Materials & Process Engineer

The role

You will lead strategy, testing, characterization, and qualification efforts for material systems. You will collaborate with design, analysis, and manufacturing teams to support fully reusable launch vehicles.

What you will do

• Serve as the responsible M&P engineer for engines, structures, mechanisms, coatings, and adhesives
• Trade, evaluate, and select appropriate materials for hardware systems
• Design and execute material characterization programs including mechanical testing, environmental exposure, fatigue, and failure analysis
• Author, implement, and maintain M&P requirements, material specifications, testing protocols and engineering work standards
• Lead failure analysis and root cause investigations for material-related anomalies
• Evaluate, qualify, and manage material suppliers
• Define the strategy and qualification philosophy for materials
• Collaborate with various teams to create a robust system level material property database
• Own and build out the materials characterization lab, testing protocols, and development workflows

Required qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in materials science, chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, physics, aerospace engineering, or a related technical discipline
• 3+ years of professional experience in materials engineering
• Expertise in material selection, characterization, qualification, testing, and failure analysis
• Background working across multiple material systems & processes - metals, soft goods, coatings, powder metallurgy, welding, and heat treatment
• Proficiency with material characterization techniques and tools - metallography, microscopy, mechanical testing
• Demonstrated track record of material and process decisions validated through flight or equivalent high-reliability hardware programs

Nice to have

• Master's degree or PhD in materials science, chemical engineering, or a related field
• Experience architecting M&P programs for rocket systems across the full development lifecycle
• Familiarity with ASTM, NASA, AWS industry standards
• Expertise in key M&P disciplines including fracture mechanics, corrosion control, statistics, and failure analysis

Benefits

• Equity in the form of stock options
• Subsidized medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Company-paid life and disability insurance
• 401(k) plan with employer match
• 4 weeks’ Paid Time Off
• 11 days of holidays including an end-of-year closure
• Paid Family/Parental Leave
• On-site gym or monthly wellness stipend

Before you apply

• Must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S. (i.e., current Green Card holder), or protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)
• Employment is contingent upon satisfactory completion of reference and background checks
• Must be able to prove identity and authorization to work in the U.S.
• Employment may be conditioned on legal authorization to work with or have access to export control materials

About the company

Stoke is building Nova, a fully and rapidly reusable launch vehicle designed for daily flight. The company aims to create a scalable space industry by reducing cost and increasing availability.