Senior Materials Engineer (Metals, Forming & Castings)

We are seeking a Senior Materials Engineer to lead failure analysis, metallurgical investigation, and root-cause corrective action for our Materials & Failure Analysis team. This is a senior, independent contributor role for someone who owns investigations end-to-end; from initial part triage through mechanical testing, metallurgical analysis, and cross-functional resolution with Design, Manufacturing, and Supplier Quality. The ideal candidate has deep expertise across metals and metal manufacturing processes; forming, stamping, and castings, and is comfortable authoring the specifications that govern them, working at the microscope, running mechanical tests in the lab, and presenting findings to program leadership. We are seeking a Senior Materials Engineer to lead failure analysis, metallurgical investigation, and root-cause corrective action for our Materials & Failure Analysis team. This is a senior, independent contributor role for someone who owns investigations end-to-end; from initial part triage through mechanical testing, metallurgical analysis, and cross-functional resolution with Design, Manufacturing, and Supplier Quality. The ideal candidate has deep expertise across metals and metal manufacturing processes; forming, stamping, and castings, and is comfortable authoring the specifications that govern them, working at the microscope, running mechanical tests in the lab, and presenting findings to program leadership.

In this role, you will:

• Lead end-to-end failure analysis investigations for metallic components; from development builds through validation, production, and field/service escapes; owning root cause identification, corrective action, and closure.

• Serve as the team’s subject matter expert on metals and metal manufacturing processes, including forming and stamping (drawing, hydroforming, roll forming, hemming) and castings (die casting, sand casting, investment casting), advising Design and Manufacturing on material selection, process capability, and process-induced failure modes (e.g., cracking, springback, porosity, shrinkage, cold shuts, galling, work hardening).

• Write and maintain material and process specifications for metal forming, stamping, and casting processes, including acceptance criteria, inspection methods, and quality requirements.

• Perform and interpret mechanical testing (tensile, fatigue, fracture toughness, hardness, bend, impact) and correlate results with metallurgical findings (SEM/EDS, optical microscopy, metallography, fractography) to establish root cause.

• Investigate corrosion, fatigue, stress corrosion cracking, hydrogen embrittlement, porosity/shrinkage defects, and weld/joint failures in structural and body components; recommend design, process, or material mitigations.

• Partner cross-functionally with Design, Manufacturing, Quality, and Supplier Quality Engineering to drive corrective action plans, provide DFMEA/PFMEA input, and close the loop on lessons learned from field and production issues.

• Own test plan development and specification of ASTM/ISO/SAE mechanical and metallurgical test methods; direct technicians, contractors, and vendor labs supporting investigations.

• Author clear, defensible failure analysis reports and present findings and recommendations to engineering leadership and program stakeholders.

• Support supplier material and process qualification for formed, stamped, and cast metal components, including review of PPAP submissions and material certifications.

• Develop and maintain lab SOPs, test methods, and best practices for the Materials & Failure Analysis team; mentor junior engineers and technicians.

• Maintain lab safety, equipment calibration, and organization standards.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Materials Science & Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.

• 6+ years of experience in materials engineering, failure analysis, or metallurgical engineering, ideally in automotive, aerospace, or heavy equipment.

• Deep, hands-on expertise with metals across forming/stamping and casting processes, and their common failure modes.

• Experience writing and reviewing material and process specifications for metal forming, stamping, or casting.

• Strong experience with mechanical testing (Instron/UTM systems) and failure analysis techniques (fractography, SEM/EDS, metallography, hardness testing).

• Demonstrated track record independently leading root cause investigations and driving corrective actions to closure with cross-functional teams.

• Working knowledge of ASTM/ISO/SAE test standards and experience developing test specifications.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate technical findings for non-materials audiences and leadership.

• Experience mentoring or directing the work of junior engineers or technicians.

Bonus Qualifications

• Experience with polymers, composites, adhesives/bonded joints, or coatings failure analysis.

• Familiarity with forming/stamping simulation tools (e.g., AutoForm, LS-DYNA), casting simulation, or DFMEA/PFMEA processes.

• Experience with supplier quality engineering, PPAP, or material certification review.

• Prior experience in high-volume automotive manufacturing or a vehicle development environment.

• Advanced degree (MS/PhD) in Materials Science or Metallurgy.