Senior Materials Engineer (Metals, Forming & Castings)

Zoox · San Francisco

Mechanical & AerospaceVehicle DevelopmentOn-siteFull-timeposted 4w ago

We are seeking a Senior Materials Engineer to lead failure analysis, metallurgical investigation, and root-cause corrective action for our Materials & Failure Analysis team. This is a senior, independent contributor role for someone who owns investigations end-to-end; from initial part triage through mechanical testing, metallurgical analysis, and cross-functional resolution with Design, Manufacturing, and Supplier Quality. The ideal candidate has deep expertise across metals and metal manufacturing processes; forming, stamping, and castings, and is comfortable authoring the specifications that govern them, working at the microscope, running mechanical tests in the lab, and presenting findings to program leadership.

In this role, you will:

Lead failure investigations for metallic components across development, production, and field releases; execute mechanical testing and metallurgical characterization (SEM/EDS, metallography, fractography) to determine root cause and mitigations.

Advise Design, Manufacturing, and Quality teams on metal selection, process capability, and process-induced failure modes for forming, stamping, and casting operations (DFMEA/PFMEA).

Draft and maintain material and process specifications, quality acceptance criteria, and ASTM/ISO/SAE test procedures.

Support supplier material and process qualification for formed, stamped, and cast metal components, including review of PPAP submissions and material certifications.

Manage lab test plans, equipment calibration, SOPs, and safety standards while directing external vendor labs and mentoring junior engineers.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Materials Science & Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.

8+ years of experience in materials engineering, failure analysis, or metallurgical engineering, ideally in automotive, aerospace, or heavy equipment.

Deep, hands-on expertise with metals across forming/stamping and casting processes, and their common failure modesDeep, hands-on expertise with metals across forming/stamping and casting processes, and their common failure modes as well as writing and reviewing processes.

Strong experience with mechanical testing (Instron/UTM systems) and failure analysis techniques (fractography, SEM/EDS, metallography, hardness testing).

Demonstrated track record independently leading root cause investigations and driving corrective actions to closure with cross-functional teams.

Working knowledge of ASTM/ISO/SAE test standards and experience developing test specifications.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate technical findings for non-materials audiences and leadership.

Experience mentoring or directing the work of junior engineers or technicians.

Bonus Qualifications

Experience with polymers, composites, adhesives/bonded joints, or coatings failure analysis.

Familiarity with forming/stamping simulation tools (e.g., AutoForm, LS-DYNA), casting simulation, or DFMEA/PFMEA processes.

Experience with supplier quality engineering, PPAP, or material certification review.

Prior experience in high-volume automotive manufacturing or a vehicle development environment.

Advanced degree (MS/PhD) in Materials Science or Metallurgy.