Principal Ceramic Engineer (Onsite)

Pratt & Whitney; Charlottesville (VA); On-site; USD 107,500 - 204,500; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

401(k) match

Flexible work schedules

Parental leave

Paid time off

Job summary

A leading aerospace company is seeking a seasoned Ceramic Engineer to join their Mikro Systems team in Charlottesville, VA. This role involves innovating ceramic formulations, supporting core development, and collaborating on quality assurance procedures. Candidates should possess a Bachelor's Degree and substantial experience in related fields. This position offers a competitive salary range of $107,500 - $204,500, along with a variety of benefits, including medical, dental, and retirement plans.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree or advanced degree with relevant experience.
• 8+ years of experience required with a Bachelor's degree.
• Must be a U.S. citizen due to government contract.

Responsibilities

• Innovate novel ceramic formulations and processes.
• Support ceramic core development.
• Assist with Root Cause Corrective Action (RCCA) process.

Skills

Turbine Blade / Vane knowledge

Knowledge of polymeric materials

Strong Design of Experiment Methodology

Effective communication with leadership

Education

Bachelor's Degree in a related field

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Location

US-VA-CHARLOTTESVILLE-1180 ~ 1180 Seminole Trl ~ SEMINOLE

Date Posted

2026-04-01

Country

United States of America

Position Role Type

Onsite

U.S. Citizen, U.S. Person, or Immigration Status Requirements

U.S. citizenship is required, as only U.S. citizens are authorized to access information under this program/contract.

Security Clearance Type

None/Not Required

Security Clearance Status

Not Required

At RTX, the world largest aerospace and defense company, 185,000 great minds are united by purpose and inspired to make a difference solving the world’s most complex problems. With our three market leading businesses, world‑class operations and investments in research and development, we offer capabilities and opportunity no one else can. Together, we push the boundaries of known science and find new ways to connect and protect our world.

Pratt & Whitney is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines and auxiliary power systems and has been revolutionizing modern flight for over 100 years. Join us and help shape the future of aerospace and defense.

What You Will Do

Pratt & Whitney Mikro Systems manufactures ceramic cores and tooling for turbine castings. Mikro Systems uses a manufacturing process that produces intricate, advanced ceramic cores. Our innovative processes are evolving to keep pace with continually progressing turbine designs. The Mikro team is seeking a talented Ceramic Engineer who can support the design of innovative ceramic systems that challenge the current state of the art in the world of precision investment castings.

Key Responsibilities

• Innovate with novel ceramic formulations and processes to support new core product designs.
• Support ceramic core development to understand correlations between ceramic core material formulations and ceramic manufacturing techniques.
• Provide Operations support and assist with Root Cause Corrective Action (RCCA) process for issues arising from ceramic materials.
• Support and/or participate in Continuous Improvement (CI) events and CORE activities (quality improvement) of ceramic core materials.
• Develop comprehensive ceramic material qualification procedures and collaborate with the Quality Materials lab to release product for Operations.
• Collaborate with metal casting source to understand ceramic core compatibility to achieve design intent.

Qualifications You Must Have

• A Bachelor’s Degree in related or equivalent experience and minimum 8 years prior relevant experience, or an Advanced Degree in related field and 5 years prior relevant experience.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office computer software including MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• US Citizenship required due to government contract.

Qualifications We Prefer

• Turbine Blade / Vane knowledge.
• Knowledge of investment casting and molding tooling design.
• Ability to communicate effectively with leadership and executive team.
• Knowledge of polymeric materials: Use in ceramic forming processes (rheology, cure, processing parameters); Characterization & performance testing; Material selection (different polymeric material families, properties)
• Strong Design of Experiment Methodology and Process Variation Awareness.
• Experience working various aspects of ceramic material/processing: Materials (Raw materials & compositions), Forming Techniques (Casting, Injection molding), Firing, and Dimensional Control; Machining, Post processing, and Metal casting interactions; Rheology and Process Parameters; Characterization of raw materials, ceramic slurries, and resultant product; New Material Selection (families of materials & properties).

Learn More & Apply Now

Please ensure the role type defined below is appropriate for your needs before applying to this role. This position is classified as:

• Onsite: Employees who are working in Onsite roles will work primarily onsite. This includes all production and maintenance employees, as they are essential to the development of our products.

As part of our commitment to maintaining a secure hiring process, candidates may be asked to attend select steps of the interview process in‑person at one of our office locations, regardless of whether the role is designated as on‑site, hybrid or remote.

The salary range for this role is 107,500 USD - 204,500 USD. The salary range provided is a good faith estimate representative of all experience levels. RTX considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the role, function and associated responsibilities, a candidate’s work experience, location, education/training, and key skills.

Hired applicants may be eligible for benefits, including but not limited to, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, 401(k) match, flexible spending accounts, flexible work schedules, employee assistance program, Employee Scholar Program, parental leave, paid time off, and holidays. Specific benefits are dependent upon the specific business unit as well as whether or not the position is covered by a collective‑bargaining agreement.

Hired applicants may be eligible for annual short-term and/or long-term incentive compensation programs depending on the level of the position and whether or not it is covered by a collective‑bargaining agreement. Payments under these annual programs are not guaranteed and are dependent upon a variety of factors including, but not limited to, individual performance, business unit performance, and/or the company’s performance.

This role is a U.S.-based role. If the successful candidate resides in a U.S. territory, the appropriate pay structure and benefits will apply.

RTX anticipates the application window closing approximately 40 days from the date the notice was posted. However, factors such as candidate flow and business necessity may require RTX to shorten or extend the application window.

RTX is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or veteran status, or any other applicable state or federal protected class. RTX provides affirmative action in employment for qualified Individuals with a Disability and Protected Veterans in compliance with Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act.