Materials Test Lab Leader — Build & Scale from Scratch

Hadrian Automation; Torrance (CA); On-site; USD 126,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401k

Relocation support

Flexible vacation policy

Equity

Job summary

Hadrian is building autonomous factories and expanding our materials test lab at the Los Angeles HQ. As Engineering Manager, Materials Test, you will lead the flagship lab, select equipment, and own data collection and lab safety.

You will grow engineers and technicians, drive technical decisions, and balance priorities across welding, casting, forging, and additive teams. You will implement work instructions and process plans, write automation, and ensure traceability of all material test

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical, materials, aerospace, or electrical engineering, or 8+ years of equivalent experience.
• 3+ years designing, buying, or installing test or manufacturing equipment.
• 1+ years leading people (managing engineers/technicians).
• Hands-on materials testing experience on metals or composites.
• Working knowledge of ASTM test standards and the equipment used to run them.
• Experience writing work instructions and process documentation for a lab or production floor.
• Ability to set technical direction and defend it with teams you don't manage.
• Willingness to travel to other sites.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day operations of the flagship materials test lab.
• Hire, manage, and develop a team of engineers and technicians.
• Make the final call on technical direction for materials testing.
• Select, buy, and install tensile, impact, hardness, metallography, and chemistry equipment, plus specimen prep machines like saws, waterjets, and EDMs. Design custom test equipment when nothing off the shelf fits.
• Set data collection, labeling, and storage requirements for all materials testing. Work with our software and data teams to build the tools.
• Write test automation, work instructions, process plans, and technician training.
• Set priorities across welding, casting, forging, and additive so every team gets on-time, quality data.
• Own lab safety and quality risks through engineering controls.
• Work with quality to keep full traceability on every material and test result.
• Standardize workflows and tools with the rest of the test team.
• Package the lab so we can deploy it to new factories and programs.

Skills

People leadership

Test equipment design

Materials testing

ASTM standards

Work instructions

Technical direction

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Job description

Hadrian is building autonomous factories and expanding our materials test lab at the Los Angeles HQ. As Engineering Manager, Materials Test, you will lead the flagship lab, select equipment, and own data collection and lab safety.

You will grow engineers and technicians, drive technical decisions, and balance priorities across welding, casting, forging, and additive teams. You will implement work instructions and process plans, write automation, and ensure traceability of all material test