Materials Engineer

Kensington Consulting Ltd; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Kensington Consulting Ltd is seeking a Materials Engineer to support material selection, processing, and performance across complex product applications in a regulated defence-aligned environment.

You will act as the internal SME across materials such as metallurgy, heat treatment, coatings, welding and non-destructive testing, collaborating with engineering, quality, and production teams to ensure correct specifications and robust documentation.

Qualifications

• Degree in Materials Science, Metallurgy, or Materials Engineering.
• Experience with metallurgy, heat treatment, coatings, welding and non-destructive testing.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities; capable of independent and cross-functional work.
• Comfortable with technical documentation, drawings, and industry standards.
• Experience in regulated industries (defence/aerospace) is advantageous.
• Exposure to additive manufacturing and data analysis/modelling is helpful.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain material and process specifications for consistency and compliance.
• Define fabrication/joining methods; support welding procedures; advise on NDT techniques.
• Support material selection for new and existing products; participate in design reviews.
• Investigate material or product failures; identify root causes and drive corrective actions.
• Support qualification of new materials, processes, and suppliers; assist cost/performance improvements.
• Contribute to tribology testing programs and identify effective manufacturing methods.
• Assist additive manufacturing initiatives and qualification of metal processes.

Skills

Metallurgy

Heat treatment

Coatings

Welding

Non-destructive testing

Data analysis

Modelling

Light programming

Analytical skills

Education

Degree in Materials Science, Metallurgy, or Materials Engineering

Tools

NDT techniques

Job description

We are working with a well-established engineering and manufacturing organisation operating within a highly regulated, defence-aligned environment. They are looking to appoint a Materials Engineer to support material selection, processing, and performance across complex product applications.

This is a technically diverse, hands-on role where your expertise will directly influence product quality, compliance, and continuous improvement across the business.

The Role

As a Materials Engineer, you will act as the internal subject matter expert across materials and related processes. This includes metallurgy, heat treatment, coatings, welding, and non-destructive testing. You will support both existing product lines and new product development, ensuring materials are correctly selected, specified, and applied.

You will work closely with engineering, quality, and production teams, contributing to design reviews, resolving technical challenges, and improving manufacturing processes. The role also involves customer interaction, technical documentation, and occasional travel to other sites, suppliers, and customers.

Key Responsibilities

You will be responsible for developing and maintaining internal material and process specifications, ensuring consistency and compliance across the organisation. This includes defining fabrication and joining methods, supporting welding procedures, and advising on appropriate non-destructive testing techniques.

You will contribute to design and engineering activities by supporting material selection for new and existing products, attending technical reviews, and ensuring adherence to industry standards and internal guidelines. You will also review customer requirements and contracts, ensuring correct flow-down of technical specifications and preparing supporting documentation where required.

A key part of the role involves investigating material or product failures, identifying root causes, and driving corrective actions. This may include coordinating with external laboratories or conducting in-house analysis. You will also support the qualification of new materials, processes, and suppliers.

You will work to improve product performance and cost efficiency through testing and analysis, including the development of tribology testing programmes. In addition, you will support production teams by identifying the most effective manufacturing methods and developing repair processes that meet regulatory and quality standards.

The role also includes contributing to additive manufacturing initiatives, supporting the development and qualification of processes for metal additive production.

Requirements

A degree in Materials Science, Metallurgy, or Materials Engineering is required, along with a solid understanding of material behaviour and associated processes. You should have experience or strong knowledge of metallurgy, heat treatment, coatings, welding, and non-destructive testing.

You will need strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to manage multiple tasks and projects simultaneously. The role requires someone who can work independently while also collaborating across different teams and functions.

You should be comfortable working with technical documentation, engineering drawings, and industry standards, and able to communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Experience within a regulated industry such as defence, aerospace, or high-spec manufacturing would be beneficial. Exposure to additive manufacturing technologies is also of interest, particularly in metal processes.

Experience with data analysis, modelling, or light programming would be advantageous but is not essential.

Additional Information

This role may require travel of up to 10 percent, including occasional overnight and potential international travel. You will be working in a collaborative engineering environment where materials expertise plays a critical role across multiple functions.

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