Composite Materials Test Engineer – Durability & Fatigue

TANGENT Technologies, LLC.; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Tangent Materials seeks a Composite Testing Engineer to advance the mechanical characterization of thermoplastic composites and structural products in the United States. You will design and execute lab tests, interpret data, and help link lab results to real-world performance.

Collaborating with R&D, manufacturing, quality, and product development, you will address material properties, processing, testing, durability, and product performance while developing new test methods as needed.

Qualifications

• Hands-on experience with thermoplastic/thermoset polymers and/or fiber-reinforced composites.
• Strong hands-on experience conducting mechanical and structural testing, including tensile, compression, flexural, shear, fatigue, creep, durability, and long-term performance testing.
• Experience with experimental strain and deformation measurement techniques, including strain gauges, extensometers, and data acquisition systems.
• Ability to analyze load-displacement, stress-strain, strain distribution, stiffness, deformation, fatigue behavior, and structural response from experimental data.
• Knowledge of composite material behavior and failure mechanisms, including shear-related, matrix-dominated, interfacial, and delamination failure modes.
• Experience designing and conducting coupon-level, component-level, and/or full-scale structural testing and correlating material-level properties with product performance.
• Familiarity with ASTM, ISO, or other relevant material and structural testing standards and their applications.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to independently investigate material and product performance issues.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and the ability to work effectively with R&D, manufacturing, quality, and product development teams.

Responsibilities

• Design, coordinate, and conduct laboratory testing and characterization of thermoplastic composite materials and structural products.
• Evaluate short-term and long-term mechanical performance, including strength, stiffness, fatigue, creep, durability, CLTE, and long-term strength retention.
• Perform mechanical characterization including tensile, compression, flexural, shear, interlaminar shear, and other material- or structural-level testing as required.
• Perform strain and deformation measurements using strain gauges, extensometers, and other experimental measurement techniques.
• Evaluate the relationship between material composition, processing conditions, specimen geometry, testing conditions, and mechanical performance.
• Develop and modify laboratory test methods when existing standards do not adequately represent actual product loading, geometry, or service conditions.
• Apply relevant ASTM, ISO, and other industry testing standards while understanding their applicability and limitations for thermoplastic composite materials and products.
• Conduct failure analysis and root-cause investigations using mechanical testing, strain analysis, microscopy, visual inspection, and other characterization methods.
• Provide technical support to R&D, manufacturing, quality, and product development teams regarding material selection, processing, testing, durability, and product performance.

Skills

Composite testing

Mechanical testing

Strain measurement

Data analysis

Failure mechanisms

Structural testing

Standards knowledge

Analytical skills

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Job description

Tangent Materials seeks a Composite Testing Engineer to advance the mechanical characterization of thermoplastic composites and structural products in the United States. You will design and execute lab tests, interpret data, and help link lab results to real-world performance.

Collaborating with R&D, manufacturing, quality, and product development, you will address material properties, processing, testing, durability, and product performance while developing new test methods as needed.