Senior Materials Engineer (Metals, Forming & Castings)

Zoox; Foster City (CA); On-site; USD 187,000 - 225,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Stock options/RSUs

Paid time off

Job summary

Zoox in Foster City, CA seeks a Senior Materials Engineer to lead failure analysis, metallurgical investigations, and root-cause corrective actions across development, production, and field releases. You will own investigations end-to-end, perform SEM/EDS, metallography, and hardness testing, and collaborate with Design, Manufacturing, and Supplier Quality to drive robust solutions.

The role requires 8+ years in materials/metallurgy, strong writing and presentation skills, and mentoring of

Qualifications

• 8+ years in materials engineering, failure analysis or metallurgy.
• Hands-on metals expertise across forming, stamping and casting and their failure modes.
• Experience with mechanical testing (Instron/UTM) and failure-analysis techniques (fractography, SEM/EDS, metallography, hardness testing).
• Proven track record leading root-cause investigations and driving corrective actions with cross-functional teams.
• Knowledge of ASTM/ISO/SAE standards and ability to write/test specifications.
• Excellent written and verbal communication; able to present to leadership.
• Experience mentoring junior engineers or technicians.

Responsibilities

• Lead failure investigations for metallic components across development, production, and field releases.
• Advise on metal selection, process capability, and DFMEA/PFMEA for forming, stamping, and casting.
• Draft and maintain material and process specifications, quality acceptance criteria, and test procedures.
• Support supplier qualification and review PPAP submissions and material certifications.
• Manage lab test plans, calibration, SOPs, safety standards, and direct external vendor labs; mentor staff.

Skills

Failure analysis

Metallurgical expertise

Mechanical testing

Cross-functional collaboration

Technical writing

Mentoring

Project management

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Materials Science or Metallurgical/Mechanical Engineering

Tools

Instron/UTM systems

SEM/EDS

Metallography

Hardness testing

Job description

We are seeking a Senior Materials Engineer to lead failure analysis, metallurgical investigation, and root-cause corrective action for our Materials & Failure Analysis team. This is a senior, independent contributor role for someone who owns investigations end-to-end; from initial part triage through mechanical testing, metallurgical analysis, and cross-functional resolution with Design, Manufacturing, and Supplier Quality. The ideal candidate has deep expertise across metals and metal manufacturing processes; forming, stamping, and castings, and is comfortable authoring the specifications that govern them, working at the microscope, running mechanical tests in the lab, and presenting findings to program leadership.

In this role, you will:

• Lead failure investigations for metallic components across development, production, and field releases; execute mechanical testing and metallurgical characterization (SEM/EDS, metallography, fractography) to determine root cause and mitigations.

• Advise Design, Manufacturing, and Quality teams on metal selection, process capability, and process-induced failure modes for forming, stamping, and casting operations (DFMEA/PFMEA).

• Draft and maintain material and process specifications, quality acceptance criteria, and ASTM/ISO/SAE test procedures.

• Support supplier material and process qualification for formed, stamped, and cast metal components, including review of PPAP submissions and material certifications.

• Manage lab test plans, equipment calibration, SOPs, and safety standards while directing external vendor labs and mentoring junior engineers.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Materials Science & Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.

• 8+ years of experience in materials engineering, failure analysis, or metallurgical engineering, ideally in automotive, aerospace, or heavy equipment.

• Deep, hands-on expertise with metals across forming/stamping and casting processes, and their common failure modesDeep, hands-on expertise with metals across forming/stamping and casting processes, and their common failure modes as well as writing and reviewing processes.

• Strong experience with mechanical testing (Instron/UTM systems) and failure analysis techniques (fractography, SEM/EDS, metallography, hardness testing).

• Demonstrated track record independently leading root cause investigations and driving corrective actions to closure with cross-functional teams.

• Working knowledge of ASTM/ISO/SAE test standards and experience developing test specifications.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate technical findings for non-materials audiences and leadership.

• Experience mentoring or directing the work of junior engineers or technicians.

Bonus Qualifications

• Experience with polymers, composites, adhesives/bonded joints, or coatings failure analysis.

• Familiarity with forming/stamping simulation tools (e.g., AutoForm, LS-DYNA), casting simulation, or DFMEA/PFMEA processes.

• Experience with supplier quality engineering, PPAP, or material certification review.

• Prior experience in high-volume automotive manufacturing or a vehicle development environment.

• Advanced degree (MS/PhD) in Materials Science or Metallurgy.

$187,000 - $225,000 a year

Base Salary Range

There are three major components to compensation for this position: salary, Amazon Restricted Stock Units (RSUs), and Zoox Stock Appreciation Rights. A sign-on bonus may be offered as part of the compensation package. The listed range applies only to the base salary. Compensation will vary based on geographic location and level. Leveling, as well as positioning within a level, is determined by a range of factors, including, but not limited to, a candidate's relevant years of experience, domain knowledge, and interview performance. The salary range listed in this posting is representative of the range of levels Zoox is considering for this position.

Zoox also offers a comprehensive package of benefits, including paid time off (e.g. sick leave, vacation, bereavement), unpaid time off, Zoox Stock Appreciation Rights, Amazon RSUs, health insurance, long-term care insurance, long-term and short-term disability insurance, and life insurance.