Staff Materials Engineer, PVD

United States Digital Space LLC; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 198,000 - 268,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary and equity packages

Health, dental, vision insurance

Job summary

United States Digital Space LLC is seeking a visionary and technically strong Staff Materials Engineer to lead the development and advancement of material technologies that are core to our product experience. This role will focus on metal surface treatments, PVD/CVD, platings and other novel inorganic coating materials to ensure performance and premium user experience across hardware platforms.

You will manage a roadmap for materials engineering, drive R&D and supplier collaboration, define

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related field required.
• 10+ years in materials engineering of PVD/CVD and metal surface treatments.
• Experience developing materials for consumer electronics, medical devices, or wearables.
• Strong background in materials characterization, surface chemistry, and process development.
• Experience working with contract manufacturers and materials suppliers globally.

Responsibilities

• Manage a roadmap for materials engineering across metal surface treatments, PVD/CVD, platings and emerging technologies.
• Drive R&D and materials selection for current and next-gen products balancing form factor, performance, biocompatibility, manufacturability, and sustainability.
• Establish and optimize material and bonding processes for high-volume manufacturing.
• Partner with PD, ID, and Ops to integrate materials solutions early in product development.
• Define standardized materials testing and coupons to characterize new and existing materials.
• Work with external vendors and strategic partners to evaluate new materials and coatings and ensure scalability.
• Define and oversee materials validation, characterization, and reliability testing methods.
• Collaborate with Reliability and Regulatory teams to ensure material compliance and performance.
• Identify and mitigate material risks across the product lifecycle.

Skills

Materials engineering

PVD/CVD

Metal surface treatments

Biocompatibility

Supplier management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering

Job description

Our mission at the company is to empower every person to own their inner potential. Our award-winning products help our global community gain a deeper knowledge of their readiness, activity, and sleep quality by using their the company Ring and its connected app. We've helped millions of people understand and improve their health by providing daily insights and practical steps to inspire healthy lifestyles.

Empowering the world starts with living our values and empowering our team. As a quickly growing company focused on helping people live healthier and happier lives, we ensure that our team members have what they need to do their best work — both in and out of the office.

We are seeking a visionary and technically strong Staff Materials Engineer to lead the development and advancement of material technologies that are core to the the company product experience. This role will focus on driving innovation and execution across metal surface treatments, PVD/CVD, platings and other novel inorganic coating materials - ensuring performance, reliability, and premium user experience across current and future hardware platforms.

What You’ll Do:

• Manage a roadmap for materials engineering across metal surface treatments, PVD/CVD, platings and emerging technologies.
• Drive R&D and materials selection efforts for current and next-generation products, balancing form factor, performance, biocompatibility, manufacturability, and sustainability.
• Establish and optimize material and bonding processes for high-volume manufacturing.
• Partner with PD, ID, and Ops teams to understand needs and integrate materials solutions early in the product development lifecycle.
• Define standardized materials testing and coupons to characterize new and existing materials within the area of expertise.
• Work with external vendors and strategic partners to evaluate new materials and coatings, qualify processes, and ensure scalability and reliability.
• Define and oversee materials validation, characterization, and reliability testing methodologies.
• Collaborate closely with Reliability and Regulatory teams to ensure material compliance and performance in real-world use conditions.
• Identify and mitigate material risks across the product lifecycle, from prototype to production and field usage.

What We’re Looking For:

• Bachelor's degree in Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.
• 10+ years of experience in materials engineering of PVD/CVD and metal surface treatments
• Proven experience developing materials and processes for consumer electronics, medical devices, or wearables.
• Strong background in materials characterization, surface chemistry, and process development.
• Strong global connections and experience working with contract manufacturers and materials suppliers across Asia and globally.

Nice to Have:

• Advanced degree (MS/PhD) in Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.
• Experience with biocompatibility and regulatory requirements for skin-contact products.
• Background in sustainability-focused material development.

Benefits

At the company, we care about you and your well-being. Everyone here at the company has a ring of their own and we are continually looking to improve employee health.

What we offer:

• Competitive salary and equity packages
• Health, dental, vision insurance, and mental health resources
• An the company Ring of your own plus employee discounts for friends & family
• 20 days of paid time off plus 13 paid holidays plus 8 days of flexible wellness time off
• Paid sick leave and parental leave
• Region 1: $198,050 - $267,950

the company takes a market-based approach to pay, which may vary depending on your location. US locations are categorized into tiers based on a cost of labor index for that geographic area. While most offers will be closer to the starting range, successful candidates' pay will be determined based on job-related skills, experience, qualifications, work location, internal peer equity, and market conditions. These ranges may be modified in the future.

the company is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Individuals seeking employment at the company are considered without regard to age, ancestry, color, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, mental or physical disability, national origin, protected family care or medical leave status, race, religion (including beliefs and practices or the absence thereof), sexual orientation, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. We will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics.

We will work to ensure individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment.

the company is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Individuals seeking employment at the company are considered without regard to age, ancestry, color, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, mental or physical disability, national origin, protected family care or medical leave status, race, religion (including beliefs and practices or the absence thereof), sexual orientation, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. We will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics.

We will work to ensure individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment.

To all recruitment agencies: the company does not accept agency resumes. Please do not forward resumes to our jobs alias, the company employees, or any other organization's location. the company is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes.