Planetary Geoscientist II: Regolith & Ceramics

ICON; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

ICON in Austin, TX seeks a Planetary Geoscientist II to advance off-planet construction by studying lunar and Martian regolith and developing simulants for research, robotic systems, and ceramic processing. You will work with engineers, researchers, and vendors to ensure simulants are fit for purpose, guide experiments, and validate models with experimental data to support ICON’s mission beyond Earth.

Reporting to the Senior Director of Off-Planet Systems, the role requires 5+ years in geology

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or higher with 5+ years lab/field experience in geology, materials characterization, or simulant development.
• Experience validating geologic or synthetic materials via mineralogical, chemical, and physical tests.
• Ability to manage multiple technical efforts, coordinate with cross-functional teams, and communicate findings clearly.
• Must be able to lift up to 50 pounds.
• Experience with lunar/Martian regolith simulants preferred.

Responsibilities

• Prescribe and document properties of lunar and Martian regolith simulants for ICON’s research goals.
• Support processing and optimization for converting simulants into structural ceramics using sintering and related methods.
• Validate simulants against planetary analog data across physical, mineralogical, and chemical parameters.
• Collaborate with engineers on geotechnical implications for robotic excavation and handling systems.
• Co-design and qualify regolith conveyance and handling systems.
• Interface with internal customers and external stakeholders to ensure simulant fidelity.
• Conduct DOEs and characterization studies on regolith products.
• Collaborate with ICME teams to validate models against experiments.
• Support testing of simulants under lunar or Martian environmental conditions.

Skills

Planetary Geology

Materials characterization

Geotechnical knowledge

Project coordination

Communication skills

Education

Master’s degree in Planetary Geology, Materials Science, civil engineering, or related field

Tools

Sintering equipment

Characterization instruments

Job description

ICON in Austin, TX seeks a Planetary Geoscientist II to advance off-planet construction by studying lunar and Martian regolith and developing simulants for research, robotic systems, and ceramic processing. You will work with engineers, researchers, and vendors to ensure simulants are fit for purpose, guide experiments, and validate models with experimental data to support ICON’s mission beyond Earth.

Reporting to the Senior Director of Off-Planet Systems, the role requires 5+ years in geology