Materials Engineer, High Temperature Composites

Castelion; Torrance (CA); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

PTO 4 weeks

Medical insurance

Dental & Vision

Retirement plan 401k

FSA/HSA

Parental leave

Meals provided

Snacks & beverages

Fitness stipend

EV charging

Job summary

Castelion is seeking a motivated recent graduate or early-career engineer to support R&D development and scale-up of ceramic matrix composite (CMC) fabrication for TPS materials. This role involves hands-on composite layup, densification operations, and data collection to drive progress on the pilot line.

The engineer will characterize materials, analyze drive data, and contribute to improving process repeatability and manufacturing readiness across the line, with responsibilities spanning

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Materials Science, Mechanical, Chemical or Aerospace Engineering or related field.
• Familiarity with materials characterization techniques (mechanical testing, SEM).
• Willingness to work weekends when necessary.
• Ability to work independently in a hands-on engineering environment.

Responsibilities

• Support composite layup, shaping, and densification operations to deliver a TPS demonstrator set by year end.
• Own all QA data collection activities and database management.
• Characterize finished C/SiC goods to inform development strategies.
• Assist prepreg layup, compression molding, curing, resin infiltration, and pyrolysis.
• Perform characterization and inspection of composites using laboratory techniques.
• Analyze process and material performance data to optimize processes.
• Develop and maintain process documentation and SOPs.
• Support installation and scale-up of pilot-line manufacturing hardware.

Skills

Materials characterization

Independent learner

Hands-on engineering

Weekend availability

Data collection & analysis

Process documentation

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Materials Science

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering

Aerospace Engineering background

Tools

Atlassian SVN

Confluence

JIRA

Job description

Castelion is moving incredibly fast to develop and deliver advanced defense systems at a time when execution matters more than ever. We believe focus and technical excellence are decisive advantages - and we are building a team that can deliver real capability, not just concepts.

This is a rare opportunity to join at an early stage, where your work will directly shape critical systems, influence major technical decisions, and have immediate, real-world impact.

Castelion is seeking a highly motivated recent graduate or early-career engineer to support R&D development and scale-up of our ceramic matrix composite (CMC) fabrication processes. This role will support composite layup and densification operations which are part of the production workflow for high-performance thermal protection system (TPS) materials.

The position is ideal for a recent graduate with an interest in ceramic matrix composite material process development and scaling large-scale production systems of high-performance aerospace parts. It will involve hands‑on composite fabrication work with analytical and process engineering responsibilities. The engineer will support prepreg layup and part shaping operations compression, curing, resin infiltration, and high-temperature pyrolysis processes. In addition, the engineer will characterize fabricated materials, develop drive data collection and analysis of the different sub-processes, and contribute to improving process repeatability and manufacturing readiness across the pilot line.

Responsibilities

• Support composite layup, shaping, and densification operations to deliver a completed TPS demonstrator part set by the end of the year.
• Own all process QA data collection activities and database management.
• Conduct characterization activities of all finished C/SiC goods to assess performance and inform development strategies.
• Assist with prepreg layup, compression molding, filament winding, curing, resin infiltration, and pyrolysis operations for CMC components.
• Perform characterization and inspection of composite materials using standard laboratory techniques.
• Collect, organize, and analyze process and material performance data to support process optimization.
• Develop and maintain process documentation, work instructions, and standardized operating procedures.
• Support installation, maintenance, and scale-up of pilot‑line manufacturing hardware.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field.
• Familiarity with materials characterization techniques (mechanical testing, metallographic mounting and polishing, SEM).
• Must be willing to work weekends when necessary.
• Ability to work independently in a hands‑on engineering environment.

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Experience in a research and development environment
• Previous involvement in a high‑speed production environment, handling flight hardware
• Prior involvement in a high‑output environment, involving hands‑on experience in constructing solid rocket motors or similar energetics
• Ability to acclimate to frequently changing assignments and a fast‑paced working environment
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral, along with effective teamwork abilities
• Superb focus and attention to detail, with remarkable work efficiency and accuracy
• Use of hand tools, power tools and fabrication tools
• Expertise in manufacturing and repairing intricate testing systems
• Familiarity with Atlassian tools such as SVN, Confluence, and JIRA
• Skills in project management
• Employee Equity: Meaningful equity for all full‑time employees - share value has increased 150x in three years
• Personal Time Off: Four (4) weeks of paid time off to unplug, reset, and come back sharp—velocity matters, burnout doesn’t
• Medical: We offer plans at 100% employee covered and 80% of dependent coverage
• Dental & Vision: We cover 90% employees and 80% for dependents to ensure you and your family have access to quality preventive and ongoing care
• FSA/HSA: To support long‑term health and financial resilience, we offer FSA and HSA options that allow employees to set aside pre‑tax dollars for eligible medical and dependent care expenses
• Retirement: 401k plan offered to support long term financial growth along side high‑impact, high‑velocity work
• Paid Parental Leave: We support growing families with meaningful time to bond and recover. Birthing parents are eligible for up to 10 weeks of paid leave, while non‑birthing parents may take up to 4 weeks of paid leave. This time can be used for pre‑natal care, pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical needs—ensuring every parent has the support they need during this important life moment.8-weeks of paid parental leave for all parents. Additional paid pregnancy leave for CA employees
• Meals & Catering: Frequently catered lunches and team meals, plus company‑covered meals when extra time or effort is required
• Snacks & Beverages: Fully stocked kitchen with unlimited snacks and drinks to keep you fueled throughout the day
• Performance & Fitness: $100 monthly fitness stipend to support peak performance and health, both inside and outside of work
• EV Charging: Onsite electric vehicle charging available for employees

Physical Demands

• Must be willing to work extended hours and/or weekends as needed
• Must be able to travel up to 30%
• Must be able to lift more than 50lbs

To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

This position may require access to classified information or restricted U.S. Government sites, systems, or information, as determined by the Company and/or applicable U.S. Government requirements. If the position is so designated, your employment in the role may be contingent upon your ability to obtain and maintain the required U.S. Government security clearance or other government authorization, and to satisfy any citizenship or other eligibility requirements imposed by applicable law, regulation, executive order, or government contract requirements. You will be notified if and when such requirements apply. Failure to obtain or maintain any required clearance or authorization may result in reassignment, leave, or separation from employment, consistent with business needs and applicable law.

Affirmative Action/EEO Statement

Employment with Castelion is governed on the basis of competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.