Materials Engineer

Materials Engineer

ZeroAvia

Kemble, United Kingdom

Role Overview

We are seeking a highly motivated Materials Engineer to support the development and optimization of advanced materials used in hydrogen fuel cell systems, electric propulsion components, and aircraft structural elements. Choosing, qualifying, and managing the materials (metals, composites, and polymers) used in our aerospace products—ensuring they meet performance, cost, manufacturing, reliability, environmental, and certification standards. Provide approved material limits, process guidelines, and material histories that can withstand review by customers, regulatory authorities, and others.

Key Responsibilities

• Material selection & allowables: generate/release material and process specifications/qualification; define A/B-basis allowables for metals and S-basis for composites where applicable. Create design data sheets with mechanical, thermal, electrical, flammability, fatigue/fracture, corrosion, and environmental properties (dry/wet/hot/cold, DO-160G conditions).
• Certification & compliance: build substantiation packages traceable to SAE/AMS/ASTM, MMPDS, CMH-17, and internal test reports. Define qualification plans (coupon → element → subcomponent → component) aligned to AC/CS guidance and customer spec.
• Manufacturing & DFx partnership: approve processes: forging, casting, heat treatment, machining, forming, bonding, curing, welding/brazing, AM/HIP. Design/approve process control documents (PCDs), traveler checkpoints, and acceptance criteria; design FAI and control plans.
• Reliability, durability, and safety: own fatigue/fracture control plans; corrosion prevention & control; damage tolerance for metals and composites (including CAI and barely visible impact damage). Define inspection intervals and NDI/NDT methods (UT, RT, PT, MT, EC; POD/false call management).
• Supplier & pedigree management: qualify mills, pre-preggers, heat treaters, platers, bond shops, AM bureaus; verify AS9100/NADCAP. Create receiving inspection standards, lot acceptance testing (LAT), and CoC/traceability requirements.
• Test strategy & data management: plan and oversee coupon/element testing; manage labs; ensure statistical treatment (A-/B-basis, confidence levels). Maintain a single source of truth for material data and revision control; drive digital threads to CAD/FEA/PLM/ERP.
• Problem solving: lead MRB for material-related NCs; run root cause (5-Why/Fishbone/DoE); implement CAPAs.
• Cross-functional enablement: train design, stress, and manufacturing teams on proper material use, environmental limits, and handling/processing.

Requirements

• MS/BS in Materials Science/Metallurgy/Polymer/Composites with proper aerospace experience (7+ years).
• 7+ years in aerospace materials engineering (OEM or Tier-1), covering both metals and composites.
• Demonstrated ownership of A/B-basis allowables, CMH-17 methods, and qualification test programs.
• Hands-on with heat treatment, bonding, autoclave/RTM, welding/brazing, AM post-processing, and surface finishing.
• Experience with NDI/NDT planning and NAS-410/NADCAP audits.
• Strong statistics (DOE, regression, distribution fitting, tolerance analysis).
• Hydrogen systems or high-voltage propulsion exposure (compatibility, insulation, EMI/ESD).
• Familiarity with export controls and controlled data handling.