Secret-Cleared Materials and Process Engineer

PGS Worldwide is seeking a Secret-Cleared Materials and Process Engineer in Woodland Hills, CA for a contract role supporting Northrop Grumman.

The Materials and Process Engineer will support metallic materials, manufacturing processes, supplier qualification, failure analysis, test programs, and engineering design reviews for aerospace and defense hardware. This onsite role requires aerospace, defense, or high-reliability manufacturing experience, metallurgy knowledge, materials testing experience, manufacturing process knowledge, and an active DoD Secret clearance.

Required Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in a STEM discipline, preferably Materials Science and Engineering, with 5+ years of engineering experience; master’s degree with 3+ years; or PhD with 1+ year.
• Higher-level openings may require 8+ years of engineering experience with a bachelor’s degree, 6+ years with a master’s degree, or 4+ years with a PhD.
• U.S. citizenship required.
• Active DoD Secret clearance required.
• Engineering experience in aerospace, defense, or high-reliability manufacturing environments.
• Practical knowledge of metallurgy for ferrous and nonferrous alloys.
• Knowledge of heat treatment basics, corrosion, fatigue fundamentals, and common materials testing methods.
• Hands-on exposure to metallographic sample preparation and lab techniques such as cutting, polishing, etching, and hardness testing.
• 2+ years of manufacturing process experience, including machining, forging, forming, fastening, welding/brazing, plating, or coating.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings and specifications related to metallic materials and processing.
• Ability to support failure analysis for metallic parts and processes.
• Ability to coordinate lab activities and compile test data for interpretation and disposition.
• Ability to support supplier qualification, supplier technical inquiries, non-conformance investigations, and corrective action recommendations.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work full-time onsite in Woodland Hills, CA.

Preferred Skills

• Active Top Secret clearance.
• Master’s degree in Materials Science and Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering, or Polymer Engineering.
• PhD in Material Science or Materials Engineering.
• Expert-level first-principles engineering knowledge of metals and materials.
• Knowledge of physical and mechanical properties and evaluation methods, including tensile strength, hardness, fatigue, fracture toughness, creep, stress rupture, SEM, non-destructive inspection, and spectroscopy.
• Detailed knowledge of production processes such as forging, casting, forming, coating, plating, heat treating, fusion welding, friction stir welding, electron beam welding, additive manufacturing, or composite manufacturing.
• Hands-on experience in a high-production manufacturing environment.
• Experience reviewing materials processing and understanding how process variables affect material performance.
• Experience mentoring or developing employees.
• Strong ability to communicate technical concepts across all organizational levels.
• Experience working in fast-paced environments with tight timelines and aggressive schedules.

What You’ll Do

• Support engineering requirements for parts, materials, processes, manufacturing technologies, machinery, tools, and automation systems.
• Recommend materials and processes used in product design and manufacturing.
• Qualify new materials, parts, and processes to meet contractual, regulatory, and technical requirements.
• Manage or support test and audit programs for supplier qualification.
• Support engineering design reviews.
• Participate in failure analysis for metallic parts and processes.
• Assist with supplier qualification activities and respond to supplier technical inquiries.
• Analyze tool, material, part, or process failures and recommend corrective actions.
• Coordinate lab activities including metallography, hardness testing, tensile testing, and NDT/NDI.
• Compile test data for interpretation and disposition.
• Support creation and revision of material/process specifications, work instructions, and test plans.
• Investigate non-conformances and supplier deviations.
• Collect evidence, support root-cause analysis, and draft corrective action recommendations.
• Maintain engineering records such as test reports and engineering orders.
• Support configuration control and design review activity.
• Communicate technical findings to cross-functional teams and stakeholders.
• Interact with manufacturing floors, supplier facilities, and testing laboratories.

Work Schedule / Shift

• 9x80 A schedule.
• Full-time, 40 hours per week.
• Onsite role.
• Occasional travel to supplier sites, test facilities, or other company locations may be required.

Pay

• $89.52/hour

Job ID: 1559

Military veterans and transitioning military members are encouraged to apply to all PGS Worldwide positions. All of our jobs are military-friendly, and we work with leaders in Aerospace who rely on your military expertise to support mission-critical programs nationwide. As a Veteran Founded company, we know that the military has given you the skills and training you need to succeed in positions like this, and we want to support your success in the civilian sector however we can. We thank you for your service and humbly offer our own in return by helping you take your career to the next level.