Materials R&D Technician - Level 4/5
Core
Operate mechanical test frames and characterization instruments to perform material testing (tensile, fatigue, compression, thermal, imaging) and report data for metals, polymers, or composites.
Role type
Hands-on IC materials R&D technician
Builds
Material testing data and reports for SpaceX's material & process development programs
Domain
Aerospace / Materials Science
Deliverable
production ML models | product features | dashboards & analysis | research | client delivery | infrastructure | physical/clinical work
Required skills
mechanical test frame operation, characterization instrument operation, mechanical testing execution, lab safety compliance, data documentation, ASTM standards familiarity, specimen geometry measurement, hand/power tool usage
Preferred skills
thermal instrument operation, materials science fundamentals, cross-functional team collaboration, test specification interpretation, problem-solving innovation
Technologies
Instron, MTS, SDT, TGA, TMA, DMA, DSC, FTIR, SEM, Microsoft Office, Atlassian JIRA
Responsibilities
Operate mechanical test frames and characterization instruments; perform mechanical and characterization testing; maintain and calibrate lab instrumentation; summarize data and document results; maintain safe and efficient lab operations; champion lab improvement initiatives; measure specimen geometry using calibrated tools
Seniority
Mid-level, hands-on IC