scanning Electron Microscopes and conduct Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy.
• Execute thermal analysis work on materials, including DSC, TGA, DMA, TMA, and FTIR.
• Manage procurement and maintenance of lab consumables.
• Oversee the maintenance, organization, and safety of all laboratory equipment and work areas.
• Work with external laboratories to perform materials and failure analysis work as necessary.
• Educate stakeholders on materials science fundamentals to improve material selection and materials processing practices across the design, supply chain, and manufacturing teams.
• Stay current with industry trends, advancements, and best practices in all aspects of electronic materials and related failure mechanisms.

Required qualifications

• 2+ years of experience in a materials engineering role, preferably with a focus on aerospace or automotive applications.
• Self-starting with a growth mindset, excellent problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
• Bachelor's degree in Materials Science, Materials Engineering, or Chemical Engineering (Mechanical or Reliability Engineering also accepted).
• Familiarity with electronics (PCBs, PCBAs, electronic components) and moving mechanical assemblies.
• Knowledgeable in failure mechanisms including solder fatigue, intermetallic growth, conductive anodic filaments, tin whiskers, electromigration, and corrosion.
• Team-player with clear and concise written and oral communication skills.
• Experience working with interdisciplinary teams to execute product design from concept to production.
• Experience with management of technical projects.
• 2+ years of hands-on experience operating expensive lab instruments, including SEMs, microscopes, and x-ray systems.
• Familiarity with relevant industry standards, including IPC, JEDEC, MIL, and ASTM standards.

Preferred qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in a materials engineering role, preferably with a focus on aerospace or automotive applications.
• Master's degree in Materials Science, Materials Engineering, or Chemical Engineering.
• Proficiency in failure analysis techniques and materials characterization methods (direct application to electronics preferred).
• Prior experience running a materials characterization and/or failure analysis lab.
• Experience with environmental testing, including temperature cycling, vibration, highly accelerated limit testing (HALT), and highly-accelerated stress screening (HASS).
• Familiarity with PCB fabrication, SMT, and polymerics application manufacturing processes.
• Significant knowledge of materials engineering principles, methods, and tools.
• Proficiency in Python, including NumPy, Pandas, SciPy, Plotly, and Matplotlib.