Lead Scientist – Materials Science

Job Description Summary

Working alongside experienced scientists and engineers, you will apply strong fundamentals in physical metallurgy, thermodynamics, and characterization, combined with physics-based and data-driven methods, to solve real engineering problems. This role is well suited to a recent PhD graduate who wants to see their research make a tangible impact on aerospace products.

Job Description

Site Overview

Established in 2000, the John F. Welch Technology Center (JFWTC) in Bengaluru is our multidisciplinary research and engineering center. Engineers and scientists at JFWTC have contributed to hundreds of aviation patents, pioneering breakthroughs in engine technologies, advanced materials, and additive manufacturing.

Essential Responsibilities

• Design and conduct experiments, including alloy and process design, heat treatment, microstructural characterization, and mechanical testing; analyze and interpret results with scientific rigor.
• Establish quantitative, actionable chemistry-processing-structure-property relationships using a combination of experiments, physics-based modeling (e.g., CALPHAD, kinetics, microstructure modeling), and data-driven approaches.
• Collaborate with engineering, manufacturing, and business teams to understand critical materials and processing challenges, and help translate them into well-defined research plans.
• Stay current with scientific literature and global technology trends in materials and manufacturing, and bring new ideas and approaches to the team.
• Communicate findings clearly through technical reports, presentations, peer-reviewed publications, and invention disclosures/patents.
• Follow laboratory safety, quality, and intellectual property practices.

Ideal Candidate Profile

The successful candidate is a motivated scientist with a passion for advancing materials science through innovative research and practical application. They are comfortable working at the intersection of theory, experimentation, and computation, learn quickly, and are energized by turning scientific insights into technologies that solve real engineering and business problems.

Required Qualifications

• PhD in Metallurgy, Materials Science and Engineering, Physics, or a closely related field (completed, or thesis submitted, by the joining date).
• Doctoral and/or postdoctoral research focused on structure-property relationships in metallic materials.
• Strong fundamentals in thermodynamics, physical metallurgy, phase transformations, mechanical behavior, and materials processing.
• Hands-on experience with advanced characterization techniques such as SEM, EBSD, TEM, and/or XRD.
• Experience with thermodynamic or kinetic modeling (e.g., Thermo-Calc, DICTRA, PANDAT, or similar).
• Record of peer-reviewed publications and/or patents appropriate to career stage.
• Demonstrated innovative thinking, rigorous research methodology, and a willingness to challenge established assumptions and push the boundaries of understanding.
• Ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary teams and across multiple projects.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Research experience with nickel-, titanium-, aluminum-based alloys, particularly for high-temperature or structural applications.
• Exposure to manufacturing practices such as casting, forging, thermomechanical processing, or heat treatment.
• Experience with mechanical testing (e.g., tensile, creep, fatigue, fracture) and failure analysis.
• Familiarity with computational and data-driven methods, such as Python or MATLAB, and machine learning techniques.
• Postdoctoral, industrial, or industry-sponsored research experience.

What You Will Gain

• The opportunity to work on materials technologies for next-generation aircraft engines.
• Mentorship from experienced materials scientists and engineers, and exposure to the full materials development lifecycle, from laboratory research to product.
• Collaboration with global research, engineering, and manufacturing teams.
• Support for continued technical growth, including publishing and patenting your work.

At GE Aerospace, we have a relentless dedication to the future of safe and more sustainable flight and believe in our talented people to make it happen. Here, you will have the opportunity to work on really cool things with really smart and collaborative people. Together, we will mobilize a new era of growth in aerospace and defense. Where others stop, we accelerate.

Additional Information

Relocation Assistance Provided: Yes