{"id":2578001,"url":"https://alion.io/job/xona-space-systems-senior-materials-processes-engineer","title":"Senior Materials & Processes Engineer","company":{"id":685097,"name":"Xona Space Systems","domain":"xonaspace.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/xonaspace","size_band":"501-1000","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Ashby","truth_index":{"grade":"A","score":90,"open_postings":16,"ghost_share":0,"stale_share":0.188,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":85,"computed_at":"2026-10-22T06:10:10Z"}},"role":"Industrial Engineering","role_family":"Industrial Engineering","seniority":"senior","employment_type":"full_time","work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Burlingame, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":173000,"max":197000,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":197000},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":null,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"Statistical Process Control","optional":true}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-10-14T22:59:18Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-10-14","last_verified_at":"2026-10-22T14:42:19Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":7,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":7},"description":"Xona is the navigational intelligence company bringing real-time, centimeter-level certainty to any device, anywhere on Earth.\nWith Pulsar - the world’s most advanced PNT satellite infrastructure in Low Earth Orbit - Xona will offer a future-proof, backwards-compatible global positioning system optimized for absolute precision, superior power, and robust protection.\nRole Overview\nWe are seeking a senior, broadly capable Materials & Processes (M&P) engineer to own the coatings, materials, finishes, joining methods, and manufacturing-process standards that support our spacecraft programs-from early development through qualification and production.\nThis is a high-impact technical role for an engineer who combines deep materials judgment with a practical, hands-on approach to spacecraft hardware. You will develop material-selection and process-control strategies, define qualification and acceptance approaches, solve material and manufacturing problems, and work directly with design, manufacturing, test, quality, suppliers, and external laboratories.\nInitial priorities include building high-confidence internal capability for spacecraft coatings and finishes-including a production-transferable white-paint process-alongside polymerics/adhesives, thermal interface materials, and mechanical-joint characterization. More broadly, you will define how Xona selects, qualifies, documents, and controls materials and processes across its spacecraft programs.\nNo candidate is expected to be the foremost expert in every specialty. We are looking for an exceptionally strong M&P engineer with meaningful experience in several relevant areas and the technical curiosity to lead across the remainder.\nWhat You’ll Do\nEstablish Spacecraft M&P Standards and Strategy\nDevelop and own spacecraft M&P standards, specifications, approved-material lists, process requirements, and qualification approaches.\n\nDefine practical material-selection criteria that balance performance, reliability, environmental compatibility, manufacturability, cost, schedule, and production scalability.\n\nEstablish traceability, handling, storage, shelf-life, lot-control, inspection, and acceptance requirements for critical materials and processes.\n\nServe as the technical authority for M&P decisions during design reviews, qualification planning, anomaly investigations, supplier reviews, and production-readiness activities.\n\nTurn lessons learned from testing, manufacturing, and hardware anomalies into durable design and process standards.\n\nMaterials Selection, Qualification, and Characterization\nGuide the selection and qualification of spacecraft-relevant metals, coatings, finishes, thermal-control films, polymers, adhesives, sealants, potting compounds, thermal interface materials and gaskets, ceramics, refractory materials, lubricants, and related materials.\n\nAssess materials for spacecraft risks including vacuum compatibility, outgassing, contamination, thermal cycling, radiation, corrosion, aging, moisture sensitivity, flammability, and optical, thermal, or mechanical performance.\n\nDevelop and execute material and process characterization or qualification tests, including test articles, methods, success criteria, instrumentation, and data analysis.\n\nInterpret test data, identify failure mechanisms, lead root-cause investigations, and drive corrective actions.\n\nPartner with thermal, mechanical, electrical, systems, and test teams to ensure materials decisions support spacecraft-level performance and verification.\n\nCoatings, Polymerics, and Mechanical Joints\nDevelop spacecraft coating and surface-finish processes from evaluation through application, inspection, environmental validation, and manufacturing transfer.\n\nLead development of an in-house, space-appropriate white-paint capability, including material selection, surface preparation, application, cure, inspection, documentation, and production handoff.\n\nEstablish requirements and qualification methods for polymeric systems-including structural and thermal adhesives, epoxies, silicones, primers, sealants, potting compounds, thermal interface materials, gaskets, and bonded joints-covering surface preparation, cure control, inspection, thermal performance, and durability.\n\nSupport selection, application, and qualification of thermal-control surface materials, including films or stickers such as silverized Teflon, as applicable to spacecraft thermal and environmental requirements.\n\nCharacterize bolted-joint friction, lubrication, torque-tension behavior, preload retention, and assembly controls; establish standardized practices for reliable mechanical joints.\n\nSupport material and process trades involving ceramics, refractory or high-temperature materials, and specialized thermal or structural materials as spacecraft needs evolve.\n\nManufacturing, Suppliers, and Production Readiness\nEvaluate and mature flight-hardware manufacturing processes, including coating, bonding, molding, die casting, and other advanced or scalable fabrication methods.\n\nPartner with design and manufacturing teams to ensure parts and assemblies are designed for reliable processing, inspection, and production.\n\nWork with suppliers, processors, external test labs, and manufacturing partners to review process controls, specifications, quality plans, nonconformances, and qualification evidence.\n\nCreate clear process specifications, work instructions, inspection criteria, training materials, and acceptance documentation suitable for production handoff.\n\nHelp establish scalable, high-reliability M&P practices as spacecraft production increases.\n\nCross-Functional Technical Guidance\nCollaborate with mechanical, thermal, electrical, systems, manufacturing, quality, integration, and test teams throughout the hardware-development lifecycle.\n\nProvide clear technical recommendations that communicate risks, assumptions, test evidence, and practical next steps.\n\nSupport environmental test campaigns and use test data to validate material and process decisions.\n\nMentor engineers and technicians on material handling, process execution, inspection, contamination awareness, and M&P best practices.\n\nDrive complex, ambiguous technical work to closure in a fast-paced, multidisciplinary environment.\n\nRequired Qualifications\nBS or MS in Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related field.\n\nSignificant experience in materials and processes, manufacturing/process engineering, materials qualification, or reliability engineering for aerospace, space, defense, aviation, automotive, medical-device, semiconductor, or other high-reliability hardware.\n\nDemonstrated experience taking a material or manufacturing process from development through qualification, documentation, and production implementation.\n\nStrong practical experience in multiple relevant areas, such as coatings/finishes, polymerics/adhesives, thermal interface materials, mechanical joints/fasteners, metals, ceramics, manufacturing processes, or environmental qualification.\n\nExperience designing and executing materials or process tests; interpreting data; and resolving failures, anomalies, or nonconformances.\n\nExperience authoring technical specifications, process instructions, qualification plans, test procedures, reports, and acceptance criteria.\n\nAbility to work directly with hardware, process equipment, suppliers, and test setups.\n\nStrong ownership, communication, organization, and cross-functional problem-solving skills.\n\nPreferred Qualifications\nExperience with spacecraft M&P, including vacuum compatibility, contamination control, outgassing, thermal cycling, and environmental qualification.\n\nExperience developing or qualifying spacecraft coatings, paints, conversion coatings, plating, anodize, passivation, thermal-control films, or other surface treatments-including coating-process equipment or controlled application areas.\n\nDeep experience with structural or thermal adhesives, epoxies, silicones, sealants, potting compounds, thermal interface materials, gaskets, bonded joints, and polymeric-material qualification.\n\nExperience with bolted-joint characterization, torque-tension testing, lubricant selection, preload control, or friction testing.\n\nFamiliarity with ceramic, refractory, thermal-control, or high-temperature material systems.\n\nStrong knowledge of statistical data analysis and reliability methods, including development or application of A-basis and B-basis allowable values, statistical process controls, and methods for demonstrating compliance with defined reliability targets.\n\nExperience evaluating die casting, molding, additive manufacturing, or other advanced/scalable production methods.\n\nExperience working with external suppliers and laboratories to develop process controls and qualification evidence.\n\nExperience with failure analysis or materials characterization techniques, such as microscopy, mechanical testing, spectroscopy, or contamination analysis.\n\nExperience in a startup or fast-moving hardware organization, with comfort balancing rigor, speed, and practical execution.\n\nWhat Success Looks Like\nXona has a clear, usable M&P framework: standards, specifications, approved materials and processes, qualification logic, and production controls appropriate for spacecraft development and scale.\n\nCritical materials and processes are intentionally selected, supported by data and appropriate statistical methods, and documented well enough to be repeatable across builds.\n\nCoatings, finishes, and thermal-control surface materials-including the internal white-paint process-are qualified and transferred into reliable production execution.\n\nAdhesives, polymerics, thermal interface materials, lubrication, and bolted-joint practices are characterized, standardized, and robust.\n\nEngineering and production teams receive timely, actionable M&P guidance early enough to prevent downstream rework.\n\nMaterial and process anomalies are rigorously investigated, converted into lessons learned, and used to improve future spacecraft designs and builds.\n\nFor U.S. Roles: To comply with U.S. Government space technology export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the United States (i.e. Green Card holder), or other protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3).\nFor U.K. Roles: To comply with U.K. regulations, this role requires Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks, and successful candidates must be eligible to obtain UK Security Clearance (SC).\nFor Canada Roles: Successful candidates must obtain and hold a security clearance at the reliability status level, and pass security assessment for the Canadian Controlled Goods Program (CGP) and ITAR.\nWe celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. 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