Senior Materials Engineer

The future of aerospace and defense starts here. 

Ursa Major was founded to revolutionize how America and its allies access and apply high-performance propulsion, from hypersonics to solid rocket motors, satellite maneuvering and launch. We design and deliver propulsion and defense systems that solve the most urgent and critical national security demands. 

Our products and technologies require an extraordinary team. A team that will mold tomorrow’s technologies while deploying today’s best. We are an intrinsically motivated team that has a passion for solving problems and empowering each other every day to develop our skills, knowing that there is always room for growth.

The Senior Materials Engineer will provide sustaining support on both production and development programs, enabling Ursa Major to sell engines and develop advanced next generation engines. You will support a broad set of manufacturing processes for metals (additive, forging, casting, forming, extrusion, plating, brazing, anodization, passivation). You will work alongside the Advanced Manufacturing and Materials group to build out a small internal materials lab capable of tackling problems impeding design, development, and test.

Responsibilities:  

• Support design and manufacturing through materials selection, failure analysis, manufacturing process development, and discrepancy resolution


• Author and maintain materials standards and specifications


• Coordinate and/or conduct materials testing in support of development and production needs.


• Support design and analysis in the selection of materials and proper application of published or empirically derived material data


• Review and establish materials requirements for future programs based on contractual requirements


• Work with manufacturing engineering to develop and maintain design “allowables” for additively manufactured materials


• Engage with suppliers to qualify new materials and processes, ensuring compliance with aerospace standards and internal specifications


• Prepare technical reports, white papers, and presentations to communicate findings to internal stakeholders and external partners


• Evaluate trade-offs between in-house testing and outsourced testing, considering cost, schedule, capability, and long-term equipment investment

Required Qualifications:  

• Bachelor's degree in Materials Engineering


• 5+ years in a metals materials engineering roles the aerospace industry


• Experience with at least two of the following forgings, additive, wrought product


• Experience with industry standards for materials data analysis (MMPDS)


• Experience with a variety of aerospace metals including nickel based alloys, stainless steel, aluminum alloys, and titanium alloys

Preferred Experience:

• Master's degree in Materials Science and Engineering


• Experience conducting failure analysis


• Experience with hands on metallography work


• Experience and working knowledge of laser powder bed fusion additive processes


• Experience with joining processes such as welding (EB, TIG) and brazing


• Knowledge of aerospace quality systems (AS9100), special process standards (AWS D17.1, ASTM, AMS)


• Experience establishing allowable and qualification frameworks for additive metals


• Experience building out materials labs or standing up new test/characterization capabilities 

Colorado law requires us to tell you the base compensation range of this role, which is $108,000 - $135,800, determined by your education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities. What we can’t quantify for you are the exciting challenges, supportive team, and amazing culture we enjoy. 

Classification: Full-time Exempt