Principal Materials Engineer, High-Temp Composites

Continuous Composites; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Continuous Composites, Inc. seeks a Principal Materials Engineer to lead the Materials Team in Kent, WA, advancing high-temperature Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMCs) for aerospace applications.

Own the full R&D lifecycle—from preforms and densification to final parts—driving concept to production while mentoring engineers and collaborating with vendors. The ideal candidate has a track record in CMC development (C/C, C/SiC), strong communication, and a methodical, hands-on approach to validation

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or PhD in chemical, materials, or manufacturing engineering.
• 5+ years of experience in composites engineering, focused on high-temperature materials.
• Proven ownership, optimization and leadership of R&D projects.
• Experience with material characterization techniques (thermal, mechanical, microstructural, etc.).
• Excellent communication and technical writing for proposals, reports and presentations.
• Ability to mentor junior team members.
• Strong background in statistics and problem-solving.

Responsibilities

• Lead Materials Team to create CMCs from concept to production for real-world applications.
• Own the research and development of CMCs to generate preforms and densify into final parts.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, vendors and research institutions on multi-year plans.

Skills

Leadership

Ownership

Technical writing

Communication

Statistics

Problem solving

Mentoring

Independent work

Education

Master’s degree or PhD in chemical, materials, or manufacturing engineering

Job description

Position: On-Site Kent, Washington (Must be willing to relocate to our Kent location)

About Continuous Composites:

At Continuous Composites Inc., we are redefining what is possible in advanced manufacturing. Our unique CF3D technology for composite 3D printing opens new frontiers in Aerospace and Defense. We thrive on innovation, rapid iteration, and empowering every team member to take initiative and drive breakthrough solutions. Our mission is to transform industrial manufacturing through pioneering research, creative problem-solving, and relentless execution.

Position Summary:

The Continuous Composite Engineering Team is seeking a Principal Materials Engineer to support in-house efforts to develop High Temperature Composites for real world applications.

In this role, you will lead the Materials Team to develop and define the method to create Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMCs), leveraging our Continuous Fiber (CF3D) Printing technology. You will own the entire process, from preform development to densification, and have a team to support this effort.

The ideal candidate will have experience developing densified CMCs (C/C, C/SiC, C/C-SiC) from scratch through a variety of methods (PIP, CVI, MI) and will be comfortable taking a methodological approach to develop, test, verify, and validate their approach.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the Materials Team at Continuous Composites to create CMCs from proof of concept to production for real world applications, i.e. thermal protection systems for aerospace.
• Own the research and development of CMCs to generate preforms and process them into a final, densified part.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (engineering, operations, business) as well as vendors and research institutions to execute multi-year development plans.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree or PHD in chemical, materials, or manufacturing engineering
• 5+ years of experience in composites engineering, with a strong focus on high-temperature materials (e.g., carbon-carbon, ceramic matrix composites, refractory metals, fiber layout, PIP & CVI densification, optimization of pyrolysis cycles).
• Proven track record in ownership, optimization, and leading R&D projects
• Experience with material characterization techniques (thermal, mechanical, microstructural, etc.).
• Excellent communication and technical writing skills for proposal development, report writing, and presentations.
• Ability to work independently and mentor junior team members.
• Strong background in statistics and problem-solving techniques.

Why Join Us:

At Continuous Composites, you will be part of a team that is redefining how advanced composites are manufactured. We move fast, communicate clearly, and innovate constantly. If you thrive in a dynamic, hands-on environment and are passionate about cutting-edge technology, we want to hear from you.

Continuous Composites, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified candidate must be eligible to work in the U.S. Candidates need to be lawfully able to work on ITAR or controlled information which requires that the applicant be a U.S. Person as defined by 22 CFR 120.62.