UT Level III NDE Lead — Build In-House Ultrasonic Program

Approach Venture LLC; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 135,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Approach Venture LLC in Long Beach, CA seeks a Lead NDE Engineer (UT Level III) to build the ultrasonic inspection program for additively manufactured flight hardware. You will own UT methods, write procedures, and stand up an immersion scanning cell.

This is the first dedicated NDE hire to shape strategy, train staff, and ensure fracture-critical parts meet aerospace standards. You will collaborate with design and process engineers and support AS9100/Nadcap readiness.

Qualifications

• ASNT NDT Level III in UT, or qualification history supporting NAS 410/SNT-TC-1A Level 3 on hire.
• 8+ years of NDE experience in aerospace or related safety-critical fields.
• Hands-on phased array experience with focal law design and calibration block design.
• Proficiency with phased array platforms such as Evident, Zetec, Eddyfi/M2M, AOS or similar.
• Ability to write and defend procedures to relevant standards (AMS-STD-2154, ASTM E2700/E1417/E1742) and navigate audits.
• Working knowledge of NASA-STD-5009 and MIL-HDBK-1823.
• Strong fracture mechanics background to negotiate flaw size requirements with stress engineers.
• Must be a U.S. person as defined by ITAR (22 CFR 120.62).

Responsibilities

• Serve as the UT method authority, owning the written practice, phased array and UT procedures.
• Train, qualify, certify and audit Level I and II inspectors as the team grows.
• Develop phased array techniques for additively deposited titanium.
• Characterize velocity and attenuation across build orientations and validate results.
• Partner with design and process engineering on part geometry and deposition paths.
• Set and defend NDE-based initial flaw sizes for fracture control with structures team.
• Plan and run POD studies on representative hardware for government reviews.
• Specify and qualify an in-house ultrasonic immersion system and manipulator integration.
• Provide technical oversight of outsourced NDT methods and inspection suppliers.
• Own the NDE content of qualification plans and first article inspection packages.
• Support AS9100 compliance and Nadcap NDT accreditation.

Skills

UT Level III

Phased array inspection

Procedure writing

NDE leadership

Audit readiness

Education

ASNT NDT Level III or NAS 410 / SNT-TC-1A eligibility

Tools

Evident

Zetec

Eddyfi/M2M

AOS

CIVA

Job description

Approach Venture LLC in Long Beach, CA seeks a Lead NDE Engineer (UT Level III) to build the ultrasonic inspection program for additively manufactured flight hardware. You will own UT methods, write procedures, and stand up an immersion scanning cell.

This is the first dedicated NDE hire to shape strategy, train staff, and ensure fracture-critical parts meet aerospace standards. You will collaborate with design and process engineers and support AS9100/Nadcap readiness.